Weekend Thread 18 April 2020

So how is the Far Left Biased BBC going to report the second 3 week closure of the UK – courtesy of the People’s Republic of China ? Will worship of the NHS and condemnation of the government intensify ? Or will it find another bone to chew ?

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457 Responses to Weekend Thread 18 April 2020

  1. G says:

    “Unfortunately, mail ballots are the easiest way for fraudsters to steal votes” – The US.
    https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/04/progressives-want-mail-voting-j-christian-adams-0/?utm_campaign=1155604&utm_content=1616029
    Only a matter of time before we hear the same from the Marxist Labour party. Watch this space…..

       21 likes

  2. Venutius says:

    Another week of clapping, propaganda and ‘softball’ BBC headlines.

    On the 27th January the CMO for England continued to advise ‘that the risk to the UK population is “low” and concluded that while there is an increased likelihood that cases may arise in this country, we are well prepared and equipped’. ????

    Matt Hancock went on to say, ‘The UK is one of the first countries in the world to have developed an accurate test for this coronavirus and PHE is undertaking continuous refinement of this test. PHE has this morning confirmed to me that it can scale up this test so we are in a position to deal with cases in this country if necessary.’ ????

    On the 12th March 2020 The chief Medical officer for England said, ‘we are 4 wks behind Italy.’ Great, we are superbly prepared and we have 4 weeks on Italy. ????????

    But…we now have some of the worst stats in Europe and don’t even count all our dead!

    It is an unmitigated catastrophe. We couldn’t have done a worse job if we’d actually set out to exterminate whole swathes of our own population.

    Let’s take one moronic ‘softball’ BBC headline – ‘Should we wear masks’?

    Well, if one is asymptomatic, wearing a mask will shield others from you. If one is symptomatic, wearing a mask will shield others from you. If one is neither then a mask may offer you protection from others.

    Conclusion, wear a bloody mask! The same conclusion incidentally as most of Asia, the US and large parts of Europe.

    Of course none of this common sense logic is discussed – just inane diatribe around inconclusive science.

    Let’s take another pathetic BBC headline – PPE provision a ‘huge challenge’ says Matt Hancock.

    Well not for Poland it seems!

    Today 17,300,000 medical masks, 1,000,000 gloves, 150,000 shoe covers, 80 thousand overalls and 250 thousand goggles and helmet arrived.

    Their president Andrzej Duda said ‘we will duplicate and deliver as much equipment as possible. But we operate in two directions – we are building domestic production, and this is already successful in the case of equipment such as masks and aprons. We have already reached the production capacity of 40 million non-medical masks per month, in a month it will be 100 million masks per month.

    So Poland has imported what it needs and is producing its own moving forward.

    Is any of this mentioned? Does the BBC hold feet to the flames on this (remember we had 4 weeks on Italy)? No.

    Our state broadcaster now an unfiltered propagandising window from Downing Street/Whitehall direct to your living room.

    I’d now prefer the army to run the whole bloody show personally and completely dissolve the state apparatus in its entirety.

       20 likes

    • JamesArthur says:

      Venutius

      Really? Sorry I must be living in a different world to you.
      …but really.. the BBC a propagandising window for Downing street?

         27 likes

      • Venutius says:

        JamesA

        The headlines across their website are pathetic, weak, and asinine.

        Take any here today, for example:

        https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/coronavirus

        The handling of this whole farce from January has been a catastrophe. The statistical facts are beyond dire and the BBCs ‘soft’ criticism is culpable to the whole charade.

        Do you honestly think the government are ‘doing a great job’? Do you honestly think they did not know in January ‘what was coming’? Ask yourself (and look at the ‘on the record evidence’) what decisions were not taken in February because of weak leadership and economic prioritisation over your health?

        Go online today and book your flight to Wuhan! The restriction is not at our end it’s at the Chinese side!

        https://www.google.com/flights?lite=0#flt=/m/04jpl./m/0l3cy.2020-06-01*/m/0l3cy./m/04jpl.2020-06-14;c:GBP;e:1;sd:1;t:f

        The whole response is a joke.

        Yes, the BBC question PPE. Naga is a little bit critical. Is this unfair when one looks at other countries? Im sorry, it’s a million miles away from the hard exposing questioning truth that should be levelled.

        The BBC were even told to go ‘soft’ on ministers.

        https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/john-humprys-on-bbc-presenters-during-coronavirus-1-6604475

        The whole thing is a stitch-up.

        The organisation oscillates from liberal propaganda in peace time to government tool in emergency. They subtly walk a tightrope that is not too critical but critical enough to ensure their continued existence and feigned independence.

        I say the BBC are masters of Orwellian doublespeak. I despise them and I despise our politicians (on the whole).

           18 likes

        • Dave S says:

          Much truth there. Take any historical disaster and always always the powers that be cock it up . At least in the beginning. It was clear to me and thus should have been clear to all that in mid to late Jan this was no ordinary virus. That it spreads like wildfire and would inevitably overwhelm any health service. This also means that schools and hospitals and care homes are very vulnerable.
          The schools were closed late. Flights are still operating and the London tube is still open. Care homes were left unprotected.The government has failed. No two ways about it. But by extension the NHS and PHE also have failed as organisations and let their workers down. I suspect this is true of nearly every country . Taiwan and Singapore excepted .
          Now though there is every sign that we are getting organised. That the MSM ignores this is poor stuff indeed.
          In answer to those who opposed the lockdown i would say that so virulent is this virus that without it a total disaster would have taken place. Something I suspected and now seems to be gaining currency is that the % of people asymptomatic but still able to spread the virus is much higher that originally thought. It could well be that the NHS and PHE suspected this hence the sudden lockdown.

