236 Responses to MIDWEEK OPEN THREAD!

  1. John Anderson says:

    This could all turn out like the rape-gang issue – instances of dodgy schools all over the country, wherever the Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have settled. The BBC has by far the biggest national spread of reporters – is it looking for evidence either way, all around the country ? Of course not.

    The BBC can always find a local “communiity leader” to argue that it is just Islamophobia. But it won’t dig beneath the surface. With one or two honorable exceptions, the entire cadre of 5000 BBC journalists won’t even dig.

    http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/06/10/Books-Promoting-Stoning-Lashing-Loving-Death-More-Than-Life-Found-At-UK-Islamic-Elementary-School

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-27761075

       53 likes

    • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

      Isn’t it ironic that the bBBC is concentrating on commemorations of D-Day, and its version of World War I, when the entire country mobilised to preserve Britain against foreign invaders, while now the bBBC leads the politically-correct brainwashing that we should allow anyone to come here and take over our country to suit their primitive ‘culture’.

         86 likes

    • ROBERT BROWN says:

      Just read some of the many letters on the DM site on this subject…..people seem to be aware of many,many other schools that are guilty of indoctrination of muslim kids, and the best letter came from an American. He said that if this was discovered in the USA, the FBI would be all over it, as it constituted a threat to national security, and he is dead right, instead stupid Britain leaves it to wishy washy half-witted school inspectors, who give two days notice of their arrival…..astonishing. For pitys sake someone in government, get a bloody grip, full scale crackdown, sackings and deportations, now.

         80 likes

    • JohnM says:

      The BBC do not have any reporters to investigate it. They have all gone to Brazil for the World Cup

         32 likes

  2. johnnythefish says:

    John Humphrys interviewing a prof of Islamic Studies from Exter University this morning over the ISIS (hardline slaughtering Islamists aka ‘religious conservatives’) capture of Mosul in Iraq.

    Basically giving his expert opinion on where they could go next, which included a major oil refinery which would cripple the country economically and further targets in both Iraq and Syria.

    Then he slipped in at the end the possibility of them targeting Europe.

    Humphrys’ ‘Really’?’ sounded like a bit of an awakening moment, but my guess is we’ll not hear this prof on the BBC again…

       61 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      Forgot to mention Humphrys then closed down the discussion pretty smartish which was strange (sarc) – wouldn’t you think being a senior player in the home of the world’s greatest investigative journalism he might have queried where and how?

      A hastily arranged meeting to construct a brand new BBC narrative to cover the Europe scenario will be taking place as we speak.

         50 likes

      • Anderson says:

        Do you really believe that? Just curious, as to me that comes across as bonkers.

        It’d be interesting to know if that’s why some have a perception of the BBC as biased. It would at least mean they could dismiss it.

           4 likes

        • Dongle says:

          Regular Beeb watchers will have seen this a few times. Basically the Beeb seems to run to agreed fixed narratives then from time to time an event occurs that goes against the narrative but which is to big to be ignored. When this happens Beeb reporting becomes almost chaotic until a new narrative is agreed. How this narrative is agreed is interesting. I suspect it emerges from the Beeb hive mind rather than with meetings but who knows.

          This most notable occasion on which this happened was after the 7/7 bombings in London. Prior to that Islamic terror was something that the Americans caused and AQ didn’t exist (remember the Power of Nightmares doc – no one else does). But for a week or so following 7/7 Beeb reporters were all over the place.

             13 likes

          • Anderson says:

            ‘AQ didn’t exist (remember the Power of Nightmares doc – no one else does). ‘

            You’ve proved yourself an idiot. Thanks.

               2 likes

            • Paddytoplad says:

              someone has a different view from you and they are an idiot.
              Pretty sad response if you ask me. Hardly adding much to the debate.
              Come on here to challenge by all means. Most contributors here welcome robust debate. Even Scott can be thought provoking some time. Just flinging insults with no sort of structured argument makes your contribution worthless and pitiable.

                 3 likes

        • johnnythefish says:

          I believe they will be constructing a narrative, yes.

          Did you hear it? And, had you been Humphrys wouldn’t you have been more than a little cuious as to where and how this attack might take place? Instead it was clear Humphrys didn’t want to go there. What an abdication of his and the BBC’s responsibility to act in the public interest.

          Let’s see if they come back to it because coming from a senior academic and expert in his field, his view was dynamite and should be taken very, very seriously. Do you agree?

             12 likes

          • Wild says:

            Well Anderson says it is “bonkers” to claim that BBC Current Affairs seeks to construct Islam friendly “narratives” in its reporting, and if you believe it does then ipso facto you should be ignored.

            A nice illustration of the closed minds of BBC apologists. Which of course is an argument in itself for scrapping the license fee.

               10 likes

            • Guest Who says:

              The refresh rate also seems to have resulted in a bit of a log jam on the who’s who and who’s liking what front in the Matrix.
              Or maybe answers are just what get demanded of others.

                 1 likes

  3. Thoughtful says:

    TWATO on Prime Ministers Question Time

    The delay at the Passport Office is something people might recall from the past and it’s the sort of thing which can deal a real blow to the government, and Ed Milliband knew exactly which button to press !

    How much more partisan can a reporter get? No it can’t deal a real blow because the delay is not enormous, and ‘bigging up’ Ed Milliband simply for asking a question is ridiculous.

       38 likes

    • #88 says:

      It was no surprise that the BBC would ‘go big’ on this non-story. Miliband knew which buttons to press, and so did the BBC, giving themselves the opportunity to take Teresa May down a peg or two.

      The origins of the story lie with the Labour Party and the Civil Service union, the left wing PCS, who have for years been at war with the Government over much needed staff savings. The BBC have a particular affinity with the Unions* to whom they turn for their knocking copy, interviewees and question time audience members. The unions are a proxy for the Labour Party and they seem especially keen to hear from them if there’s a Tory Cut’s line to take…and what’s more a comment from a Labour guest on the subject means that the story is delivered in stereo and the Government get it with both barrels.

      Despite the BBC dutifully misreporting a throughflow of around 500,000 passport applications as a ‘backlog’, 99% of applicants are getting their passports on time. A smaller number, around 30,000 are having to wait a further week. Most of the complaints seem to have come from people who have more complex issues or who have left it very late to apply. (The Passport Office, in its information leaflets, tell applicant to apply early, informing them of the peak periods for applications).

      * Viewers in the Midlands might a have seen a similar trades union sponsored story on BBC Midlands Today several weeks back. Using an identical formula, the BBC reported that London Midland were experiencing an increase in rail fare evasion. Then we get to realise that the story was in fact handed to them by the RMT, who were in dispute with LM over job losses. The BBC and the RMT were guilty of manipulating a genuine concern (the piece included a ‘hard pressed’ (‘expensive’) season ticket holder complaining that people were getting away with not paying for their fares) for the purposes of giving the RMT a platform

      The BBC always on hand to do the Labour movement a favour.

         59 likes

      • chrisH says:

        But does the level of backlog and chaos go anywhere near the “Straw Test”…when Home Secretary Jack Straw was going up and down the queues at British passport offices offering the poor sods umbrellas/sunscreen and lots of apologies.?
        Or have the BBC/Labour forgotten what a godawful shambles they made of things before this useless coalition began to address the problems left them by Labour.
        And this is only ONE Labour test of incompetence-what about the Darling Test…where the whole nations tax details and family credit were lost somewhere in Washington, Tyne and Wear?
        Yes folks-seems that when Labour and the BBC want a token they give Turing a Test…but the Straw/Darling Tests were rock bottom competence by a State monopoly.
        But we never get background on just how bad the last lot were-

           31 likes

      • chrisH says:

        Today interviewed both Sewotkas pal at the PCS as well as some Coalition nomark to discuss this case.
        To be fair to Humphrys he scorched the PCS claim of 500,000 being inconvenienced-simply a figure of PCS imaginings. The Tory said it was a twelve year high in applications so extra staff were being deployed.
        Yet the 8am news headlines mentioned the “unprecedented backlogs and demand”-and repeated the half a million bollocks, uncorrected, as fact…despite Humphrys showing that this was union scaremongering soundbite bilge.
        So BBC-why let a fact or two get in the way of their arc of narrative?…lying scum.

           28 likes

        • #88 says:

          The BBC were taking the piss out of a Tory minister who had the temerity to suggest that the number of people applying for, or renewing passports might have something to do with the improving economy with more people travelling abroad.

          Oh how the Beeboids sneered and laughed at that suggestion.

          I’ve just taken a look at the latest Civil Aviation Authority statistics and found that nearly 20,000,000 (20 million) journeys were made through the UK’s airports in April – over 8% up on the previous year and the highest figure for many years.

          Birmingham Airport, with over a three-quarters of a million passengers in April, had their busiest April in the history of the airport, ever.

          Rather than sneer, perhaps one or two of the BBC’s 7000 journalist could do a bit of simple research – a bit more than digging up someone who hasn’t had their passport, that is. (But that would require balance – the BBC doesn’t do balance)

             38 likes

          • johnnythefish says:

            Logically, the BBC should have challenged Miliband on his ‘cost of living crisis’ agenda as a huge surge in passport applications doesn’t quite square with families allegedly having to scrimp every penny just to pay bills and put bread on the table.

               36 likes

            • Alan Larocka says:

              Exactly. Which is it BBC? Hard-up ‘cost of living crisis’ or Tory Cuts lead to passport backlog for all these well-off foreign-travelling families?

                 13 likes

  4. Charlatans says:

    So today we have another event in Iraq reminding us of Labour’s, (well Blair in effect), biggest blunder with grotesque deathly, disabling, displacing, Ilsamist radicalising effects.
    There was definitely a third way in Iraq for Blair and that was he should have taken advantage of his ear with that man Bush.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5188258.stm
    He should have said:
    “Hey George – you know Hans Blix has got on top of weapons of mass destruction; we got the airspace guarded and the UN will not give us authority to top Saddam, what do you think we can do to stop the oil for food abuses and other stuff that Kofi can help us with”.

