I thought it was interesting the way the BBC present the “news’ that the Conservative Party are considering options for scrapping several benefits, Department for Work and Pensions document.
The leaked files, to the BBC (SIC) commissioned by Tory officials, also suggest a regional benefits cap and taxing disability benefits as ways to help cut £12bn from the welfare budget by 2017/18. The Conservatives insisted the proposals were not party policy. Labour’s Rachel Reeves said the public had a “right to know” the plans. The shadow work and pensions secretary has written to the Conservatives demanding they explain what welfare cuts they intend to make.
Look at the image the BBC selected to lead the story…
Cruel Tory bastards, right? Vote Labour, right?
At every turn, the BBC is trying to present sensible economics from the Conservatives in the worst possible light. In the face of excellent economic news on just about every front, Labour needs the BBC to do what it can to minimise the advantages to Mr Cameron.
We are going to see more and more of this as the election day comes closer.
On Thursday evening, in the 10pm slot, BBC London News broadcast a segment reporting that Boris had veto-ed the expansion of London City Airport. Accompanying the report they had row upon row of worthies lined up to state what a bad decision this was.
There was no effort made to explain why Boris might have come to the decision he did whatsoever (although knowing the airport quite well I could hazard a guess).
They did read out a statement from the Mayor’s office right at the end though. 4 or 5 lines, nothing more and no further time or resource permitted.
“The BBC has learnt…” PAH!
The BBC has learnt from a leak from one of the Labour supporting stay behind army throughout all State offices that…
Agreed that we will see a lot more of this during the campaign as the BBC creates its own news stories to back its pro-labour slant. This tactic seems to drive a coach and horses through the BBC’s duty to be impartial, particularly at election time. No doubt it will defend itself by saying it gives the Tories the right of reply.
Only root and branch reform of the BBC will solve the problem. Attitudes and culture of managers are too entrenched for any other approach to succeed.
I seem to remember a report in the paper press some time ago to the effect that Treasury officials were putting in place the legislation and regulatory framework to apply the mansion tax. Such arrangements require some internal research at the Treasury to see both the effects of such a tax and the operational requirements. Apparently, this is a normal part of the governmental process which, sensibly in my view, anticipates what might happen as a result of a general election.
Similarly, somewhere in the government machine – probably at the Treasury – calculations and operational arrangements were and are being considered in the event that further cuts in government expenditure are carried out. In other words, this is a normal – and common-sense – part of pre-election behaviour within the government machine. As such, for the BBC to shout about it without explaining that this is all quite normal is brazen and unapologetic electioneering for the Labour Party.
There really is no excuse for this and, were the Conservatives to grow a pair, this would be the subject of an enormous protest and attendant fuss by the Conservatives. It won’t be because the Conservatives are scared of the power of the BBC and any complaint is muted by that fear. As it is, without the support of the BBC currently and since 2010 (of which support this cod-“revelation” is the latest example), Labour would be in the political wilderness. Brace yourselves: it’ll get worse.
To aid decision making and strategy building, a Secretary of State will ask a Permanent Secretary for a paper outlining options (in this case for further savings). The paper will necessarily cover ALL options over a wide spectrum – some of which will be totally off the wall and unworkable (sometimes deliberately put there by Sir Humphrey to dissuade politicians from going down a route that the Civil Service doesn’t want to go!). In respect of benefit savings, options presented could possibly range from; stop paying benefits to anyone, to; pay everyone a fixed weekly allowance so they don’t have to claim anything (akin to the Green party’s thinking)….and loads of things in between.
It is for the politician to then consider these in the light of their political philosophy and a good dose of political pragmatism.
Needless to say that the BBC will not have provided any further information about the nature of this ‘file’, or its context – allowing people to believe that these are the nasty Tories, firmed-up plans
It’s also telling that in days gone by, a newspaper or broadcaster receiving such information (from an activist or disaffected member of staff), would do nothing with it.
No such hope now, with everything to play for and the BBC needing the Labour Party to get elected.
It’s the kind of tactic those on the left accuse the Daily Mail of. But this is the BBC – they’re very good at doing subliminal propaganda when they have absolutely no right to do so!
Just this morning – on Saturday Kitchen – there was a re-run of a clip from the BBC food series The Incredible Spice Men, featuring Cyrus Todiwala and Tony Singh travelling around the UK to meet people that one would label as quintessentially British, such as Morris dancers and leather clad bikers, and taking over a fish and chip shop to spice up the food – as if fish and chips isn’t already a perfect recipe. An innocent set up maybe, but one that screams out “Multiculturalism is working!” from the rooftops.
I could come up with many other examples, especially from my days as a child in the 70’s, but it’s all just more proof that the BBC cannot wean itself away from broadcasting potentially damaging messages that people will adopt as a true world-view when, actually, the world might not be as rosy as the BBC is portraying and we need to address the problems that are being hidden away in the name of ‘political correctness’.
And Beeboids will support Sturgeon’s cynical attempt to use U.K for SNP’s political aims, so long as SNP supports Labour Party to gain office.
“Nicola Sturgeon accused of using the same tactics as Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine crisis to break up the UK by ‘stoking division in England.’
“Senior Tory accuses Scotland’s First Minister of ‘stoking division’ in Britain.
“Government whip Ben Wallace likened her tactics to those used by Putin.
“She will insist an end to ‘slash and burn austerity’ for propping up Labour.
“But Mr Wallace accused her of a plot to anger English and break up the UK.”
By JASON GROVES FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3015432/Nicola-Sturgeon-accused-using-tactics-Vladimir-Putin-Ukraine-crisis-break-UK-stoking-division-England.html#ixzz3Vi6dIo8Y
This is what Guardianistas support-
“Nicola Sturgeon calls on Labour to work with SNP to keep Tories from No 10.
“SNP leader challenges Ed Miliband to make it clear he will join forces after the election if the two parties combined have more seats than the Conservatives.”
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/28/nicola-sturgeon-calls-on-labour-to-work-with-snp-to-keep-tories-from-no-10?