             9 likes

          • G says:

            Dave S,
            Yes, it is really the lack of symptoms in the early stages, whilst being highly infectious thats really serious. Flu? Don’t you and everybody else know it – from virtually day one but not this devious chinese virus.

               0 likes

            • Eddy Booth says:

              But if a person has got no symptoms , how can they be highly infectous?
              Flu and colds give people coughs, sneezes runny nose etc, as a way to easily spread themselves.

                 0 likes

        • LastChanceSaloon says:

          V
          https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/john-humprys-on-bbc-presenters-during-coronavirus-1-6604475

          The New European!
          You are offering this as a reliable source?
          Wanna buy a bridge?

             10 likes

          • Venutius says:

            LCS.

            No. The source was John Humphrys – it was reported widely. Of course the BBC denied it.

            Bridge? Perhaps to NI.

               2 likes

    • The WestWyvern says:

      The AntiBBC Chinese corona virus narrative changes from one hour to the next.

      I think the fact they are WFH is getting to them, they can not even lie accuractly to us now.

      Their regular groupthink social programming meetings must be hampered by the limitations of Skype and such.

      Some of the message must be getting lost in transmission and the beeboid hive mind is suffering from its loss of guidance and collective conciousness.

         11 likes

  3. taffman says:

    Al Beeb Headline – \\Coronavirus: Lockdown protesters ‘responsible’ – Trump//…………………………..
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-52335297/coronavirus-lockdown-protesters-responsible-trump
    Will we ever see Al Beeb Headline : Telly Tax Protesters ‘responsible’ – Boris ?

    He could make a very good start by decriminalising TV licence evasion.
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-decriminalising-tv-licence-evasion

       11 likes

  4. JamesArthur says:

    Hilarious BBC Breakfast – firstly they did a half hearted correction to their NHS boss asks for number to Burberry… no mention of error , poor journalism…it seems it was nobody’s fault – not even Boris’s

    Even better Naga and Charlie tried the “Gotcha” on Saffron Cordery from the NHS providers – talking about the shortage of gowns

    She was great – answered all questions clearly and informatively and refused to get drawn into their little game of Boris’s/Govt bashing..

    They were lost for words and it showed them up again for what they are…not interested in truth or news but in twisting it for their narrative

       65 likes

    • EUTV says:

      Could the moral of this story turn out to be that you can’t even ask the BBC to help you without fear of them making your request for help into a news headline?

         5 likes

  5. Doobster78 says:

    BBC have sensationalized everything about this whole pandemic.

    Left wing guest after left wing guest, spouting their hate filled anti government propaganda, unchecked. You know, the guests who whip the BBC into a frenzy that the NHS cannot cope, not enough staff, PPE , capacity etc etc.

    The guests who told us we need retired police officers back to cope with demand .

    But, what we see with our own eyes is very different to what the BBC tell us ( amazing I know).

    NHS workers head to toe in PPE on dancing videos.
    Nightingale Hospitals EMPTY
    Hundreds of police with time to arrange flashing lights parties.
    Empty A+E departments

    So which is it BBC ? Left wing guests word taken as gospel, unchallenged as it suits their narrative.

    Anyone who manages to infiltrate the BBC studios who doesn’t tow the line, interrupted and shouted down at every opportunity and then often subjected to the BBC “fact checking” dept.

    Not often you see a lefty fact checked !!!!!!! As in, never !!!!

       66 likes

    • The WestWyvern says:

      If this Nightingale hospital fact is true, then clearly the NHS can cope.

      It must be why lock down was lifted last Thursday at 18.00 in England, with the arrival of Rumanian fruit/pocket pickers.

      Crisis, what crisis? Only hype whipped up by the AntiBBC and swallowed by the sheeples.

         23 likes

  6. Sluff says:

    On Toady this morning it was asserted without comment, indeed in congratulatory terms, and not for the first time, that the NHS is currently making changes in weeks that used to take months and years to achieve.

    The question not asked by the BBC is ‘why has such an ossified and sclerotic attitude to change been allowed to persist at huge cost to the taxpayer for decades without any challenge?’

    Apart of course from the fact that 70 years of pro NHS propaganda has rendered impossible any sensible challenge and criticism.

       50 likes

  7. Fedup2 says:

    Sluff
    Looking at twitter rather than the BBC – there are plenty of perceptive intelligent people who can see through the emotional reaction of people over the NHS which is boosted by the BBC / MSN and realise that the NHS has failed and is failing to deliver on its job.

    Sadly I think the propaganda is so powerful that the happy clapping will continue whilst not enough tests are conducted and socialist enemies of the government pump out lies and poison blaming the government for every missing mask .

    The spectacle of a wimp like sharma standing at the podium on Friday announcing to the world that they’ve started a ‘ vaccine task force ‘ indicates that Blighty won’t be the country to be first to produce a vaccine – they’ll still be arranging the first committee meeting – in maybe August .

    Further – and as sad – the government won’t go for the NHS management because the government has been responsible for it for too long. The monster will be fire proof .

    Meanwhile elderly social care will be something no one wants to do anything about apart from those Taxpayers directly affected .