       11 likes

    • Ken says:

      The only problem with that is that Saddam would have kept using the darned Euro in his oil transactions instead of the Dollar.

         8 likes

      • Charlatans says:

        “also George we gotta find ways stopping this tyrant from using every trick in the book to get round sanctions”. “Yo, George we got the power”.

           4 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Didn`t bother my arse to listen to listen to David Miliband on the Today Show.
      But in light of events in Mosul and Tikrit, you`d expect any BBC toady to nail the little shit for his Iraq adventuring back in 2003 etc on this day.
      Wonder if the BBC even bothered to ask him about it-or was it all how he causes Hillary Clintons flag to flutter?
      All that influence in DC David?…how does it feel to stop the traffic back here in the UK?…that kind of muck.

         23 likes

      • chrisH says:

        Oh-and it seems that Charles Clarke was interviews on Today…as a (get this) “politics professor from the UEA”…as opposed to ex labour Home Secretary who let all the illegals and prisoners out, before getting the boot from Blair for incompetence( and when you see how Brown, Blunkett,Prescott, Darling, Straw, Cooper, Scotland,were rated as MORE competent that Charles, then it`s a low baseline we`re talking about here).
        How and why did Clarke become a professor?…nice guy, but hardly high calibre.
        Mind you, it is the UEA we`re talking about…their climate change science is pretty good if you like creative writing and fantasy…

           37 likes

    • Malachy says:

      History oftens gets re-written. More time for weapons inspectors wouldnt have mattered. Chemical weapons could be hidden in the boot of a car in a country the size of France. That’s why the regime had to disarm or disclose. Saddam was never going to allow inspectors to work unhindered, hence the regime had to change.

         5 likes

      • RJ says:

        Sanctions had been holding him in check, but the BBC was campaigning hard to get them lifted. Every day there were stories of starving Iraqi children dying because sanctions prevented the importation of medicines. The consensus for sanctions was crumbling, so the choice was let Saddam win or depose him.

           8 likes

        • Rob says:

          France and Russia were busy at the UN getting sanctions removed. In 2003 it was now or never to get rid of Saddam, since thanks to our “friends” sanctions were not going to last much loner.

             4 likes

        • Malachy says:

          Hahahaha. The BBC campiagned for the lifting of sanctions!?! You couldnt provide an iota of evidence for that.

          And so the BBC was responsible for the invasion of Iraq now too? I suppose it also causes cancer and is cruel to small, furry animals???

             2 likes

          • amimissingsomething says:

            Ah, no, those (cancer and cruelty) would be due to climate change

               0 likes

      • pah says:

        There were stories, IIRC, of the Iraqis temporarily diverting river to hide stuff in the river bed before letting the water back. There were also stories about weapons going to Syria, which would explain something. But were they true?

        Looking in the interweb there are many stories about Iran and Turkey diverting water that flows into Iraq away for their own purposes.

        This report could have worrying undertones if Saddam was hiding weapons under rivers.

           1 likes

      • Ken says:

        Saddam DID let the weapons inspectors operate unhindered. The only people hindering the inspectors from Jan 2003 onwards was the west who needed to keep telling the same proven lie to justify invasion.

        The chief weapons inspectors themselves said they were being given free access to everything they wanted by 2003.

           1 likes

    • Scribblingscribe says:

      “you know Hans Blix has got on top of weapons of mass destruction; “

      hmmmm.

      Well according to The Guardian/BBC maybe. But good old Hans Blix didn’t think he had gotten on top of Saddam’s WMD. That’s why he pressurised the UN for increased searches. His fear was that Saddam not only had the remaining WMD well hidden, (the UN had uncovered and destroyed only 90% of it), but had retained the capacity for building more WMD. That is why he changed his searches to factories, bottling plants, etc.

      It is important not to run with the Left’s myth that everyone knew Saddam didnt have WMD, because that is wrong. Everyone thought he did.

         2 likes

      • pah says:

        Everyone thought he did

        No, everyone knew that he did. Don’t forget the villages gassed, the (empty) shell casings found with traces of chemical weapons on them in ammo dumps etc. He had them alright. The question is what did he do with the ones he had left?

           2 likes

      • Ken says:

        Saddam did undoubtedly have WMD in the 1980s and retained them into the early 1990s. By 1995 he had effectively been disarmed, except for a list of unnacounted for stocks.

        I have spoken extensively to actual weapons inspectors and troops who were tasked with finding these things after the invasion. What they told me is that Saddam had no WMD, nor WMD programmes in operation, or in stasis, or any WMD capability whatsoever in 2003. Four months were required to “tick the final boxes” and the inspection regime would have finally confirmed what was suspected.

        That list was a list drawn up by UN experts in 1993, who had access to forensic audits of the whole of Saddam’s WMD programmes. They investigated every factory, laboratory and facility and calculated the theoretical maximum production capacity of all WMD that Iraq made.

        This theoretical list was what the UN inspectors worked from. The problem is, Saddam’s factories and labs, were anything but world class. The manufacturing was very poor. The UN located and destroyed all the weapons that Saddam declared by 1995.

        What remained over and above the declared weaponry on that list, was the difference between what Saddam made and what the theoretical maximum output was. That difference became the unnaccounted for stocks. In other words, they never actually existed in reality.

        And even if they did. The particular types of weapons chemicals and biological agents which were unaccounted for, had a shelf life, meaning that the passage of time would have rendered such stocks inert by 2001.

        Every single lead that the inspectors received from the intelligence services was a dud. What they were confidently told were newly opened factories, turned out to be old factored which had been locked and untouched for 10 years. Even still they broke open the rusted locks and conducted state of the art chemical and biological forensic investigations into these factories or labs to determine if any banned chemicals or pre-cursor agents had been used in the previous 10 years. Every lead confirmed that WMDs had not been in use in Iraq for over a decade. Tehy were not hidden or exported. They had been destroyed.

        Since the invasion we now know what intelligence the western powers had, and it was terrible, which is why the west had to lie in 2 dodgy dossiers and send blatant fake warnings of yellowcake uranium from Niger, to the inspectors. Curveball had not set foot in Iraq for many years, yet was telling us about up to date info on factories and labs.

        Sometimes our inspectors were told to raid a lab which was definitely producing WMD, only to arrive at the location and discover that it was still the pile of rubble that they created when they destroyed the lab 10 years previously.

        No Saddam did NOT have WMD and every lead the west used to confirm their lies was exposed as lies at the time.

           2 likes

        • Scribblingscribe says:

          Thank you for that Ken. You write with great confidence and good for you for your research. You are aware of how people are wise after any event. The difficulty is knowing what they truly thought prior to an event.

          However I wonder if you have spoken to sufficient weapons inspectors. Dr David Kelly being one such former inspector who did believe Saddam had WMD. Hans Blix could not guarantee Saddam did not have any and was concerned with his ability to create new ones, as you probably also know.

          In reality no one could KNOW Saddam did not have WMD because he kept the inspectors at arm’s length from the areas they wished to visit, (they had to make appointments and the visits were ‘supervised’ by Saddam’s own soldiers), before finally throwing them out of the country when he had enough of them.

          You know that Unscom gave a maximum figure of 95% destruction of WMD.

          You almost certainly also know that pilots who flew out Saddam’s family and close staff to Syria say they flew out containers they believe contained chemicals in them. Are they embellishing a good story? No one can know.

          What we can say with 100% certainty is that Saddam had WMD, he used WMD, he took his country to war rather than fully complying with the UN mandates on WMD.

          Neither you nor I, nor anyone outside the upper levels of the Baathist party, can possibly know for sure if he did or didn’t have them. But as Clinton said after Saddam was captured, we know he can’t use them now.

          Have you posted your weapons inspectors interviews on a website anywhere? I still have my Iraq war anorak somewhere and would love to read them. Appreciate if you wish to remain anonymous.

             3 likes

          • Ken says:

            Thank you for your reply, I am about to go home, then on a weekend break, but I do wish to respond in more detail… I shall have to search through old files to find the corroborating evidence, so I shall return to this on Monday if you like.

               2 likes

  5. Barlicker says:

    Bad news for Labour/BBC:
    “Unemployment is down again, BUT…”
    On BBC News (around 2.20), Jane Hill interviewing a “TUC Policy Advisor” asked, “Would I be right in thinking that one of your concerns is that wages aren’t keeping up with inflation?” Well, lo and behold, great minds think alike because he couldn’t have agreed more! And on the increase in self-employment, “…is this rising because people have no option?” Loaded questions? Come now, the very idea.

       43 likes

    • Old Geezer says:

      The unions, therefore the BBC, do not like the self employed. They tend not to pay union subs, therefore they do not help fund the Labour Party.

         37 likes

      • #88 says:

        ‘…the BBC, do not like the self employed…’

        Apart from those BBC employees who form their own companies and become ‘self-employed’ to avoid paying their fair share of tax and National Insurance.

        Hypocrites, the lot of ’em.

           32 likes

        • starfish says:

          So where did those WMDs go?

          Leftist conspiracy theorists would assert that they did not exist, but we know they were produced in the 80s, and used in the Iran/Iraq war and against the Kurds

          So what did Saddam do with them? Use them all? Offload them to his Baathist mate in Syria?

             2 likes

          • DownBoy says:

            I noticed, when checking Jane Hill’s BBC Profile that she spent some time in the states working for the Democratic Party. What a surprise. I’ll bet dozens of beeboids have done the same, yet none worked for the Republicans.
            I’m happy to be proved wrong if anyone has evidence to the contrary but I’m not holding my breath.

