It’s, we’re told, a brave man who predicts the political future…but the BBC give it a go anyway.
On Saturday Jim Naughtie signed off his report on the French election with the thought that it was ‘rather scary’…meaning of course the possibility that Le Pen may surprise everyone. Today we had Hugh Schofield telling us that we ‘shouldn’t be fearful of a Le Pen victory…because she won’t win.’ Any bias there? To be fair Chiles did call Schofield out on that and Schofield tried to wriggle out by saying he meant Le Pen would in essence wreck the economy and destroy Europe…no bias there then. And of course the BBC continues to call Le Pen ‘Far-Right’ but as yet I can find no definition from the BBC of what ‘Far-Right’ actually means…and the same Hugh Scholfield in a moment of honesty produced an indepth look at Le Pen’s life and concluded she wasn’t Far-Right but actually of the Left politically….other than on immigration.
But there’s the rub….the BBC’s working definition, unwritten, is that if you want to control immigration you are Far-Right’…code for ‘Nazi’ and way beyond the pale. It cannot be ‘nationalism’ as the BBC would then have to describe Sturgeon as Far-Right as well as the IRA….but consider that May has just reiterated her aim to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands and yet the BBC do not call her Far-Right…why? Because they know they would not get away with it and would be called out on it.
What does this show? It shows the BBC’s blatant manipulation of the news by using language and labels to define people and groups in order to signal either approval or disapproval of people, groups and ideologies. Different people with very similar policies get treated and labelled differently according to whom the BBC wants you to vote for.
It’s the same with the term ‘populist’…ironically Chiles had an expert on today who pretty much spanked the BBC approach by saying people use the word ‘populist’ to denigrate those they dislike, to bash your opponents, and that it was simplistic to lump so many groups and people, such as Trump, Le Pen, Farage, Wilders [and of course Putin, Erdogan] in together…something the BBC does all the time.
Later on tonight [20:00 R4] we have another attack on Le Pen…apparently, according to all the trails for the programme, the French working class are too cultured and intelligent to vote for her…so again, no bias there.
On ‘PM’ we were treated to an ‘imaging’ of what a Le Pen Presidency would look like after 100 days…naturally she was in deep with Trump, even building a Trump Tower next to the Eiffel Tower [not saying this BBC fantasy was complete cock but it was] and of course she would destroy the economy, murder all immigrants and put all EU bureaucrats in concentration camps…but she would build motorways….so that her tanks could move rapidly on Moscow after she falls out with her new husband…Putin.
Maybe I misheard the BBC but it went something along those lines.
We later had Macron’s 100 days [17:44:50]…a similarly dystopian view…all anarchist riots backed by Mélenchon and a Le Pen wanting a piece of the action.
What’s the point of such negative rubbish? Not as if the BBC is any good at predictions having failed to predict Trump, Brexit and a Tory majority…indeed the BBC told us that the era of one party winning a majority was over and it was coalition government all the way now.
[Also note the BBC was trying to rewrite ‘history’ for future reference at around 17:16…if Iraq and Syria implode after ISIS is finally destroyed and removed then the BBC is claiming that it will be the fault of foreign interference ..er not actually the lack of interference then from Obama?…not the fault of the Islamic terrorists then? And does the Iraq government and Assad not play any part at all in this? Seems not. No, ISIS is in fact a stabilising influence…maybe they should be left in place….how very Jeremy…fascinating how the reporter backs up his claims with quotes from an ISIS fighter in an FSA prison who tells us it is all the fault of foreigners and peace is the only answer, war only brings hatred and division…amazing but true…Hitler said he only wanted peace and that was what he worked for, the BBC believed him…if only we hadn’t fought against him Europe would be one big united family that maybe included Russia as well..and all those people needn’t have died….no more wars! Nothing a man like Hitler could do would be worse than a war]
Alan,
Fair point on the equivalence of ‘far right’ equals anti immigration in al Beeb world. They also like the term ‘ hard left’. I think they Beeb should be forced to define what these terms mean to them since they throw them about so much- particularly since there is a requirement for the Beeb to ‘inform’ the grateful taxpayers who are compelled to pay for the monster.
They also seem to believe that they can influence the politics of another country with the stream of anti Le Pen voices on tv and radio eh?
Here’s my view of the BBC Political Spectgrum:
https://postimg.org/image/rb7zjrekv/
John,
Maybe it should just be Wrong and Right.
