The BBC’s early morning Labour Party Indoctrination broadcast, Wake Up To Money, is always worth a visit if you need a good laugh, the two usual presenters offering us a resolutely unusual world view….fortunately most of the guests, with some exceptions, talk a lot of sense…which is then completely ignored by the dynamic duo in charge.
Tuesday was an exception (34 mins) when the guest was brought in to bolster the BBC’s pro-HS2 stance and we had a bit of a love-in and not many hard questions about HS3, the newly proposed East/West high speed line. As the guest, Sim Harris from Rail News, is a hardened advocate of HS2 we were hardly likely to get a reasoned and measured line from him….as his own thoughts on objectors to HS2 show.
WUTM has always been highly dismissive of the government’s claims about job creation and an improving economy, pouring large amounts of cold water, scorn and derision upon any ‘good news’….for instance still telling us we narrowly missed a triple dip recession even after we knew that there had not even been a double dip recession.
How different when it suits though. On Wednesday the ‘Living Wage Commision’ pronounced that the government must ensure everyone gets a pay rise to a level determined by the LWC.
WUTM was doing a bit of cheerleading on Wednesday morning on their behalf. (05:47)
Some businessmen were brought in to tell us their thoughts…unsurprisingly they suggested it depended upon the state of the economy whereupon the BBC’s Adam Parsons leapt into action and said:
‘But we’re out of recession, there comes a time when we can’t keep saying we’re barely out of a recession…. because we are out of recession, there is growth’
Funny that the usual refrain on the programme is just how ‘fragile’ the economy is…heard them say it several times this week.
Mickey Clark, the other presenter, added his thoughts and stated that we could afford to pay a living wage because the ‘jobs situation is so vibrant now’.
This is the same Mickey Clark who consistently, day in, day out, tells us that we can’t trust the government figures, that the jobs created are rubbish being all part time, ZHC or self employed, or worthless jobs like gardeners or painters.
How different when it suits. Suddenly the economy is booming and the jobs market is vibrant and healthy.
And just who or what is the Living Wage Commission? You might have thought from the way the BBC introduces it that it is an official government body….but it isn’t….it’s just the usual left wing pressure group campaigning for issues close to Labour’s heart.
The Church heads it, along with various charity leading lights, the head of the TUC, a Unison member, and one possible ‘righty’ from the British Chamber of Commerce.
The ‘Living Wage’ is of course a central Labour Party policy.
Good of the BBC to be so obliging in pushing the Labour Party agenda so discreetly.
I woke up this morning to the BBC Sunday religion slot.
First off, an item about Islamophobia and the fear Muslims in the UK have from a growing antagonism toward them.
There are certainly Christian and other congregations in the UK who have been the object of physical attacks on buildings and verbal abuse from Muslims but the BBC would never broadcast that.
Of course the growing attacks on Jews across Europe are always blamed on right wing white racist groups and individuals although in reality it is with few exceptions Muslims.
The next item was about a security guard at a Synagogue school in London (didn’t need those a few years ago!) He was on the minimum wage and found it hard to exist and had to share accommodation with six others. The Synagogue, had decided to increase his wage from the minimum to the living wage level.
In good English he welcomed this, but what struck me was his comment that he would now be able to send MORE money home to Slovakia and his relatives living there!
It would have been interesting to know exactly how much he earned and possibly received from other sources, and his outgoings, something any decent journalist would have picked up on and asked the appropriate questions so properly informing his/her listeners whose ears pricked up when the comment about ‘sending money home’ was made.
But good investigative questioning is foreign to the BBC .
I heard the same dismal programme. With Muslims, including from the discredited Tell Mama, discussing attacks on Muslims, and a jolly gay CofE vicar who’s now married his husband and was interviewed alongside a supportive CofE bishop. The usual stuff for the BBC I suppose.
I’d have been interested if they’d pursued further why a synagogue needed a security guard.
Is it now compulsory for all CofE vicars to be gay or lesbian? Almost seems so.
More compulsory than a belief in the immaculate conception or resurrection
Re: Islamophobia – a ‘phobia’ is an irrational fear. There is nothing irrational about fearing an ever growing section of ‘society’ that want’s you beheaded because your don’t believe in their particular flavour of imaginary sky pixie. You *should* fear them for the sake of your children and grand children.
Sunday morning. Classic FM, followed at 08:00 (European summer time) by Radio 4 News and Paper Review, with continuity probably by Neil, the voice of Radio Jamaica, then quickly back to Classic FM before the dulcet tones of Edward Sturton (what did he do get be lumbered with the Sunday religious spot? I always thought he was a good “news person”…).
I do so wish we could edit our comments…
If the communists in the bbc want to start up a fund that contributes to a ‘living wage’ for whoever, then that’s up to them but who on earth do they think is going to finance this ‘living wage’? I don’t want to pay any more in taxes so, I’m not volunteering.
Don’t worry, my local council decided to pay all staff at least the living wage. It involved a pay rise for less than a hundred of the very many employees. Additional tax cost minimal
Our honorable Lords are debating ‘death’ by suicide the ‘the right to die’ (most cost effectively on the NHS) so it is only right that Labour should include that cost in a ‘living wage’ (so we can all afford to die of whatever the new NHS medicine to combat a nasty life threatening infection may be)… It’s happening 18th July (no doubt already EU approved):
‘A Bill to legalise assisted suicide in the UK, introduced by Labour peer Lord Falconer, will be debated by the House of Lords during its second reading on Friday 18th July.
The Bill proposes (by Lord Falconer) to allow doctors to supply lethal drugs to help patients end their lives, and is widely recognised as being the most serious threat to the safety of disabled, sick and elderly people in the UK.’
The ‘living wage’ for a BBC executive is about £67,000 will do nicely. Private BUPA room please – for assisted suicide (sponsored by Labour to get rid of the old conservatives and pro lifers) will ensure the NHS has it’s priorities right.
Click to access 15006.pdf