               14 likes

            • Buggy says:

              It’s almost time for the weekend shift to sign on so no doubt frantic searching will triumphantly produce a youth experience bod from BBC Wiltshire who once held a door open for Laura Bush. And thus will ye be refuted.

                 6 likes

          • joeb says:

            I imagine they were spririted away to Syria, and are now part of the chemical arsenal there that has been dismantled as part of the deal that was done. I don’t doubt he had chemical weapons, but the idea he could stick them on London in 45min was ludicrous beyond belief. Never in 100 years would he have had the capability.

               0 likes

    • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

      I wonder if the bBBC asked the TUC Policy Advisor why public sector pay is still rising more than in the private sector. How can we afford it?
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10892575/Public-sector-pay-is-growing-twice-as-fast-as-private-sector.html

         24 likes

  6. Roland Deschain says:

    Why is it that those quickest to use the accusation of racism, such as the BBC, appear to be the ones who think about racial differences the most?

    Why do African-American women breastfeed less?

       25 likes

    • regag says:

      Me, me, me! Because they are the real racists, sir?

         24 likes

    • Alan Larocka says:

      Why is The British Broadcasting Corporation interested in this?

         6 likes

      • Dave666 says:

        Probably for the same reason that when I went to union conference they would discuss the rights of south american woman coffee pickers.

           7 likes

    • Richard says:

      Well, it’s certainly an accurate observation, but it’s hard to get an answer to the question because you would never get the truth out of them and they probably aren’t terribly self-aware anyway; they are too busy looking around for other people towards whom they feel they can be superior to take time to look into their own souls.

      But for what it’s worth, my theory is this: there are essentially two groups of racists, “racists” and “anti-racists”. Those are the two groups of people who seem to be totally fixated on the colour of peoples’ skins. Non-racists, people for whom it matters not a jot have other things to think about: the mortgage, work, family, mass immigration, the environment, education, literature all kinds of everything. However, not being fanatical, they are just getting on with it and leaving the stage to the more vociferous lightweights with little better to think about.

         7 likes

  7. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/gay-drag-contest-vogue-brawl-7248914

    This made me laugh out loud, and I wonder when the BBC will pick it up and run it as a serious item, and not the fun it is.

    This is what freedom is about, mad, eccentric, taking the piss, and having a laugh.

    Somehow I think the intolerant crowd so beloved of the fascist left would like to exterminate the whole lot of them, and yet it’s events like this which show up all the fault lines in the fascists thinking.

    You cannot support a group of people wanting to execute people for having fun, and at the same time support the group causing offence.

       14 likes

  8. Duke of Wellington says:

    Liberal interventionist wars are not in our interests becoming involved in Syria would’ve been utter madness yet Scameron was fully behind it.

       16 likes

  9. Dave666 says:

    Haven’t watched the inane Newsround for ages today was the day that changed. Sob story on British boy who has escaped the Syrian war to Jordan with his mother . The Mother apparently has no right to stay in the UK, the Father has and is “safe in Jordan”. Owww it would be a shame after all that she has ben through that she couldn’t come to the UK. A day to go to the “footy” and scary spice is a judge on X factor. I’m sure John Craven used to have proper stories. No reply to my “Fake Romanian” complaint yet I assume they have now remembered their extensive reporting on the day.

       30 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since I complained about the fake Romanians story and I’ve had nothing except an apology for not replying within the two weeks, but telling me not to contact them meantime.

      How long can it take them to concoct some sort of excuse? I shall be contacting them soon, I think, whether they like it or not.

         37 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        ‘How long can it take them to concoct some sort of excuse?’
        The excuse exists in template form already.
        They are simply trying to lose a few from the log in hope they give up or forget before it gets notched up a tad.

           22 likes

        • Coop says:

          Don’t know how’d you’d know. Hasn’t it been a while since you complained, what with them refusing to answer you anymore.

             6 likes

          • Guest Who says:

            ‘Hasn’t it been a while since you complained, what with them refusing to answer you anymore’
            You tell me. You appear to be operating on levels of interest and sources of information beyond discussing BBC failings and more on those who are concerned about them.
            Why is that?
            Given the responses shared by posters here and on other sites, do you feel I or others may not by now have a decent idea of how the BBC complaints system is structured and operates?
            At least enough to provoke what is about a textbook predictable reaction?

               7 likes

          • Stewart says:

            You know this how?

               2 likes

      • Dave666 says:

        As you know I had their comic, when did we broadcast that reply first. Don’t worry I’m sure that when your reply arrives it won’t address your complaint. Probably along the lines of “That is what the reporter saw” which I’ve had before after complaining about something.I’ll post my reply up when I get it we can see if they match.

           13 likes

  10. Lynette says:

    As I’ve said before , if you email your local MP and tell him the delay is unacceptable in a publically funded media organisation you may get a response a bit faster.

       11 likes

    • Dave666 says:

      Not my MP. as I related before I tried this avenue a couple of years ago. BBc= nothing to do with him.

         14 likes

    • Coop says:

      Nope, not true Lynette. You know what an MP does? They take your complaint, put it inside another envelope and send it on to BBC Complaints, and its treated just the same as any other.

         5 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Sadly true.
        However…. in game whose rules are set by the establishment, if you can’t change them, given the choice of giving up or playing, which may yet prevail on an Edmund Burkiean basis?
        Even if treated as contemptuously, by design, as you suggest, there is still paper trail, a log, and record. They can’t resist it.
        And as long as these exist, and if there are enough of them, they can move from being arrogant to disconcerted quite easily.

           2 likes

  11. TPO says:

    Silly, silly BBC.
    There are a number of primaries going on in the US right now for various positions in the Senate and Congress.
    The major issue is immigration, but you’d be hard pushed to discern that if you relied on the BBC for your news.

    Stunning everyone has been the catapulting out of office of the second most senior republican in congress (after the speaker) by a tea party candidate.
    And how does the BBC describe the tea party, bearing in mind that it shares a number of values with Ukip.
    Well, a party that wants ‘small government’, less spending and waste, lower taxation, curtailing of mass immigration which is undermining employment prospects of the working classes and protection of the constitution is described thus by the BBC:

    “US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has lost a Virginia Republican Party primary election to a challenger from the hard-right Tea Party movement.”

    That’s right! They are “hard right”

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27790057

    Oh, and Bunter (Lardell) is getting himself into a right tizzy over it.

       38 likes

    • John Anderson says:

      Yes, absolutely ridiculous reporting by the BBC.

      Eric Cantor is the first Leader of the House of Representatives majority to be defeated in a primary BY HIS OWN PARTY VOTERS since 1899. That is how big the loss is – but I heard nothing about it as a headline on the radio.

      The man who beat him is a rather boring professor.

      But it is typical of Lardell to misrepresent the whole affair. The guide to BBC is – whatever they say about US politics, it is wrong, read the opposite.

      And meanwhile there has been very little on the BBC about the huge uproar in the US over Obama’s trade of 5 top Talibans for a US army deserter. The whole business has blown up in Obama’s face, this is recognised in the Democratic media as well as by Obama’s opponents – but the BBC would naturally want to muffle this latest policy disaster by the worst and weakest President in living memory.

         42 likes

      • TPO says:

        With you on that.
        By the way, any idea where the inestimable David Preiser has got to. He had such a handle on these things.

           18 likes

        • John Anderson says:

          The big story today is the Al Qaeda takeover of much of central Iraq – and advancing on Baghdad, plus linking with Al Q i Syria to form the core of a new “Caliphate”.

          None of the BBC reports I have heard have mentioned that a major reason for the re-emergence of Al Q in Iraq is because Obama failed to negotiate for US troops to stay after 2-11 tp help with internal security. This is perhaps Obama’ws biggest foreign affairs disaster – so obviously the BBC will not tell us.

             30 likes

            • John Anderson says:

              Can’t the BBC send John Simpson over to sort out Al Q in Iraq and Syria ?

              http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/11/iraq-s-terrorists-are-becoming-a-full-blown-army.html

              Joking aside – Obama’s precipitate withdrawal from Iraq after the success of the Bush surge was a monumental blunder. But the BBC will run interference for him.

              Iran will have to join in – and so may the Kurds. And in the middle of it all, Israel could strike against Iran.

              Gee, thanks Obama.

                 23 likes

            • noggin says:

              would that be …
              this Calliphate establishing Al Qaeda John … by any chance

              “Obama said, We said that we would go after al Qaeda … and they ARE on the run … and … Bin Laden is dead”

                 14 likes

          • George R says:

            Of course, the political presumption of West’s left (inc Beeboids) is to deny that virtually all the Middle East’s problems throughout history derive from Islamic imperialist conquest and the imposition of repressive Sharia law by ultra violent Islamic jihadists. Instead, Beeboids blame the West (except Obama, of course):-

            ‘Jihadwatch’:-

            “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria now controls nation-size tract of territory from Aleppo to Fallujah”

            By Robert Spencer.

            [Excerpt]:-

            “Obama will probably continue to insist that al Qaeda is on the ropes until they storm the White House and take him hostage, but in the real world, Islamic jihadists are stronger than ever, and control virtually a nation of their own stretching from eastern Syria to western Iraq. In response, the U.S. is denying that the ideology that motivates and drives these fighters is really what motivates and drives them, and refusing to study it. A sure recipe for success.”

            http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/06/islamic-state-of-iraq-and-syria-now-controls-nation-size-tract-of-territory-from-aleppo-to-fallujah

               21 likes

          • joeb says:

            I did enjoy Matthew Amroliwala expressing surprise today when the reporter from Iraq answered his question “What does ISIS want?” with “Well, an Islamic caliphate from Syria to Iraq and beyond”. A nice BBC moment. Oh, what’s that noise, Matthew? Why, it’s the ‘clue’ phone ringing – pick it up – what does it say??