Fedup
I have to say I have never heard the BBC use the term ‘far left’ or ‘hard left’. In my estimation over here certainly they use the term ‘anti fascist’ to describe the ‘far hard or extreme left’.
Yes jerry it’s only rarely used. I think a beeboid slipped the other day and used it in reference to comrade Corbyns private army of socialist supporters. No doubt they’ve been sent for re education .
In France when you attack a Policeman from behind , they actually fight back.
France: Leftwing rabble protest at Le Pen coming second in French elections
The protestor was thrown to the ground…. Yes. That was it. Methinks he/she/it stayed down for the cameras…..
These scrawny, pathetic cowards from Antifa put women at the front, with weapons, knowing that Right wing blokes won’t hit them if they know they’re female (something the Left don’t have a problem with against Right wing girls), then the ‘men’ run around and attack before fleeing back into the crowd.
Unfortunately for some, it’s impossible to differentiate between the male and female creatures, esp when wearing masks.
The story behind this feral freak, and how she went from normal human to Left wing degenerate at the hands of college professors (a number of which are being outed as organisers and perpetrators of recent, extreme violence against advocates of free speech).
Followed your link to You Tube and caught this too, bit of language but interesting.
MURDEROUS PROFESSOR ERIC CLANTON SCREAMS FOR HELP ON REDDIT
Diablo Valley College professor Eric Clanton has been identified across social media by /pol/ and journalist Jack Posobiec as the murderous Antifa terrorist who serially attacked free speech activists in Berkeley on April 15th with a steel bike lock, drawing blood and causing grave bodily injury.
https://darktriadman.com/2017/04/21/murderous-professor-eric-clanton-screams-for-help-on-reddit/
Boys Punching Girls: Feminism’s Big Win
Moldylocks. It’s all over social media, the Antifa chick in the dreds getting clocked in the forehead by a “Nazi” (whatever that means) at the Tax Day rally in Berkeley. The usual sources are outraged. The other side is wryly amused. For many years now Hollywood has been giving us heroines who are as strong or stronger than men. They take a punch but never go down. They kick ass. Those of us who live in reality know that this is pure fantasy, but there is a generation of youngins’ who think it’s possible for a 5’4″, 100 lb. girl to fight toe to toe with a 6-foot-tall man and walk away with a bruise or two while leaving the man on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Lara Croft and a million other plucky FBI agents and CIA super spies with big boobs and deadly aim have taught us this.
https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2017/04/18/boys-punching-girls-feminisms-big-win/
There are all the usual BBC debate killing reasons for hating and pillorying any party that is even slightly anti migrant.
I also think that by stigmatising Le Pen the BBC is trying to cover all its options (just in case Le Pen wins) by attempting to throw yet another spanner into the anti brexit works.
Assuming that Le Pen wins, the BBC has tried to make it politically unacceptable to be seen negotiating any sort of trade deal with a Le Pen France – In effect the BBC has helped to close off yet another possible avenue, where some sort of trade deal could be to the mutual benefit of both countries.
I think this is more than just co-incidence, this sort of hysterically directed hate and poison which is all aimed at a politician whos views in reality are still fairly mainstream. This to me shows more than just a minor degree of organisation and direction. As far as I understand Le Pen has not yet placed any orders yet to Topf and Sons for incineration units but I have not “fact checked” this yet with the BBC.
We have already seen our girl sticking her wrinkled and offended nose up in the air when she was offered a meeting with Le Pen. Obviously didnt want any of that awful fascist pong adhering to her kitten heels and stylish hijab. We also saw how the BBC was allowed to to undertake a hatchet job on Trump not only throughout the election but even after his election. I am afraid that any country who wants to be a friend to a brexit Britain will be on the BBCs hit list.
It is time the BBC was bought to heel and forced to report the news rather than trying to create it. But there is still no sign of this happening despite the embarrassment our “National Treasure” Broadcaster has already bought on this country. I certainly wont be holding my breath on this. In some ways our Governments inability to do this says just as much about the quality and weakness of our own political leaders as it does about the BBC itself.
“Brought to heel” implies government censorship.
Therefore, as per most people’s thinking here, our bBBC should lose all taxes – ie license fee – and go it alone. Therefore, they will be free to broadcast what they want. One caveat: Lose the BRITISH part of their title
joeadamsmith
BBC or Broadcasting for the British Caliphate…………Though the beeboids, leftards, guardianistas and luvvies at the BBC pushing the pro islam/muslim vermin propaganda clearly do not know what awaits then in a british caliphate to quote The BORG resistance is futile you will be assimilated
Josmith
For my purposes I think bought to heel is the right terminology in this context.