       25 likes

  8. gb123 says:

    I have been thinking about the whole way the media and the government have reacted to the Cv pandemic. It seems to be a series of panic raising and knee jerk reactions. The result has been induced panic buying and over zealous policing. Thanks media.
    For some reason a line from the Apollo 13 film came into my mind and I wished it was followed from the beginning. As the accident occurred mission control went into as mass of people talking over each other in panic mode. The actor playing Gene Kranz , mission controller, says “Let’s work the problem people. Let’s not make things worse by guessing.”

       30 likes

    • The WestWyvern says:

      Jene Kranz, cool, calm collected.

      A line he uttered to mission control who were understandably excited post the Apollo 11 landing – whilst he required information to confirm the status of lunar lander systems in order to determine if they stay on the moons surface or depart immediately if any problems had arisen.

      ‘Ok cut the chatter down in this room’

      Many in journalism could take note of this.

         21 likes

  9. AsISeeIt says:

    Taking advantage of BBC on-line’s newspaper front page line up – who buys these things anymore? I thought I might do a quick press review with a difference. A review of those non-headline items that adorn the front pages.
    These adverts and bits of puff are vital to the sales of the failing dead tree press – perhaps more so than the actual headlines since we now live in a world where news is instantly available whilst the papers lag a day late – and no one buys them. The press have a big incentive to pitch these things right. We’ll see what it tells us about our mainstream media?

    Some would have us believe we live in a male-dominated patriarchy. However, so many of the extra bits on newspaper front pages are female in interest. The Telegraph has promoted prominently above their masthead “Marriage Diaries: lockdown special” It’s women not guys that want to read about and think about relationships. Most divorces are initiated by women. The Times is not too optimistic “The Corens Oh no, another night staying in”. The prioritisation of female interests is subtle but it’s there. The i promotes on-line courses. Is it an accident they prioritise “ballet and baking” above “guitars and gaming”? The Guardian goes for a “Store cupboard recipes special” in larger font and with more space and pictures than “Gardening for beginners”. But come on, I’m just parroting traditional stereotypes. Perhaps… but when I search among the tabloids for some attractive female pin ups to ogle all I find objectified is a young male hunk fondling a puppy on The Times cover with their suggestive jokey comment “OMG! He’s so cute. What we all really want now (a dog)” Sexist or what?
    The Star has something for the lads “Tributes to ‘bites yer legs’ Norman”. Ah, a real man at last. 1966 hero.

    What about our severely underrepresented BAME communities? Not so underrepresented, apparently. Well, you may have guessed this one – there’s The Times with “Get baking! With Nadya” The Guardian would have us wallow in white guilt and take a miserabilist binge with “Virgilio Castra and his daughter Christobel” and shed a liberal tear or fifty reading all about “Double tragedy. The Grenfell survivor who has died with Covid-19”

    More upbeat in tone, The FT invites us to admire the success of “Virgil Abloh” (who? No, me neither. He entered the world of international fashion with an internship at Fendi in 2009 alongside rapper Kanye West). Positive discrimination must work then?

    Of course, there’s a chance to virtue signal with The i “Readers’ messages for their lockdown heroes”

    Lots of extra time to kill? Do a puzzle. The i goes with “Games and puzzles 8 page pull-out” maybe a little much. Pass it to the kids. The Express has “Free 8-page puzzles pull-out” Eight must be the magic number. Not to be outdone The Mirror goes with “12 pages of puzzles” Perhaps in larger print?

    We do like a flutter, don’t we? Both The Daily Express and The Star give us the chance to “Play on line to win £2”
    I think we may need a lottery win, The FT has “Pensions in the lockdown”

    Just in case we’re in lockdown for the long term The Times suggests a form of dig for victory “Grow your own. How to create a vegetable patch”

    The papers seem to defer to tv to a surprising extent. The i promotes its “7 day tv listings” The Express similarly has their “Free essential 7-day tv guide” This crosses the tabloid to broadsheet class divide, The Guardian potentially bores us but boosts our pretentiousness with “The best very long films for lockdown” whilst the Sun simply boasts “Your no 1 tv mag” There is a sense that tv is not all good since The i has to point out “neglected tv shows and how to find them” There is a note of caution too from The FT which asks “What happened to tv’s golden age?”

       21 likes

  10. Fedup2 says:

    Fos
    It’s not directly BBC but I was dwelling on Listing the companies which use the black/ white family combo – but noticeably mixing of other racial groups don’t seem to make it to TV advertising …..
    I hardly watch live TV anymore as I’m buried in quality stuff on Netflix at £6 a month of prime – which for me is next to nothing .

    UK TV drama Has a big problem – writers know that only a certain type of product is acceptable and it must tick the boxes or it gets filtered out – so unless someone is really clever – such as the upper middle class lady who did ‘killing eve ‘Or that other thing which died after series one ( fleabag ) there is a void ….. if the BBC does come up with something ‘clever ‘ – like ‘line of duty ?’ It thrashes to death for want of anything else .

    It’s so predictable now – you can assess the value / box ticking within about 2 minutes of the start of anything – same goes for the dumbed down documentaries with box tick presenters ….

       28 likes

  11. StewGreen says:

    11am R4 DAaronovitch “The China lockdown was in action for 3 months”
    … sounds fishy
    First all all it’s Wuhan that just came out of lockdown
    The rest of China came out much earlier or has never been in lockdown.
    “Wuhan Celebrates the End of Its Coronavirus Lockdown After 76 Long Days” (that’s 11 weeks yet 3 months is 13 weeks)
    Some Hubei controls started on Jan 23/24
    14 March most of provincial Hubei restrictions were lifted ..50 days
    8 April: Wuhan lifts its lockdown

    On 1 February Many cities, districts, and counties across mainland China implemented similar measures
    They ended 13 to 25th of March ..that’s 6 weeks to almost 8 weeks.