               32 likes

          • Flexdream says:

            If Bush had been in charge would the BBC possibly be critical of the US withdrawl and wonder if it was premature?

               20 likes

      • therealguyfaux says:

        Such American news as does NOT involve possible British entanglement in foreign adventures nor the dollar-denominated investments of UK entities will naturally be back-burner stuff, as well it should be. But the news of the possible flip of the Senate to the Republicans in November (likely, but far from a done deal) should, if one is to be on top of developments, a bit more well covered, one would think. For it is the Senate where treaties are ratified (that’s the foreign-adventure angle) and Presidential appointments to key offices are confirmed (that’s the dollar-denominated investments angle). With a hostile majority in both chambers, Obama is even more of a lame duck for the last two years, and will need to resort ever more to Executive Orders (provisions in existing legislation which allow Department heads a certain leeway in application of the implementation of such legislation) to realise any “hope and change.”

        The generally received wisdom in this situation of two-year “lame-duckitude” is that a President does what he can to burnish his “legacy,” which, owing to the Constitutional duties of a president, can involve the conduct of diplomacy and command of the Armed forces as prerogatives on his part. He has, by his handling of “L’Affaire Bergdahl,” shown he’s liable to make a complete dog’s dinner of THAT as well (back to the foreign adventures). As the Obamacare programme becomes fully operative post-’14 election (a Congressional-Democratic-incumbent preservation strategy), you’ll see the full impact of it on the US economy, and that’s where the $-denom investments angle arises once again.

           6 likes

        • Llareggub says:

          I am awaiting the Guardian reporter to tell us that the situation in Iraq is due to climate change, brought about by western greed for oil based energy, just as he claimed for Boko Haram in Nigeria.

             11 likes

  12. stuart says:

    so the great multi cultural experiment has blown up in the faces of the labour party and tony blair when they decided to open up the borders in 1997 to the third world when they gained power,here is the worrying thing,tony blair and the labour party are in the same denial about this disaster called multi culturism the same way these muslim parents,teachers and governers are in denial about these islamist trojan horse muslim extremists who have taken over these schools not only in birmingham and other parts of the country,what does that say about these parents supporting these islamists in these schools,very worrying indeed i say.multi culturism egged on by the bbc has been a complete bloody disaster in england and this trojan horse plot is just one aspect of this disaster,but i fear there is worse to come,looking over at what is happening in iraq today should worry us all,that trojan horse plot is certainly the result of what happens when you appease these islamists in places like iraq and syria,thanks tony blair blair and the labour party,you opened up the gates of hell for the islamists to stream into the uk and we are all paying the price for that now.

       49 likes

    • joeb says:

      “…what does that say about these parents supporting these islamists in these schools…”

      It says they are perfectly normal, pious muslims doing nothing extreme, but everyday, normal permissible Islam as laid out in the koran, hadith, sira and sharia law.. There is nothing extreme going on as far as Islam is concerned. Nothing. And that’s the whole point of it.

      Just like the islamic ra*e gangs, this will be going on all over the country, as we speak. Not just in Birmingham.

         33 likes

      • Ken says:

        That’s the problem, when Muslims tell the BBC that they are not extremists and that they do not support any extreme or radical form of Islam, they are, actually, telling the truth and the BBC believes them and consider them moderates. The problem is the actual definition of what is and is not “extreme”

        When Muslims claim to not be extreme, it is because they consider stoning women to death, Burning homosexuals to death and beheading apostates to be completely normal and not extreme in the slightest.

        The whereas the BBC would infer that such Islamic punishments are extreme and that the Muslims are rejecting them.

        Actually, it is Muslims who are rejecting the notion that such barbaric punishments are extreme. They fully support the punishments in the Hadith of the Quran and Sunnah and this is being demonstrated in Iraq in Mosul and Tikrit as we speak.

           23 likes

        • joeb says:

          There is no right or wrong in Islam – there is only what is permitted, and what is not permitted – a very different concept.

          So stoning a woman to death for adultery? So what? Beheading? Big deal…it says we can do it, so what’s the problem? The question of this, or any of the other depredations of Islam, being right or wrong, never comes into it. The answer is there, so no need to ask the question.

          I’m truly sick of this disgusting, retarded, military/political ideology and legal system, with religious components; ditto its followers. We will win, but things are going to get much worse before they get better…

             14 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      The bounty hunters ought to be out for Blair now – where are they? How much is he worth? Fuck all? That’s why there are no takers…

         17 likes

  13. JimS says:

    Sponger, Jono Vernon-Powell, (“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you travelled” – Prophet Mohammed), argues on Four Though that we ought to bring back hitchhiking.
    Unfortunately he cites The Great Mo as an example of someone who hitchhiked.
    If only Mo had stayed at home…

       18 likes

  14. OldBloke says:

    I didn’t know hitchhiking had been banned?

       4 likes

    • OldBloke says:

      Oh sorry I though the headliner said this: Jono Vernon-Powell wonders why hanging has fallen out of favour, arguing its revival would be good for society. Silly me.

         4 likes

  15. OldBloke says:

    Just been checking on my seaweed this morning and it tells me that summer is about to start, That being, for the most of the U.K. dry, warm and sunny weather with the occasional period of home grown thunderstorms when the temperature gets to about 25 degrees. Now that in anyone’s language is a normal summer here in the U.K., but let us all listen out for that well known phrase or saying from the BBC, “Climate Change” when it doesn’t rain for a few days. I can just hear it now can’t you?

       35 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      We’ve had some mega “home-grown” thunderstorms here in France over the last few days, but the climate’s still much the same.

         15 likes

      • Old Timer says:

        Thought I’d better make it a hat trick of Oldies.
        As for the climate? The Sun Has Got His Hat On…….
        Can anyone remind me of the words to rest of the song though?

           18 likes

  16. Guest Who says:

    It seems some credit may be due…
    blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alanjohnson/100275615/you-thought-you-already-knew-about-eu-corruption-read-this/
    That said, it is not quite the same as what is deemed ‘news’ ((c) A. Tealady) and propelled to the top of the hour broadcast slot, vs. quietly tucked away on the website, or ignored completely.
    The project is likely safe.

       8 likes

  17. John Anderson says:

    Lots of BBC reports on Al Q in Iraq taking swathes of territory and advancing on Baghdad – but for some reason the BBC radio reports I have heard omit any mention of the mass beheadings of Iraqi security personnel and others in Mosul and elsewhere.

    This is essentially Sunni violence and brutality. Sanitisation of Islam and terrorism again by the BBC ?

       39 likes

  18. Charlatans says:

    Guest Who… BBCs Gavin Hewitt produces some good stuff on EU, especially his book last year on the The Lost Continent,
    http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/books/393049/Book-Review-The-Lost-Continent-by-Gavin-Hewitt
    …. which exposes gigantic EU corruption and mis-management of EU funds. But unfortunately he is up against the BBCs receipt of EU funds, which means his negative Euro inside track view is not given the prominence it deserves.

       21 likes

  19. Dave666 says:

    Morning it’s breakfast on BBc . The breakfast roulette wheel of news spins and lands on ….obesity (just for a change). Sugar in fizzy drinks, complete with some geezer from action on sugar which I didn’t bother to listen to. Then on to is obesity a disability…blah blah blah.

       22 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      “Then on to is obesity a disability…”

      No prizes for guessing where that would lead. Follow the money.

         12 likes

  20. Will all end in tears says:

    Five Live this morning and a World Cup fever is rife.

    Great!! Let’s here it for England!! Come on, let’s get behind the English boys we are afterall English………aren’t we……..erm…..well actually……..

    We have a report from a school in Enfield where – wait for it – there are (proudly boasted by the Headteacher) 45 “home languages” spoken.

    “Amazing” opines the Beeb correspondent.

    And how many of the children are backing England? Erm, none. Nope. We’ve got Nigeria, Honduras, Colombia and others but not one shout out for the country in which they are being educated.

    And our beloved politicians wonder why there is so much despair and divisiveness in our communities (innit?)

    Imagine the heart break an English parent must feel knowing that their child is being “educated” (yeah, fat chance) in such a melting pot. It must be truly soul destroying……

    Sorry enriching. Enriching. Yes, that’s right, enriching

       58 likes

    • johnnythefish says:

      ‘home languages’

      Another addition to the Newspeak Dictionary.

         29 likes

      • Merched Becca says:

        In that case, perhaps they should go ‘home’ and practise their home languages ?

           30 likes

        • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

          Yes and I promise never to set foot in Karachi or Baghdad if they promise never to come back to the UK

             39 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      I’m reminded of something a teacher told me. One morning she arrived in her class and there was an elegant black lady in ethnic clothing waiting for her. “Who are you?” she asked. “I’m your new teaching assistant” she replied “and I’ve come to help the children who speak Yoruba”. “I’ve not heard of that” said the teacher “Where do they speak Yoruba?”. “It’s a Nigerian language” came the reply. “Well, we don’t have any children from Nigeria, here” the teacher politely pointed out. “Not my problem” said the new assistant, “the council are paying me £45 an hour to be here so I’m staying”.

         44 likes

    • Dave S says:

      English parents have to leave. That is driving white flight and the elite knows it. Will they do anything? No.
      Scared and scared and scared,
      The splitting up of old England and Wales is under way. It cannot be stopped. Start to work out where the new frontiers will be in 50 years time.
      Not difficult Just make sure your family is on the right side of the border.
      Those to blame cannot ever be forgiven. Immigration has tipped over into colonisation. it was inevitable and the elite knew it. Did they care?

