LOOKING FOR SPLITS

You should listen to this interview with Lord Howard which took place this morning on the BBC. I think he handled it very well when it became clear that Sarah Montague had only one real agenda item – to get him to attack Ken Clarke. You could feel his exasperation at the way in which he was being constantly invited to condemn Clarke and the fact that he actually praised the specific initiative clearly irritated Montague. Well played, Lord Howard! The BBC, Montague included, seem unable to comprehend that crime falls when you lack up criminals.

HITTING THE POOR!

The Labour Broadcasting Corporation was busy this morning painting the Nasty Party as horrid as can be! Why those evil Conservatives even want “to hit the poor”. Classic set up job this morning on Today. First, the BBC runs a spoiler at 7.09am in which a dissident Lib-Dem MP attacks Osborne’s plan to reduce Welfarism. Then, at 8.10am they invite Theresa Perchard from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau on who instantly denies there is such thing as those who choose not to work as a “lifestyle choice.”  That sets it up nicely and on comes John McDonnell to also deny there is scrounger culture (How could he not, it’s a significant part of the Labout base!) and Michael Fallon to argue in favour of the Osborne line. So, four people interviewed in just over one hour and THREE of them are against what the Coalition is trying to do. Fair and balanced? It’s what the BBC does.

LABOUR’S DAILY BOOST…

In it’s new position as official propagandist for Labour, the BBC lead news story today concerns the conclusions of research that it commissioned (sic) that alleges that Coalition cuts will most deeply effect the North of England and the Midlands where, oddly enough, State subsidy is highest as is support for Labour. The narrative is that the evil Coalition will bring endless misery to these afflicted regions by withdrawing State support, thus missing why these regions are so afflicted! I suppose this is one way to shore up Labour support in the heartland.

Then, during an interview with Nick Clegg, in the prime-time post 8am slot, up comes Coulsongate again. The BBC scents blood here and Labour could not be happier with the alacrity and persistence of the State Broadcaster in leading the charge against Coulson. This morning, Humphyrs was trying to drive a wedge between the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems on this issue.

SAINT VINCE VS THE OBAMESSIAH

I bet the BBC agonised over this one. In essence they had to choose between Vince Cable (previous BBC icon before he entered the wicked coalition) and Obama (perma-BBC icon) over the issue of State support for scientific R&D. Cable, sensibly, has pronounced that funds should be directed towards R&D excellence which has practical transfer. The BBC contrasts this with Obama’s extension of tax cuts on business R&D. BBC were quite strident in their opposition to the Cable model whilst implicitly supportive of the Obama model. But being the BBC means never being able to say the whole truth so they left out the tax rises on business that Obama is also introducing. Not quite the story put across by the BBC.

BIAS BY OMISSION

It’s a funny old world, isn’t it. The Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness casually informs the media that contrary to a previous on the record statement to the BBC, he HAD in fact met the killer Priest Father Chesney, the mass murdering IRA terrorist behind the Claudy massacre. So, was McGuinness lying when he previously denied ANY contact with the Provo Priest, is he lying now when he says here was contact, what else might he be lying about and does being a liar make for holding senior office? ALL questions ignored by the regional and national BBC. So, rather than investigate this issue, BBC instead looked into budgie-breeding wars in the West Country. I have been contacted by non-BBC journalists stunned at the disinterest shown by the BBC in the McGuinness admission. Truly the BBC is not just biased but it is a moral vacuum.

PUMPING AWAY…..

I am someone who hates new laws unless they can be shown to be really necessary, and I despair as our lunatic politicians – of whatever stripe – see the solution to every issue to be yet more legislation. We are now surrounded by an army of bureaucrats who measure and regulate every aspect of our behaviour, from disposing of refuse to breathing, and it’s my bet that, despite big Dave’s promise to slash quangos, more will be in place when he leaves office than when he arrived.

One such useless body is the Energy Savings Trust, a veritable army of jack-booted public servants whose job is to force us to use less of the power that makes our lives so comfortable, and think instead – guiltily and with alarm – about living in green communities, worrying about climate change, and above all, worshipping at the altar of the lesser carbon footprint. The BBC, of course, reports their every word with religious reverence. Mark Kinver (one of the BBC website’s leading eco-warriors) gives us a sleep-inducing sermon on the marvels of the heat-pump, all clothed in the self-righteous alarmist language that is the default mode used to lecture us. The BBC – if it were a true journalistic operation – would be asking searching questions about why we need to spend billions (that’s what the climate change section of public service costs) on such flatulent outpourings when the real message is that if you design a better heat pump, you save a bit of cash. And you don’t need the fascists of the Energy Saving Trust to tell you that.

PRIORITISING BIAS…

Bias can be so subtle.

Consider this; Just before 7am, on Today, the BBC found time to interview Dan Hannan on his call for a referendum on our continued membership of the EU. Naturally he was not given an easy ride and there was a distinctive glacial tone in the not so fragant Sarah Montague’s questioning. Meanwhile, God-denier and BBC fave Stephen Hawkings gets TWO slots to advance his contention that the Almighty does not exist – at 7.12am and 8.31am.

So, Hannan is allowed air-time but in the graveyard slot whereas Hawkings gets prime time!

LOVING HAMAS….

It’s relentless, it’s offensive and it seems to be something that the BBC has taken up as a cause macabre..

Should Hamas be included in Middle East peace talks? Jon Donnison reports on how Hamas still has a strong influence in Gaza and the West Bank, despite the efforts by the Israeli and Palestinian security services to crack down on the organisation.”

ETA, IRA, Hamas, Taliban, Al Queda – the BBC just LOVE them.

HELPING OUR TROOPS

I am sure that the hundreds of next of kin of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan will be tuning in to the BBC Radio 4 programme entitled “Have we won the war in Afghanistan”? Oops sorry, I misread the title, it is in fact called “Has the Taliban won the war in Afganistan”. Eddie Mair is your host and it starts right now. I won’t be listening. The Taliban must love the BBC – they do their work day in and day out.