    So overall much of China was in lockdown for 6 or 7 weeks
    Wuhan city was longer at 11 weeks.

       15 likes

  12. Beeb Brother says:

    As so often, it’s what the BBC refuses to report on where the bias lies.

    A Tory minister might have gone against his own advice (it seems in fact he was legitimately helping his patents) and they are drooling in delicious outrage.

    Woke Comrade Commissioner Cressida Dick has a party on Westminster Bridge where everyone breathes all over each other – an offence many orders of magnitude worse – and there is a deafening silence from the BBC. It will be given a perfunctory mention or none at all; none of the emotional focus turned up to eleven when they have a story that hits one of their narrative G-spots.

    How many competent men were turned down for this role as the PC tyrants demanded a woman be appointed? Ultimately this will cost lives as ineptitude as this level has colossal consequences. Why should 70 million normal people feel they should obey her orders when she does not respect them herself? The BBC should demand she resign but of course if will go straight down their overflowing memory hole.

       45 likes

  13. Fedup2 says:

    My plan to invade Blighty is going well – the first Romanian airborne division has landed in the north and is advancing toward London – the i African navy has landed on the south coast . Neither are experiencing any resistance – in fact – first reports suggest the local authorities are on their side !

    Meanwhile the second Chinese airborne division continues to arrive to the west of London at heathrow ….

       37 likes

  14. Jeff says:

    You know, some days, it feels as though I’m actually living through a particularly awful episode of The Prisoner.
    I’m guessing most of you will be too young to remember the late 60’s cult TV series starring Patrick McGoohan. It was both innovative and incredibly confusing…and if you said you understood the ending you were probably lying.
    The other morning I was about to set off on a little ramble through a delightful glade of bluebells. It’s very unusual to see anyone there, which suits a miserable old misanthrope down to the ground. I love it.
    In a moment of weakness I took a quick look at the BBC news. They seemed to be speaking to me personally. “Don’t go on that walk, Jeff, you’re putting lives at risk”.
    They showed us endless talking heads imploring us not to photograph the bluebells. It was deeply antisocial; it was dangerous! I was beginning to feel like some loathsome cross between Ian Brady and Dr Shipman. I couldn’t quite see how I could do any harm. I wouldn’t see another soul. Anyway, feeling contrite and confused, I unpacked my flask of coffee and my camera and I didn’t go. The warnings were dire. Police would demand an explanation.
    If I had gone I was almost expecting “Orange Alert” to come roaring through the bluebell woods, hunting for me.

    And then that very evening, a really strange thing occurred. After all the warnings of social distancing, after all the bullying and beseeching, who should I see standing cheek by jowl, applauding for all she was worth, with scores of other police and medics… Cressida bloody Dick! How come?
    Does virtue signaling miraculously imbue your immune system with antibodies? How is it I can’t go on a lone ramble, but she can stand and cheer in a crowd. This is schizophrenic.

    Anyway, today my rucksack is packed. I’ve avoided the BBC news and I’ll avoid any other walkers…not that I ever see anyone anyway. And if I can avoid the police and Orange Alert I’ll be with the bluebells within half an hour.
    And pinching a phrase from Number 6, “I am not a number, I’m a free man”.
    Be seeing you…

       57 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Carry on Jeff ! I mentioned last week at being the only person in a small car park and being the only person in our very small village park. BUT the Robocops sniffed me out in their huge Police tank, and sat watching me throw balls for my dog. Needless to say I just ignored them, but thoughtfully dared them to approach me. Its laughably absurd !

         31 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Be seeing you Jeff… the knee bone is connected to the ….

      I too am planning to go out . It’s tomorrow -on my bike – to a supermarket . Now I know that the GCHQ and NSA are monitoring me so the drone will be up to catch me with the surveillance vans parked up outside … I’m wondering if the wine box on my shopping list is deemed unnecessary and they’ll film me getting a penalty notice ….

      … i keep on getting flash backs of withnail being screamed at to “ get in the back of the van “ …

      There’s a lot of plod doing that at the moment …. only doing their job

         13 likes

    • Scroblene says:

      Absolutely, Jeff!

      After several pints at my local, before the prog, my dad and I would sit down to be totally bemused by the whole scenario!

      Looking out of the window at the moment I think I can just see some sodding great balloon appearing over the hedge again…

      Oh no, it’s a bubble of fake news yet again..:0(

         6 likes

  15. richard D says:

    Just spotted – because it clearly did not get the same headline treatment on BBC news (and specifically the Today programme) that the orignial story did – namely that it was not the head of a health trust in the north of England who called the BBC asking for contact numbers for Burberry and Barbour, ‘because the staff in his Trust were going to run out of vital PPE over the weekend’. It was, in fact, someone who “is part of a network of organisations helping to source personal protective equipment for some NHS trusts.”

    Having beaten up anyone and everyone they could, the BBC finally admits it got this story completely wrong….but, of course, the ‘mistake’ falls right into the BBC narrative – so they just ran with it anyway. The error was not corrected in any of the Today programme reports I heard today.

    So, the BBC was talking to someone who had no idea about any specific Trust running out of PPE at all , and didn’t have the ‘nous’ to look up basic information freely available on the internet – so he’s obviously not even an important or intelligent cog in this network of suppliers.