         39 likes

  21. Ian Rushlow says:

    The BBC’s defence of Islamist extremists in schools continues unabated. Needless to say, they have found out that Christian Fundamentalists are just as bad (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27681560). It features the case of Jonny Scaramanga (real name?) who has made a living out of recounting his experiences in the Guardian, New Statesman et al. He is now 29 and his education took place in the 1990s, but hey, if we can’t find anything today let’s go back nearly two decades, yes? Mind you, Mr Scaramanga is very erudite – here are his thoughts on Communism: “I accept Marx’s ideas were flawed, and probably impossible in practice. Still, a just society in which wealth is shared equally is a properly excellent idea, and fuck the money-grabbing Religious Right that taught me otherwise. ” (see http://leavingfundamentalism.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/22-awesome-things-i-used-to-believe-were-sinful/).

       25 likes

    • AsISeeIt says:

      ‘Needless to say, they have found out that Christian Fundamentalists are just as bad…’

      This seems to be yet another example of the unspoken BBC left-liberal mission statement : supply and propagate ready-made slogans and soundbites to the left-liberal foot soldiers.

      For example, keep a sharp ear on Nicky Campbell’s show (rather you than me) and I assure you that you will soon hear this ‘Christian fundamentalism’ story recounted as an equivilence and a stymie to tackling the Trojan Horse.

         24 likes

      • Ken says:

        So where in the world are Christians beheading, burning or stoning to death rape victims, homosexuals and those who change religions?

        Where in the world are the Christians who may not be doing that themselves, but who are teaching children that these are the best possible punishments as these are the punishments chosen by God?

        I can assure you that Islamic people are engaged in those very things, this very day.

           34 likes

      • Flexdream says:

        http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27681560
        “The Trojan Horse investigation has focused on an alleged plot to take over some Birmingham schools ” – ‘alleged’?!!
        Er .. isn’t the big difference that while faith schools are open and overt about what they do the whole point about ‘Trojan Horse’ is the covert nature and infiltration? I may have missed it, but I’ve not heard calls for faith schools, including Muslim, to be banned. That’s a separate argument. This is all about infiltration. The BBC knows full well the difference and is just blowing smoke.

           13 likes

    • Charlatans says:

      The BBC connecting Victory School Bath, which closed 14 years ago, with the Trojan Horse scandal!
      What sort of connection is that?
      Exactly. No connection at all.
      But possibly, (maybe almost certainly), a bit of obfuscation and diversion of Labour’s immigration policies that are the root to the Muslim radicalization problems afflicted upon us.
      After Victory closed Labour imported 1 million more Muslims into this country (plus uncountable, but substantial amount of illegals as well).
      Also in the meantime: Iraq – the deathly, radicalising, displacing, disabling millions, which in my view is the biggest heinous crime afflicted by Blair and his cohorts, standing head and shoulders above the trashing of our economy and every other Department of State which they spectacularly failed in Government.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_United_Kingdom

      Roll on Chilcot, please let us get to the bottom of all this.
      In my view, there can be no other reason the BBC goes against it’s national remit to report the news without bias, fear or favour, other than it’s own left biased agenda, which feeds us so much misinformation.

         26 likes

      • Dave S says:

        The debacle of Iraq will be covered up. Have no doubt about that.
        We are just ingorant peasants. This country is run buy and for those who have always run it.
        Once in a while we get lucky or they get careless.
        Been like that since 1066. Cromwell was a brief interlude of common sense and good government.

           16 likes

        • Arthur Penney says:

          Although Cromwell tried to establish a dynasty as well as a military dictatorship.

             6 likes

          • Dave S says:

            A bit half heartedly I think. As for a military dictatorship that is true but the politicians were a miserable bunch. Much like today.
            His patriotism was never in any doubt and during his rule the Jews were allowed to return to England. We were harshly but well governed. I think the English rather like that. Hard to rule
            As for democracy a la 21st century. Well not much of it about on matters that are really important.
            The EU and immigrant colonisation come to mind.

               10 likes

    • Ember2014 says:

      The difference between A Christian faith school education and those taking place in Birmingham is the former cultivates Dot Cotton bible quoters, who live repressed lives whereas the latter cultivates jihadists wanting to decapitate British soldiers off-duty in Woolwich.

      There’s a big gulf that the BBC would prefer not to admit to.

         20 likes

  22. Umbongo says:

    Typically confused ignorant reporting on Today this morning as the BBC went ballistic on the usual “news in the future” concerning Osborne’s speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet tonight. “Corruption” in the FX market: those naughty bankers earning more than the minimum wage at (presumably) the public’s expense etc etc. As with LIBOR (as Humphrys mentioned) the FX “fix” would be in the announcement not the operations of the underlying market. Frankly, the FX market is so big, the operating margins are so small and the transparency of trading so manifest that, as far as the interbank market is concerned, there’s little opportunity for being naughty. The LIBOR “scandal” concerned the public announcement of LIBOR which is where corruption (if there is corruption) could occur in the FX market. The genuine LIBOR is crystallised through trading in the interbank market: again, as in the FX market, a process in which the players knew exacly what was happening and what price was being paid for short-term money. It was only the announced figure which was subject to fiddling.
    But don’t expect the BBC’s vaunted correspondents to let you know about this clearly and incontrovertibly. Blimey, even the The Independent gives chapter and verse on the FX market and on reading that you would suspect that Osborne’s grandstanding tonight is just that – grandstanding. Of course, the BBC approaches the subject from the Labour/lefty viewpoint: the FX market is huge, the UK is dominant in the operations of the market therefore there is obvious (but unidentified) corruption so that regulators must get involved. BTW no-one mentioned that the imposition of the “Robin Hood” tax would destroy the UK FX market in one go although Humphrys noted (with no follow-up) the tiny spreads on which the FX deals are done.
    Once again Osborne’s speech is not “news” in the basic meaning of the word: his speech hasn’t happened yet although it’s been leaked to the BBC and the rest of the media. It’s just a game: the BBC “understands”, the Telegraph “discovers”, the Guardian “reveals” a piece of information which requires only an ability to receive an email from the Treasury. Once again the media are hand-in-glove with the politicians/bureaucrats and the only “news” we get is substantially the “news” the political class is happy to see public. The “real” news – if there is any (eg Andrew Gilligan’s revelations of Moslem and other subcontinental corruption of our electoral system) – is kept under wraps at the BBC or, if that is impossible, is subverted by the media into a mock-concern about EU immigration rather than the far more important, corrosive and long-term African/Asian ones.

       14 likes

    • Merched Becca says:

      BBC news – Lots & lots of foreign people having trouble getting passports !

         26 likes

      • Joshaw says:

        Anybody with any sense should know that leaving something that involves the Civil Service until the last minute, or even the last month, is asking for trouble. The damn things last for 10 years and the expiration date is thoughtfully printed inside.

           22 likes

  23. ROBERT JONES says:

    What’s the BBC going to make of this?

    No black or brown faces.

    And Number One in the charts. (soon).

    Rik Mayall.

       22 likes

  24. chrisH says:

    And now with the heat on Islamic infiltration of schools, just guess where Jeremy Vine goes for his concerns re fundamentalism?
    Yes folks-to the home schooling Christians and their ACE curriculum.
    Who could ever forget Lee Rigbys murderers swearing allegiance to Jesus?…who else but Jeremy worries about Christian home schoolers flying hijacked planes into New York skyscrapers?
    See?…Muslims are only paying back in kind what Christians have long been doing?…Jeremy Vine and his Two Team feel obliged to tell us that indoctrination and subversion is not…repeat NOT…a matter for Islam, but for all faith…especially those murdering Christians of Bali, Urumqi, Mumbai, Syria, Pakista and all other Jesus nut jobs of states.
    F*** Off Vine, you dead thick branch of Sharia dimwititude!

       46 likes

    • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

      I heard that utter shite as well…………..like Christians are blowing things up and killing and murdering just now……….a bit like Hague & Angelina Jolie’s faux conference or ‘Rape as a Weapon of War’ – a 20 minute piece on BBC news 24 without the mention of any middle eastern conflicts – just Rwanda & Bosnia (perpetrated AGAINST muslims). Unbelievable.

         34 likes

    • Dave S says:

      I did not hear this. You are kidding? And they wonder why we laugh at them

         19 likes

      • Charlatans says:

        That confirms it – see Ian Rushlow, mine and others posts at around 10:28 above:
        So the BBC must have a planned agenda to divert, obfuscate and downgrade and misinform the Trojan Horse issue into it being shared by the Christian faith to protect the Labour Party from coming under further disrepute from their legacy!

        http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27681560
        Note this BBC produced webpage has been running since the middle of last night.
        Vine’s show is in the daytime (where ChrisH above states Jeremy was trying to divert the Islamic point into it is also being an equivalent Christian problem).
        They must think we are all stupid.
        Who in there right mind would associate this Trojan Horse issue with extreme Christian teachings mainly about creationism at a school in Bath which closed down 14 years ago?
        But what we do connect the problem with is the millions of Labour’s Muslim immigrants and their radicalising of the religion of peace through Blairs wars and allowing them in this country to run riot over us; from our jails disproportionately full of muslim criminals! Peodo/raping non-muslim girls, Muslim Sharia out of bounds areas in London etc etc.

        Sorry BBC we see right through that one. Please just report the news in accordance with your remit, without bias nor fear or favour and stop trying to divert islamic problems in this country away from the real causes.

           23 likes

        • +james says:

          LOL, the kids parents must have really hated him. What they don’t mention, it was a private school. That kid must have grown up with pictures of Jesus riding a dinosaur on his wall.

          Having said that the kids that went to the school all went on to become incredibly successful.

             2 likes

  25. Scribblingscribe says:

    PM this evening. (12.06.2014)

    Eddie Mair offering Jeremy Bowen a free rein for his ‘left of centre consensus view’ on the appalling Jihadists torturing their way through Iraq before returning to wreak more devastation on the peoples of Syria. Least it sounded like Jeremy so I will blame him.