If I had an employee who was taking the piss big time at work – I would “bring them to heel” by asking them to stop what they are doing or get the sack.
Sometimes there is no nice way of getting certain things done.
In the same way the BBC is indirectly employed by the TV Licence Holders and I would also consider them to be “taking the piss” So equally I think “bringing them to heel” is probably the right term to use
I know it sounds a bit tub thumping but in the current fixation of all things french – “Non, je ne regrette rien”
Sorry Josmith- I think I misinterpreted what you were saying and jumped to the wrong conclusions. Just as well I am not advising Kim Jong Un on how to deal with the current crisis = then again maybe I am !(secretely)
Joeadamsmith
Replace British with “Biased” , Simples !?
I do have to mention that the BBC does have a defence in that every other media outlet is also referring to Le Pen as ‘far right’.
I currently have a second level complaint with the BBC over the lack of definitions for several words / phrases which the BBC doesn’t have a corporate definition, but prefers to allow correspondents to make up their own.
This lack of consistency means that the output of the BBC cannot be understood
I see what you are getting at Thoughtful and yes the bias is certainly MSM wide. I am not trying to say at journalshit – sorry I meant journalist level there are management directives saying “destroy brexit” However it appears that many of the higher profile journalists seem to have had rather lefty backgrounds and I reckon that any attempt by higher management levels to try and give at least a semi balanced coverage has been deliberately abandoned so that these left wing journalists can now just run amok doing what comes naturally and their skewed left wing viewpoint becomes the new Corporation/MSM standard viewpoint.
Its a difficult thing to prove and maybe I have read too many conspiracy theory type books. But I am shocked at how any politician who tries to deal with EU/immigration issues is always torn apart by amounts to packs of journalistic attack dogs often even before they have opened their mouth.
And from the outside looking in it certainly seems to me that debate (if it does not agree with the standard MSM viewpoint) is very much stifled these days with the level of media bias very much increased. And yet those in Government just sit lamely by trying to ignore it all.
Deliberate policy or just ineffectual weakness?
Deliberate policy.
France seems in denial . This is usual after major events like the terror attacks particularly in Nice and Paris. The usual period is two to three years before the real effects are felt after life changing events. So no conclusions can be drawn. Add to this the absolute necessity the progressive elites have in refusing to face the reality of the terror threat facing France and the election result is not really surprising.
Both a large voter segment and the liberal dominated media prefer unreality to reality hence this odd candidate Macron who will do nothing about the possible disintegration of France but merely stave on unwelcome reality for a while
The French Establishment elite are in a dead funk. They know that confronting the Islamic threat is very likely to lead to riots and even civil war.
The French and EU plan is thus to lie low, and submit in the fullness of time.
The odd Macron candidate is a protégée of Hollande so more of the same .No wonder the EU elites are celebrating along with George Osborne.i would guess hes their preferred candidate out of all of them. I hope Le Pen pulls it off but the French are not revolutionaries as portrayed unfortunately.
I can’t really comment too much on the BBC coverage because I boycott most of it. The little I saw yesterday they have already proclaimed Macron the winner.
The odd Macron candidate is a protégée of Hollande so more of the same .No wonder the EU elites are celebrating along with George Osborne.i would guess hes their preferred candidate out of all of them. I hope Le Pen pulls it off but the French are not revolutionaries as portrayed unfortunately.
I can’t really comment too much on the BBC coverage because I boycott most of it. The little I saw yesterday they have already proclaimed Macron the winner.
Far right, extreme right, are expression used to describe opposition to Islam and shariah. eg the EDL, Britain First, sometimes UKIP, Trump supporters, Wilders, Le Pen and several other European parties who oppose Islamic immigration. It has no meaning in terms of the economic and social structures within a country.
‘Is France’s National Front leader far-right?’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/marine_le_pen
Best not expect a straight answer but section 5 includes the following,
“there is no hint in her of the far-right ideology that clung to members of her father’s generation.”
“I noticed working with her that when a question came up her first reflex was a reflex of the left,”
“Most noticeably it is on social matters that Marine Le Pen is a million miles from the caricature of the far-right traditionalist.”
The BBC link I followed for the above article was “In depth, is France’s National Front leader far-right”. Lots of pictures minimal text, double checked to make sure it wasn’t a cBeebies piece, nope, apparently thats what qualifies as in depth for the BBC.