    But the BBC clearly didn’t even ask some very basic questions if they mistook this guy for the Head of an NHS Trust – or perhaps they didn’t care, and essentially fabricated the story out of not very much to provide a headline – never thinking that they might get caught out.

    I’d go with the latter option, since, let’s face it, they had got it wrong on virtually every key fact in putting this story together and getting it to air. But hey, it might have been a slow news day otherwise….

    Impartial broadcaster – yeah, right.

       40 likes

    • richard D says:

      Just a sudden thought – I wonder if that’s why the BBC had a quick round-up of the usual NHS Union suspects (on speed-dial, natch, just for occasions like this), to wax lyrical on the same theme today……you know – sort of ‘we might have fabricated the story yesterday, but look – we have lots of ‘corroborative evidence’ that it might have been right !’

         17 likes

    • theisland says:

      Re the ‘misunderstanding of the person’s role ‘. Until someone comes forward and convinces me that they deliberately duped the bBC by posing as an NHS ‘boss’ I too am of the opinion that the bBC made the whole thing up.

      If that could be proved it should be a game changer.

      I could not find the original bBC story (is it on news sniffer?) but found this copy, which contains the following:

      He said his trust had “less than 24 hours supply and [with the] weekend coming up” he was hugely concerned.

      The trust is in the south of England but the BBC is not naming it.

      And on Wednesday the NHS trust director told the BBC: “The official line that we don’t have a shortage of PPE is fantasy.”

      The boss added “Trusts are already decontaminating PPE for reuse. I have several examples”.

      On Wednesday afternoon the NHS boss offered to write a letter to a factory, issuing a certificate that would absolve the factory of liability if anything happened with the use of an uncertified gown, such was his desperation for equipment. However, the factory felt this was too dangerous.

      There was no ‘misunderstanding’ whichever way you look at it.

         11 likes

  16. Philip_2 says:

    In these depressing times, medical depression is usually bought on my listening to any output from the BBC. The condition can be mild symptoms such as experience by Comedy experts (decline of Comedy on BBC radio is well documented) to severe cases where BBC presenters can only perform when awarded large amounts of money. (Several BBC presenters suffer this serious debilitating disease). The symptoms are ‘live’ cases which manifest in delusions of grandeur, hallucinations of ‘the end of the world’ scenario (several of these) including: Climate crisis, and how wonderful the world would be under Ed Milliband and Co. Another reported cases of which the BBC has has an irrational hatred of all things ‘Trump’ (the very word can induce fits and hysteria live on TV). At this time its is well advised to leave 20 spaces between stations to avoid the media contagion spreading. In severe cases life support for the BBC must be turned off. You do not have to wait for the BBC to be terminated, there are better options to depression, and self harm practiced by the BBC and its (intended) victims with no other place to go… which is a lot of NHS workers (who it is suggested all ‘tune-in’ to the BBC!

    Don’t be a victim! Stay SAFE! Turn off before its too late!

    The good news is that here in the UK we are well places to avoid mass hysteria. Many have sought serious news on the LBC is fine (in small quantities can be beneficial but in larger does can cause nausea). However depression is avoided and when combined with Classic FM, the only side affects seem to be ‘adverts’ and LBC callers who have no idea that they are on the radio. However medical advice is that LBC radio is far safer than listening to anything ‘reported’ on the BBC.

    For a total cure to mass hysteria; (which is now widespread) as all national and international news (other than crisis) has been repressed in media. This is why the BBC is so dominant, as this is always the ‘core’ policy to follow in all crises by ‘instinct’ as its gives credence to its ‘Charter’ to Inform, educate and entertain. Hence its survival is (HMG) guaranteed as others die around it financially. It survives through ‘government support’ in case of an emergency. Its totally mad and costs a hospital a year to run (or a new battleship Aircraft carrier each year). The cost is enormous, and the BBC hides that fact behind victimhood’ claims and begs for more funding..

    There are some remedies which may alleviate the symptoms. Not for the BBC (they are far to gone to be much use to the living). For the rest of us : Alternatives exist: proven to be medically effective against ‘BBC dogma, BBC NHS crisis (which one), BBC tax TV avoiders, BBC ‘persons of colour’ as victims (all of them), BBC Comedy (lack off), BBC finances (dire as always), BBC praise for EU, WHO, UN, CNN, NYT, SOROS (the Motley Fools ‘collective’ predicting the entire’ end-of-the-World’. Again!

    Remedies may be found here: (Please add your own home remedy). No Radio adverts! Ads on TV are acceptable as it costs a lot more to run…!

    Radio: LINN radio (Glasgow) which is a high quality mix of Classic, Jazz and Gallic charm. Currently favorite.
    https://www.radio.net/s/linnradiohttps://www.linn.co.uk/linn-radio
    SWISS JAZZ (thanks for that wonderful link in Biased BBC whoever you are!) No interruptions!
    http://www.radioswissjazz.ch/en

    ROKU TV, this was also recommended by one of us on Biased BBC and installed. But I admit to watching very little TV at all. The shows I used to watch are long gone, but a few exist here online. Some very successful. Heres my top choices: Available online or ROKU (which is free unless you pay for extra channels).
    TV. The Engineer Guy: Discover what a ‘Whifflle tree’ looks like or how a tIn can is made, (and other every-day items). This is an “Open University’ of technical knowledge and this is what the BBC never does (any more). http://www.engineerguy.com
    TV. TWIT contemporary ‘TECH’ news on a rage of topics ‘live’ and ‘pod-casts’ in and around Technical subjects. Supported by adverts (but even those are less excruciating than a BBC announcement of BBC ‘Sounds App’ or BBC comedy). So lose yourself in this huge range of talk shows in and around TECH. Its a good remedy and very informative on Computing issues that rarely get reported by the mass media.
    https://twit.tv/