    So here is Jezza’s theory. Got a pen? It is all the United States fault for removing the wonderfully cuddly Saddam Hussein because, now get this, there weren’t any Jihadists in Iraq when Saddam was there.

    Ok, well nor were there Trade Unionists, opposition parties or anyone who wasn’t Baathist. Can’t think why.

    Perhaps Jeremy, like The Independent newspaper doesn’t know that Jihadists were launching attacks on other countries before the removal of Saddam. Eg on the US in 2001, on France in the mid 1990s, in Somalia …. Argh the list is too long. But in the minds of the soft left all these attacks seem to have FOLLOWED the removal of Saddam.

    It actually all began in Egypt under a dapper, three piece suited fella called Sayyid Qutb.

    Ought not the BBC’s Middle East correspondent know this?

       25 likes

  26. Dave666 says:

    It’s 18:00, it’s the BBc news. Back to house prices again. It’s a rather mixed message as they partly take on the fact that London is different to most other parts of the UK. In fact a couple of banks are already starting to make moves at capping loans even the BBc reported on this on 20/5/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27494904

       6 likes

  27. Flexdream says:

    Looks like the BBC is now in the business of advising US foreign policy on Iraq
    “While most commentators agree that something has to be done, opinions diverge as to the next step for US policymakers.”
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-27806564
    Just who are these commentators? Does it include any of China, Russia, India, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Indonesia, Argentina, Germany etc? Maybe the BBC should just report the news.
    Who really wants to get involved?
    How ironic that so recently the UK and US governments were leaning towards bombing in support of ISIS in Syria, and are now moving towards bombing ISIS in Iraq. Reminds me of the saying ‘To the man with a hammer every problem is a nail’.

       10 likes

  28. Dave666 says:

    For f–ks sake an inane story about dazzle ships. No it’s not dazzle camouflage they’ve just painted stripes on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazzle_camouflage
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27818134
    Spot the difference.
    OOh the Peoples democratic broadcasting service of North west tonight is running the the passport story as well.

       10 likes

    • joeb says:

      Reminds me of when Fiona Bruce on the main news bulletin on the BBC described a Royal Navy Cruiser as a “cruise ship”.

      Anyone for shuffleboard after we launch these missiles?

         18 likes

    • Merched Becca says:

      Just watched the BBC programme ‘Clydebuilt: The Ships That Made The Commonwealth ‘ (David Hayman) – note the avoidance of the use of the ‘non pc’ word ‘Empire’. This episode focused on the American Civil War – slavery – blockade running by British ships and crews prolonging the civil war – end result, Britain – Bad – United States – Good.
      IMHO a totally negative view of the once Great Britain, that actually ended slavery a long time before the US of A – No mention of the work done by the preventative squadron of the Royal Navy off the West coast of Africa – Should have switched it off!

         19 likes

    • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

      They also had to get a Venezuelan artist to do it as we have no-one capable of doing this in the People’s Republic of Liverpool.

         4 likes

  29. Geoff says:

    House fire in Bath destroys two houses, police discover one was being used as a cannabis factory. Local press reports police are looking for ‘two Asian men seen running away from the scene’ yet the evening edition of BBC Points West decides ‘two men were seen leaving the house’ somewhat editorially selective?

       36 likes

  30. joeb says:

    Here’s BBC Dhimmi-in-Chief Jeremy Bowen, on Iraq, today:

    “The success of ISIS can only make the turmoil in the Middle East worse”

    Wow! Thanks for the heads-up!

       21 likes

    • TPO says:

      I’m waiting with great interest how the BBC will misrepresent the unfolding disaster in Iraq.

      Over on this side of the pond we are now being told that Iranian “revolutionary guard quds forces” are being deployed around Tikrit.

      The egg on on Obama’s face is there for all to see.
      The “rabbit caught in the headlights” syndrome has overwhelmed the White House.
      Biden is gibbering, Billary has gone to ground, and for the BBC, Bunter Lardell is wittering on about Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath”

      Now how will the BBC spin this I wonder?

         19 likes

      • Dave S says:

        They are useless these BBC journos.
        Iraq splits. The Kurds create Kurdistan. The Iranians aid the Shiites. The Turks get upset over the Kurds. Maybe invade the Kurdish areas maybe not. Chaos for a bit until the dust settles. This Isis seems not to be that good if the Kurds kicked them out . Arab armies are not very good anyway . Raiders at heart.
        Nothing to do with us if we are wise.
        We could send 154 BBC journos there and get rid of them. Win win all round. No aid and definitely no welcome to refugees.
        Wait for the liberal to emote though. All over the place as they do.
        We should have quarantined the ME years ago. Separation not cooperation. Better for all of us in the end.

           13 likes

      • TPO says:

        Well 11:30PM in the UK now and still no word from the BBC about Iranian revolutionaries moving into Iraq.

        There you have it. You can’t rely on the BBC for news that it doesn’t want you to hear.

        Here is a more reputable news outlet reporting what is unfolding in the region.

        “As jihadists take aim at Baghdad, Iran steps in to help historical foe”

        “Iran is coming to the aid of its historic nemesis, sending elite fighters to Iraq in the wake of a Sunni insurgency that has claimed two key northern cities and now threatens Baghdad, Fox News has learned.
        Some 150 fighters from the Revolutionary Guards elite Quds force have already been dispatched by Tehran, and the division’s powerful commander, Qassem Suleimani, met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Thursday and pledged to send two notorious Iranian brigades to aid in the defense of Baghdad. That could amount to as many as 10,000 soldiers sent to fight the Sunni group known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).”

        http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/06/12/as-jihadists-take-aim-at-baghdad-iran-steps-in-to-help-historical-foe/

        It must be agonising working for the BBC news these days, never sure of what you’re allowed to report and when.
        Witness the trojan horse faraggo that engulfed the BBC when at first they ignored it and then they were in denial.

           15 likes

        • John Anderson says:

          It is 2 days since I predicted here that the Iranians would soon join in – an obvious development. Sky has been reporting that the Iranians are moving in, is the BBC deliberately suppressing this ?

          And there is still no real sense from the BBC reporting that Obama precipitously and deliberately withdrew all militarily-effective US support from Iraq over 2 years ago. In particular, he denied the Iraqis any air cover.

          The worst President in living memory – or the worst President ever ?

             13 likes

  31. Dave666 says:

    Update on the fake Romanians:Thanks for recently contacting the BBC. We aim to reply to complaints within 10 working days (around 2 weeks) and do so for most of them but cannot for all. The time taken depends on the nature of your complaint, how many others we are dealing with and can also be affected by practical issues such as whether a production team is available or away on location.

    This is to let you know that we have referred your complaint to the relevant staff but that it may take longer than 10 working days to reply. We therefore ask you not to contact us further in the meantime. If it does prove necessary however, please use our webform, quoting any reference number we provided. This is an automatic email sent from an account which is not monitored so you cannot reply to this email address.

    In order to use the licence fee efficiently we may not investigate every issue if it does not suggest a substantive breach of guidelines, or may send the same reply to everyone if others have complained about the same issue. You can read full details of our complaints procedures and how we consider the issues raised in feedback at http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/handle-complaint/. In the meantime we’d like to thank you for contacting us with your concerns. We appreciate your patience in awaiting a response.

    Kind regards,

    BBC Complaints.
    That strange feeling of deja vu.

       17 likes

  32. John Anderson says:

    Kemal Ataturk, commander of the Turkish troops defending at Gallipoli and later President of the new Republic of Turkey has always seemed to me to be an estimable man – as a statesman as well as a soldier. He tried to drag Turkey from the corruption and backwardness of the Ottoman Empire into the new century. In OZ and New Zealand he is often remembered for his moving message long after WW1 to parents who had lost their sons at Gallipoli :

    “Those heroes that shed their blood
    And lost their lives.
    You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
    Therefore, rest in peace.

    There is no difference between the Johnnies
    And the Mehmets, to us where they lie side by side
    Here in this country of ours,

    You, the mothers,
    Who sent their sons from far away countries
    Wipe away your tears,
    Your sons are now lying in our bosom
    And are in peace

    After having lost their lives on this land they have
    Become our sons as well”.

    I remember being very moved when I saw these words on the Ataturk memorial on a cliff near Wellington, NZ.

    What I did not know was that Ataturk is reported to have also said :

    “Islam, this absurd theology of an immoral Bedouin, is a rotting corpse which poisons our lives”

    Rather in line with today’s article by James Delingpole and a similar article in yesterday’s Telegraph :

    http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/06/12/Look-it-really-is-very-simple-Western-culture-IS-the-best

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10892606/Trojan-Horse-debate-We-were-wrong-all-cultures-are-not-equal.html

       18 likes

  33. Barlicker says:

    Hilary Clinton got the soft ‘n’ easy treatment on Newsnight tonight. Yes, sadly she’s white but in all other respects she ticks all the beeb’s boxes for the next Presidendential candidate. And no doubt all those awkward moments with slippery Bill will remain bygones. I can only hope that when the time comes and she finally announces her candidature, her randy old husband will do what he did for Monica and splash out on her new frock.

       14 likes

    • Dave S says:

      It was terrible. That the USA is actually considering having her as a candidate shows just how insane things are.
      The West is so badly served by it’s putative leaders I fear for the future.

         19 likes

      • Phil Ford says:

        On the bright side, if the Americans do actually vote Hilary into the White House they’ll only have themselves to blame when it all kicks off. Hilary Clinton – a blood red socialist through-and-through – will provide years of entertainment as she bestrides the global stage, power-mad and drunk on her own sense of self-importance.