    So this may not ‘fix’ all life’s myriad problems but its sure beats the BBC ‘output’ on just about every level. Its also amazing how many channels exist online with high quality and ‘Ad’ free listening which the BBC suggests is the ‘raison-d’etre’ of the BBC radio existing (as being the only ‘ad’ free option – its not!). I sometimes wonder if the BBC exist in a ‘parallel’ universe. I just object to having to pay (any) for it.

    As I expect that most of us will survive the current epidemic, you can be sure that the BBC are already busy making another ‘crisis’ on the shortage of Beds, Squirrels, Polar Bears and Bees and how ‘our money’ supports the BBC in term of crisis…. we have heard this so many times. We have to be free of the BBC and its dogma.

    Don’t be a victim! Stay SAFE! If your work for the NHS, wear protective headphones!

       23 likes

  17. StewGreen says:

    Today 10am BBC5live led with “PPE crisis”
    & then reinforced it with a clip from an Asian Labour MP (@DrRosena Khan had been on BBCBreakfast)

    BBC radio news headlines seem to have a format
    #BiasedBBC develop an anti-government narrative
    then OperationBangingOn
    & reinforce by playing Labour Party voices

       22 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      \\ @DrRosena advocating that doctors stop treating Covid19 patients
      on Breakfast TV – Caring Labour in action again.
      When asked what Labour would do the response was “this is not about politics”
      @BBCBreakfast 08:35am
      //

         28 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Poor old Labour!

        They know they have been completely sidelined with another duff leader, thanks to the Covid-19 virus, and they cannot do anything about it.

           21 likes

      • fakenewswatcher says:

        Stew – you have to admit: wonderfully evasive reply. My guess is, Labour are looking at the dismal performance of Tory ministers on the podium, doing their ‘stay at home’ act, and thanking God (in secret, of course) or Comrade Lenin/Mao/Xi Jinping, that they’re not in power at the mo, else they’d have to be up there (and they’d be doing even more woefully)!

           15 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Technical but true
      “DrRosena admitted that the reason for changing gowns between patients is to avoid potential transmission from patient to patient,
      yet she then said that without sufficient gowns to always do this, NHS staff should refuse to work as it’s putting themselves at risk. How? “

         16 likes

  18. BRISSLES says:

    Excellent snippit from a regular Psychiatric contributor to the D/Mail today…..

    “SAVE US FROM THE CELEBRITY SHOW-OFFS”
    Everyone in the NHS has been really bowled over by the outpouring of love and appreciation for the work we’re doing in what is undoubtedly a very trying and difficult time for the health service.

    But, please save us from the celebrity Covid narcissists who are jumping on the bandwagon and producing endless breathless clips saying thank you to NHS staff for the wonderful job they are doing.

    I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MANY OF THEM USE THE PRIVATE SECTOR. They wouldn’t dream of queuing like the rest of us in normal times. Heaven forbid! They’re ‘special’ don’t you know ?

    I have no objection to people using the private sector if they wish. Its the hypocrisy that sticks in my craw. We all know they are just using us for self-promotion”
    ……….

    What a refreshing change to read a bit of honesty about the talentless and overpaid.

       41 likes

  19. Up2snuff says:

    Is it worth listening to the Any Questions repeat or were embarrassing questions about the BBC not allowed to be posed to the ‘panel’?

       14 likes

  20. StewGreen says:

    Vine pushing the “delay Brexit” agenda

       34 likes

  21. Fedup2 says:

    Up2 – you have the cheek to come on this site and ask a question like that? When the answer is a two letter word beginning with N and another letter is O? ( apols going stir crazy)

    I was wondering whether the police are going to stop the police from going onto Westminster Bridge to have a group clap at 8pm on Thursday night . Or maybe the public have to form a socially distanced barrier to stop all those police cars to meet up for the weekly clap.

    Meanwhile people going fishing or walking their dog in the middle of nowhere get the full drone footage treatment and the tube continues to vector the Chinese bug thanks to the Emir

       30 likes

    • Dave S says:

      One law for the police and another for us. That is the way the rule of law dies.

         17 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      LOL, Fed.

      I know that some of the ‘members’ here are made of stern, strong, tough stuff, unlike the tender Snuffler. They were probably in there at the kill, taking in the 8 p.m. R4 News as well.

      Me?

      I was out for my Government sanctioned exercise and a jolly good walk it was, too, in the middle of nowhere and not a drone or Police Car in sight. Actually for most of the time, not anyone else in sight, period.

         10 likes

  22. fakenewswatcher says:

    Carrie Gracie is leading beeb tv news with…who would have guessed it? Yes, reuse of PPE, which has been apparently okayed by the mysterious PHE and ‘NHS providers’.
    Dr Rob Harwood comes up to say how bad this is. Helen Briggs says ‘its another massive challenge to the NHS’.
    For the beeb, it’s all about being a massive challenge to government. Not that any Tory minister is prepared to take them on and deal with them. But that nice Mr Starmer is waiting…
    And he will be even a lot less likely to want to deal with them. On the contrary.

       24 likes

    • Dave S says:

      I lasted 5 minutes which these days is a long time for me. In times like these the BBc shows it’s real colours. Anything to reinforce the negative waves. Anything at all.. My God imagine if we had had this lot in 1940.
      I detest them.

         34 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      fnw, Carrie – I thought she had left the BBC? So all that fuss was just her ‘gold digging’!

         11 likes

      • BRISSLES says:

        I heard her later trying the same tactic with a member of the medical profession, who would not engage in Gracie’s assassination of the Government, but insisted there was a world wide shortage etc etc. Gracie cut the interview short, talk about obvious.

           22 likes

  23. AsISeeIt says:

    ‘A detective with British Transport Police (BTP) has died with coronavirus’

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52336843

    My granddad died ‘with’ his pocketwatch – but we treasure it nonetheless.

    As we have come to expect with such stories the medical details are cursory.

    ‘According to BTP, Mr Coker first fell ill on 22 March and was taken into intensive care after his health did not improve. He died on Friday.’

    Condolences are naturally due to his family, friends and colleagues. But the BBC’s overarching desire and apparent need to make him emblematic in some way clearly outweighs their efforts to deliver to us some actual concrete factual news.

       24 likes

  24. Doobster78 says:

    Jesus wept Gary !!! Any chance to Virtue Signal not to sniffed at.

       20 likes

    • PeterT says:

      Apparently, thousands of Brits have applied for these farm jobs but not been offered one, though some have. Also, farmers are paid by the EU for taking on EU workers and they put them four to a tatty old caravan and charge each of them £57 per week rent for the privilege. I’ve seen a copy of a letter from someone who applied for a farm job from an agency which said they had had 32,000 applications and had filled many seasonal worker vacancies for April and May – so it’s a lie that Brits don’t want the work.

         33 likes

  25. Doobster78 says:

    £1.75million salary for this jug eared bell end to talk about footy for a few hours. But guess what, just like Piers Morgan and various other media luvvies, ALL now seemingly fully qualified scientists.

    Gary , Piers, Peston, Rigby all understand better than time served experts.

    Why is it they bang on about how the Government should listen to scientific advice , but when they do, if it doesn’t suit their leftie narrative, it’s wrong.

    The left can never be wrong. NEVER !!!!!

       22 likes

  26. smoogie7 says:

    I guess that the BBC admire the New Zealand leader?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/must_see/52285061/jacinda-ardern-impressionist-i-m-trying-to-be-her-because-she-s-cool

    Heaps of obvious bias here

       15 likes

  27. vlad says:

    “Coronavirus: British Transport Police officer, 53, dies”

    Very sad. But of the nearly 15,000 deaths, I wonder why the beeb singled this one out for front-page treatment.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52336843

    _111844697_dcjohncoker.jpg

       23 likes

    • LastChanceSaloon says:

      vlad – Already reported above by AISI. How I do not know.

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52336843
      “One hour ago” [and it is already the lead story]

      [Same article, while the BBC have your attention]
      “Marcia Pryce a powerhouse, with [another police] force …” [has also died]
      [I wonder if any white people have died today.]

         12 likes

  28. Fedup2 says:

    Buzzfeed is reporting the exit Strategy – which as expected is time lined on data over the next 3 weeks as well as the likelihood of a vaccine – which the government allegedly thinks will take another 18 ( eighteen ) months . – no doubt the rate at which SAGE responds makes this likely whereas some where with a bit more ‘go’ will get a hugely expensive one real soon .

    The buzzfeed version writes off the summer – subject to a vaccine .

    It’s really lucky breweries are not able to have p— ups as I dont think the Health Dept could fix one of them …

       16 likes

  29. vlad says:

    BBC: “Coronavirus: Is pandemic being used for power grab in Europe?”

    Or: “Is pandemic being used by the BBC to smear some of its hate figures like Viktor Orban?”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52308002

       28 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Wow in a crisis caused by external factors the public tolerate dictators/strong-men taking a firmer reign
      .. amazing insight.

         4 likes

    • fakenewswatcher says:

      vlad- Hungary is first on the list, which already tells you a lot!
      Conspicuously absent is the biggest power grabber of them all, Angela Merkel. That’s because is she also the most subtle and devious, and has the support of the broadcast media and much of the print media. The latter are in the process of a huge hype up Angie campaign, given that she has indicated she will step down in a few year’s time. I think she may well be persuaded to change her mind for another four more years. She put her pal Ursula (failed G defence minister) in as boss of the EU, so that’s not an option for the moment.
      Her skill is coalition-building in smoke-filled rooms, with anyone who will play ball. To help, she has already adopted most of their policies anyway. The Greens? No one is Greener than Angie. She got rid of nuclear overnight after Fukushima. The Socialists? No one is redder than Angie. Borders down, migrants in, big cheques for whoever asks. (Not for too many German taxpayers though, but the media help her to get away with it.)
      ERDOGAN has asked, and received a massive one. Big pal.
      Of course, there is ONE party she will do no deals with, ever. It is the party that points out that she has ignored the Constitution entirely and broken the law frequently. It is the party which pursues policies her own CDU would have been happy with 20 years ago. It is the AfD.
      The AfD is treated by Angie, and therefore by the media, as ‘far right’. In Germany this is code for guess who? (Never mind his Socialist agenda- long forgotten) That makes the AfD easy to shoot down.
      So, forget Orban, Erdogan, Putin, Poland. What goes on there is HIGHLY VISIBLE and obvious. Enough of the world’s media will attack. No, the biggest power grab is the one that doesn’t look like a power grab at all. And remains attack-free from both domestic and world media.