        Yes, she’s a dangerous woman – in the same way that women of great power throughout history have proven themselves every bit as psychologically unbalanced, unable to brook criticism and ultimately undemocratic as any of their male equivalents.

        Hilary’s been warming up for the White House for a couple of decades now. If she gets there, god help us all.

           9 likes

    • Bonzo says:

      They could try what they did when Ted Kennedy announced his intention to run for the presidency. Some film director announced he was making a film called Chappaquiddick. Kennedy immediately stopped all talk of running. Maybe this time the proposed film could be called Whitewater or Benghazi? By the way, have you seen the bumper sticker ‘Monica Lewinsky’s ex-boyfriend’s wife for President’?

         5 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        “Sniper IV – ‘I may have mispoke about hearing something as I got out the chopper'”

           1 likes

  34. johnnythefish says:

    So you didn’t think Psycho Paxo was capable of the ‘cosy little chat’ favoured by his colleagues when interviewing politicians of a socialist bent?

    Well not until tonight’s Newsnight and his interview with Hilary (surname superfluous in the circumstances).

    Laughing, joking. Paxo: ‘You’re going to hate me for asking you this…’ Awwww, how thoughtful of him.

    Did he ever interview Sarah Palin?

    If not, imagine he did. And compare and contrast with how it went vs his ‘interview’ with Hilary.

    Truly sickening, sickening, puke-inducing bias of the first order.

    Hang your heads in shame, BBC, you biased bunch of socialist twats.

       32 likes

  35. Geoff says:

    What a lefty disorganised anti government farce Question Time is tonight, even the carefully selected red button texts carry the same anti IDS sentiment, spiteful, hateful although just what one would expect from the BBC.

    Let hope Hislops words come back to bite him on the ass next year in stating that he thinks UKIP’S protest vote has peaked.

    Why does over gobby Salma Yaqoob insist on using inclusive words such as ‘we British’ and ‘our kids’ when referring to obesity, when she so obviously hates anything British?

       29 likes

    • Dave S says:

      Don’t take them seriously. Hislop is a spent force and whenever I hear “We British” I wonder who is being talked of. Certainly not me or anyone round my way. Some people living someplace else I suppose.

         21 likes

    • Phil Ford says:

      Salma Yaqoob was endlessly entertaining on last night’s QT. Here is woman hellbent on ‘nuancing’ the ‘debate’ to suit her own perverse agenda. In a sense you can’t blame her for trotting out all the usual bland platitudes and empty reassurances that nothing untoward was going on in those schools – the well-rehearsed method of misdirection and obfuscation has, after all, worked so well for Islamist apologists for so long here in the West, after all.

      What was refreshing about last night’s QT was just how hostile to her obvious porkies the rest of the panel seemed to be – especially Mr Hislop, who at times seemed to fizz with undisguised rancour at her every utterance.

      I can’t imagine the abject panic in the BBC control room as all four of the other panelists one-by-one refused to entertain Ms Yaqoob’s (wearing a viewer-friendly pink headscarf – so much less confrontational than the standard-issue black) increasingly ill-advised outbursts. Talk about ‘off-message’; at one point even Dimbledore himself seemed quite keen to get a few verbal punches in at the hapless woman.

      All-in-all quite a good edition. Perhaps these Islamist quislings in our midst won’t be getting such an easy ride from our political class, after all..?

      Well, the only thing we have left is our optimism, right?

         8 likes

  36. Albaman says:

    Inflation rate once again in excess of wage rate increases. Strangely no post from Alan about the “cost of living” crisis being BBC propaganda.

       3 likes

    • Andy S. says:

      Obviously Albie hasn’t noticed the paradox of Milibland’s “Cost of Living Crisis” and the problems caused by thousands of extra passport applications – can’t afford to feed my kids and heat my hovel, but I can afford foreign holidays ( see posts on this subject above). He is also ignoring the report that public sector wages are still increasing faster than the private sector.

      Poor Albaman, blind to the facts as usual, but that’s what happens when you depend on the BBC and the Labour Party for your information.

         22 likes

      • Dave S says:

        Doing the shopping I notice that the supermarkets are engaged in a serious price war. Prices are dropping . Deflation on the way?
        Doubt it with all the money the last government printed to save the banks but it could be as that money only staved on deflationary pressures for a while.
        Gordon Brown saviour of the universe.

           15 likes

  37. Merched Becca says:

    Hello BBC,
    It is becoming more and more evident that you are loosing the propaganda campaign, eg., your efforts to reduce the popularity of UKIP’s recent success.
    Your biased reports are becoming more amateur and transparent to the ordinary British people.
    “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”
    The end of the unjust tax of the TV Licence fee is nigh.

       23 likes

    • Albaman says:

      Is ending the license fee part of the UKIP manifesto? If so that gives them 2 policies!! What do they intend to do for the remaining four and a half years in government?

         4 likes

      • Andy S. says:

        Hopefully they’ll allow Scotland to secede from the rest of the UK so we’ll be rid of miserable, grudge bearing Haggis eaters like you.

           17 likes

        • Andy S. says:

          Actually it reminds me of an old joke. The Scots are like having piles. Not too bad if they stay where they are but a massive pain in the arse when they come down.

             14 likes

      • David Brims says:

        ”What do they intend to do for the remaining four and a half years in government?”

        Hopefully deporting 8 million Third World immigrants.

           17 likes

        • Albaman says:

          Is that not their first and only policy?

             3 likes

          • Stewart says:

            No surprisingly that’s wanting to negotiate Britain’s withdrawal from the EU – I know you wouldn’t realise that that was their primary objective from listening to the BBC, but the clue is in the the name -and apparently 10% of your countrymen like the sound of that as well.

               13 likes

            • David Brims says:

              Albachild my simple innocent naive soul, deporting 8 Million Third World parasites will have the knock on effect of alleviating the pressure on Housing, Schools, Hospitals, Transport, Environment, Crime and Tropical diseases that they bring to our shores.

                 14 likes

              • pah says:

                It won’t happen as it would be a PR disaster for the rUK, just think of the Human Rights cases there would be as soon as one of them died. We could of course herd them over the border following a ‘yes’ vote. I’m sure the Scots would be keen to welcome all new Scots no matter where they came from …

                   6 likes

                • Roland Deschain says:

                  Bu**er off! I don’t want them all here!

                     1 likes

                  • pah says:

                    If Scotland buggers off how will you stop them? Re-build Hadrian’s Wall? 😉

                       0 likes

                    • Roland Deschain says:

                      Rebuild? Why would we do that?

                      Compared to Edinburgh’s roads it’s in pretty good nick.

                         1 likes

                    • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

                      Rebuilding Hadrian’s Wall would require a German construction company who would be awarded the contract without giving a cost, then running 2 years late and ten times the original Scottish Parliament estimate. Then Salmond would turn around and blame The Tories The Tories The Tories

                         2 likes

      • Thatcher Revolutionary says:

        Get ready to lose your job Albaman if UKIP win – if you get sent into the real world BBC will need to shrink to ‘normal’ levels.

           5 likes

        • Albaman says:

          I don’t work for the BBC so why would I lose my job?.

             3 likes

          • Alan Larocka says:

            perhaps your ‘freelancing’ gets you brownie points I suppose?

               0 likes

            • Albaman says:

              “brownie” points”?
              From whom?
              For what?

                 0 likes

              • Scott says:

                Don’t be silly, Albaman – you know by now that everyone who dares contradict the prevailing prejudices on Biased BBC is in the employ of the corporation.

                Of course, when you put it down in writing like that, it does sound like a ridiculous conspiracy theory. But it must be true, if Biased BBC’s pseudonymous aliases say it is, mustn’t it?

                   0 likes

              • Alan Larocka says:

                Either from Fat Salmond’s Fourth Reich or it’s Broadcasting arm the BBC. If you don’t work for either of them, then I suggest you get your CV straight away!

                   0 likes

  38. Merched Becca says:

    Has any party announced their manifesto or policies for the next term in government ?

       7 likes

  39. Dave666 says:

    Looking round various sites has this point been brought up. The Obama regime is giving aid and weapons to the Syrian Jihadists. Yes? The Jihadists are now in Iraq being bombed by American supplied weapons and other action is not ruled out by Obama i.e. drone strikes. So if this is the case why no Obama supplies and bombs the same people? Remember it’s not that long ago that certain parts of the media wanted us to get involved. The issue of Syrian refugees coming here has vanished off the news radar completely. Apparently this is what Mr tax payer has been funding like it or not. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/syria-the-latest-updates-on-uk-aid

       8 likes

      • Albaman says:

        Easier to watch it on TV in the same way as those in the Irish Republic do!!

           3 likes

        • Merched Becca says:

          Then a good reason to end the unjust tax of the TV Licence fee

             11 likes

        • Stewart says:

          I hadnt thought of that. Independance for scotland will make it more likely that License fee will be replaced by subscription rather than direct taxation

             11 likes

          • Albaman says:

            Unlikely bearing in mind that the Irish TV Licence is partly used to purchase BBC content . The same system is proposed for Scotland following a Yes vote.

               3 likes

            • Stewart says:

              Yes but your assuming that telly tax will continue , thats not look quite as likely as it has in the past.
              And this content that the Irish ( do you mean Eire?) partly pay for , is show on Irish TV? does that mean that they get all of mainland broadcast for nothing?

                 9 likes

              • Albaman says:

                No, as. I said above the Irish utilise part of their TV Licence income to pay the BBC . You can see the cost in RTE’s accounts.
                Incidentally do you really think that any government, of whatever political persuasion, will give up the income they currently receive from TV Licence fees. As much as the Telgraph and the Mail (with their links to ITV) might want it, I don’t see it happening in my (hopefully long) lifetime.

                   2 likes

                • Albaman says:

                  Link ‘re RTE and BBChttp://wingsoverscotland.com/the-price-of-the-bbc/

                     2 likes

                • Stewart says:

                  “No, as. I said above the Irish utilise part of their TV Licence income to pay the BBC”
                  No what you said was
                  “Unlikely bearing in mind that the Irish TV Licence is partly used to purchase BBC content ”
                  Not the same thing.
                  And the goverment wont be giving up anything the money from the tell tax goes to the Beeb

                     7 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        The comments are quite interesting, especially on the grasp of technical realities demonstrated by the PM the BBC so tried to retain in power.
        It does also rather highlight the frequent conflicts of interest that confront the speaker for the nation on staying objective in what and how they ‘report’ when their own existence is at stake.

           2 likes

  40. Philip says:

    ‘The Queen’s Speech last week included controversial plans for a new law that would criminalise parents if they emotionally ‘neglect’ their children.’ The EU Cinderella Act will effectively make all parents responsible for ‘indoctrination’ of their own children to be ‘political-correct’ or face consequences.
    http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272468
    and
    http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/family/cinderella-law-contains-hidden-dangers-for-christians

    Add THAT to Pornography that is now being proposed openly by non other than Justin Welby (CofE) and the infamous pressure group Stonewall as a ‘certified’ school subject (currently known as PHSE). Ed Balls invented it (as DCSF minister for Education in 2007) for reasons we are about to find out when it clears it’s UK parliamentary hurdles on how to introduce it (when pornography has been historically banned in UK schools and any teachers who demonstrates it). The reasons for its urgent ‘inclusion’ will all become clear when every school in the country has to ‘teach’ and demonstrate (non scientifically) how superior it is to remove parents from the biological equation. MP’s have yet to vote on a bill. But it is the EU behind it all again.
    http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/pshe-and-sre-in-schools/

    Under the EU Cinderella law – UK Parents could be removed from their own children on trumped up EU inspired ‘harming’ suggestion following a ‘politically correct’ school complaint (head) or other child safety ‘protection’ agency. If you try to remove said child from the School (on the ground of moral objection) it would always be an act of ‘neglect’ for Catholics.

    The TELEGRAPH: ‘Writing in The Times, Libby Purves warned that religious parents could fall foul of the law for teaching them any beliefs which contradicted what they were being taught at school’
    More on this: http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2014/04/from-martindsewell-the-cinderella-law-is-superficial-and-contrary-to-childrens-true-interests.html

       8 likes

  41. TPO says:

    Following on from the BBC’s inability to report on what is happening in the world until it is microscopically examined to present the right politically correct nuances, witness their inability to mention Iranian revolutionary guards entering Iraq in case it makes the incompetent Obama look even worse than he already is, here’s more news from the States.

    Most if not all in the UK will be blissfully unaware of a catastrophe unfolding on the US/Mexican border because of the gross incompetence of the Obama administration.

    For months it’s been touted that the border between the two countries is now secure to enable the administration push for an amnesty on illegals in the US.

    What the BBC is studiously ignoring is that in the last few weeks people trafficking gangs have bussed almost 50,000 children (without parents), with some as young as six or seven, across the border to the US from Mexico and central American countries.
    These children cannot be abandoned. State governments, aid agencies and charities are working round the clock to ensure that these children receive medical aid, food and shelter. It sounds like the federal government (Obama) is leaving this catastrophe to them.
    Think back to Katrina and the mass hysteria at the BBC, spraying their shit at Bush when the real target was Nagin (now convicted of 21 corruption charges and awaiting sentencing).

    But on this? Not a word from the BBC.
    And they trumpet themselves as the world’s leading newsgatherer. No wonder Sky News wins the awards year after year.

       26 likes

    • TPO says:

      By the way, David Preiser, if you read this please come back. I, and many others miss your insightful commentaries, especially on matters such as the current border debacle.

         18 likes

      • Deborah says:

        Yes I was looking only yesterday to see if I could find David P blogging elsewhere (I couldn’t find anything). David, we miss you, and the knowledge you provide on what is happening in the US.

           3 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          Thirded (at least on this thread.. I know many others have expressed this before).
          It would be nice to be reassured he is at least OK. I presume the site owners will know/can find out.
          Beyond disappointment with being unable to inspire unruly elements to the less robust side (a hopeless aim on an open forum, I suspect) I understood he had simply had enough dealing with those claiming to only to be seeking mature and honest discussion, but rather clearly in reality engaging on anything but this basis.
          Interesting therefore who has been lost by what still prevails.
          A metaphor for many things these days?

             3 likes

    • TPO says:

      And of Bunter Lardell???
      He’s motoring across the States wittering about Steinbeck.
      Beyond parody.

         13 likes

  42. flexdream says:

    “US screen legend and activist Ruby Dee dies”
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-27825560
    Who she? Legend? Really?

       9 likes

    • therealguyfaux says:

      “Look at me, I’m Ruby Dee
      Lousy with obscurity…”

      Mostly a stage actress. Some TV. Rarely did films, but her most recent garnered her an Academy Award nomination (playing Denzel Washington’s mother in American Gangster, a film about drug kingpins).

      But you DO know it’s the “activist” part that interests the BBC most. The rest of her CV can be rendered incorrectly, for as much of a s#!t as they give about it.

         17 likes

      • Ian Rushlow says:

        Not just an activist – a black activist. Double brownie points (no pun intended). P.S. other coloured activists are available, especially red and green ones.

           15 likes

    • Umbongo says:

      I heard this tragic information as the final item on Radio 4 8:00am “news”. My first reaction was “who’s she?” and my second was “so what!” This isn’t news: it’s the death of a very minor foreign celebrity who died in a foreign country.

         9 likes

  43. Guest Who says:

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/06/12/professors-fellowship-terminated-for-speaking-out-on-global-warming-in-the-wall-street-journal/
    “…now feel that your views on key issues, including climate science, climate justice, and many aspects of U.S. policy to Africa, diverge so significantly from ours’”
    Totally OT of course, but one can only wonder the effect on objective education or information if other such organisations operated on similar principles if staff views diverged significantly from corporate ones.
    Except if expressed on twitter of course. Then totally their own. And totally cool.

       9 likes

  44. George R says:

    “The Fall of Iraq.
    Jihad between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims is raging hotter now than it has in centuries.”

    By Robert Spencer.

    http://www.aleteia.org/en/world/article/the-fall-of-iraq-5809214739972096

    The above, educational article on the history of Islam is a corrective to all the Beeboid euphemistic guff about its ‘militants’ (not Islamic jihadists), in Middle East (and in U.K).

       6 likes

  45. Dave666 says:

    Another day dawns on BBc Breakfast. Lead story Interest rates and when they may rise . Just in case you didn’t get the message there’s a large picture of houses and placards with sold behind the settee, Do you get the message? As I predicted the reporting on the misery of people who will have difficulty paying increased rates has already begun as they toss a figure of one million who may have difficulty into the segment. Also an increase in children calling child line who are afraid they may be forced into marriage. Any particular children? Children from any particular background? No you are left to work that one out for yourself.

       17 likes

  46. Llareggub says:

    BBC appear to be backing the Iraq rebels, who inform the villagers that ‘we are not here to harm you’, and are trying so hard to show how they can responsibly run a state. So what was all that about a Caliphate?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27811644

       10 likes

  47. noggin says:

    Aggressive and irritating extremist, Selma Yaqoob on QT
    … “hands off Birmingham schools!”
    Yes Selma, but (as always with you), don t forget to put Muslim first,
    “Muslim hands off Birmingham schools”
    and voila! … half the issue solved already.

    The model could immediately be expanded to other cities,
    and voila! … new job opportunity, for self obsessed Muslim gobshite, whose angling for a gravy train, into the bargain.

       20 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      ‘Aggressive and irritating extremist, Selma Yaqoob on QT’
      Beyond the BBC’s clear commitment to pushing agendas, their thirst for ratings heat over remit light in complement is stark.
      As mentioned elsewhere, even her fellow panelists seemed discomfited by her knocking their cosy platitude reassurances off the rails.
      Maybe the BBC should be thanked for this, though polarising views usually sees extremes pushed further.
      Fomenting civic unrest hardly seems the best use of a state media monopoly, no matter how well this drives up the industry market ratings of the staff.

         7 likes

  48. Umbongo says:

    Another item on the Radio 4 News at 8:00 am was that the LibDems had sold out to the producer interest in our schools which was confirmed by a clip from a parasite representative of a teacher’s union. Nothing that the LibDems announce as part of their 2015 manifesto is “news” (although it might be “information”) and an announcement by a union official that she supports a “closed shop” is not “news” either.

       8 likes

  49. Thatcher Revolutionary says:

    Anyone see the weather report on ITV this morning? Some stupid stunt involving a goat who was pushed toward either an English bucket of food or and Italian one. They had a local primary school from Vauxhall send along some kids to cheer the goat on. Not a single white face.

       19 likes

    • David Brims says:

      ”They had a local primary school from Vauxhall send along some kids ,Not a single white face. ”

      I shudder and tremble at that thought, our ruling elites are not working for us, quite the opposite, they’re ethnic cleansing the indigenous inhabitants.

         20 likes

      • Dave S says:

        They have all left for the shires. Welcome to fractured England of the 21st century.

           8 likes

    • Geoff says:

      Sadly ITV are no different than the BBC, Sky or Channel 4 in this respect, there really is no escape, hence the on switch on my TV is used less and less these days.

      A recent ITV edition of Tonight had a item on diabetes and used school kids to represent blood cells in a dumbed down demo, 90% of those kids were girls in head scarves.

      On BBC regularly now its possible to view News/Local News/Local Weather/National Weather without an appearance of an indigenous type, especeially in the 10.30pm slot. Much the same on News 24 with news/weather/sport.

         18 likes