      If the Coronavirus is beaten in G. guess who will take all of the credit?

         19 likes

  30. StewGreen says:

    New daily Death tally 888
    I previously expected 1,000+ deaths per day
    based of hospital new cases turning into deaths at a 20% rate
    It seems to be about 14% now
    ie much more less tested patients are dying
    Why ? perhaps by 7 days ago testing had broadened to include the less-sever cases.

    Our deaths have been about 900/day since April 8

    New cases 5,525 (yesterday 5,599)
    New cases have been about flat at about 5,300/day since April 8 (perhaps April 6th)

       5 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Stew, they are also probably excluding deaths that are now occuring with Covid-19 where the patient had a terminal pre-existing condition. The ONS have been looking into the figures and I have a notion at the back of my mind that hospitals have been instructed to report more accurately.

         6 likes

      • StewGreen says:

        I am pretty sure that no HOSPITAL covid19 deaths have been excluded.
        The rule is that if their is ANY evidence it goes on the list, whatever the other death factors.
        But it is possible that in previous weeks doctors ticked the evidence box, when their wasn’t any evidence.

           8 likes

        • Up2snuff says:

          The ONS have issued a correction to the PH numbers but you will need to listen to the R4 News for when the story hit to see if they did order or ask for better reporting. I think it may have been Thursday TWatO but the memory is extremely hazy.

          Whatever, it is good that we haven’t hit 1000 deaths a day or Prof Ferguson’s doubling of Covid cases every three days. Things could be a lot worse.

             6 likes

          • StewGreen says:

            AFAIK ONS have not issued a correction

            The PH “Hospital death” stats
            and the ONS official death certificate stats
            are different databases
            The latter is 2 weeks delayed and includes all deaths (providing the death certificate has been issued )

               2 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      On April 10th daily positives were 5,681 patients (plus a special 3,000 of old tests on health workers)
      Seven days later this converted to 847 deaths
      That’s a 15% conversion rate.

      5,300 cases at 15% should lead to 795 deaths/day
      at 16% should lead to 848 deaths/day
      at 17% should lead to 901 deaths/day

      So at 17% today’s positives of 5,525 turns into 939 deaths in 7 days time.

         3 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Stew – is there recent reliable data on the total number of deaths – to give a proper indication of affairs rather than the hospital numbers .?
        I’m working on a basis of double that hospital number when care home and home deaths are added . Dread to think what the suicide levels are like year on year .

        As for the Saturday briefing – time for a few more informed questions as opposed to ‘gotchas’ or ‘ apologise ‘ nonsense .

        I’d ask “ are you really paying peers £323 a day tax free to log on?

           7 likes

  31. Up2snuff says:

    Much fuss has been made by the BBC, with the help of Labour Party activists and others working in the NHS, about supposed poor Conservative Government performance in ensuring the NHS can save us from as much harm from the Covid-19 virus as possible. What short memories the BBC have.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38613657

    “Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said at Prime Minister’s Questions this week: “Her government is proposing, through sustainability and transformation, to cut one-third of the beds in all our hospitals in the very near future.”

    He was referring to the Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), which are the plans that local NHS areas have been asked to come up with to change services in order to make themselves financially sustainable.

    They are part of NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens’ Five Year Forward View. England has been divided into 44 areas, each of which has its own STP.

    Although some of the STPs have quite precise plans, others are quite vague.”

    Oh dear, BBC. You have been at it before. Distorting the truth.

    i ‘Why you can trust BBC News’ not one tiny bit.

       15 likes

    • gb123 says:

      I think the BBC should publish another correction for that ‘Why you can trust BBC News’ tagline.

      “Why you” should be replaced with “How can you, in your right mind,”

         18 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Twitter carrying something about C4 running out of money in 2 months – with the Guardian in trouble too – an upside to the Chinese virus maybe ….

           13 likes

  32. StewGreen says:

    Lancashire Police are in trouble.
    If you have ever been convicted due to the evidence of one of there cops, then the CPS needs to ask whether LP “made something up”
    I can understand that police gets P’d off with people breaking rules, like crowding into cars with people they don’t live or work with, but they shouldn’t get riled and make illegal statements.
    The public have spent a lot of money training this cop, they need to be sure he does obey the rules.

    https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/who-going-believe-police-apologise-18111516

    “If you want to f**king step to me, I’ll lock you up.
    I’ll make something up
    […] Who are they gonna believe, me or you?”
    Police officer openly telling a man that he’ll lie about charges. On camera.

       11 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      @LancsPolice ·
      We are already aware of footage circulating on social media
      regarding an officer’s actions during an incident in Accrington yesterday (Friday, April 17).
      The matter is being investigated
      and has been referred to our professional standards department.
      It is clear from the footage the member of the public deserves an apology
      which we will attempt to provide him with today.

         10 likes

  33. Sluff says:

    Here’s a piece of news I guarantee will not be on any of their news bulletins.

    We hear from a very reliable source that West Herts hospitals have plenty of PPE and it is to a very high standard.

    So thinking about it, this is probably true for 1150+ of the 1200 hospitals in the NHS.

    The BBC of course only report the exceptions – and we all know why – to discredit the government.

    Which may indeed be discreditable, but isn’t their job.

       23 likes

  34. Guest Who says:

    Cripes, the bbc needs to wheel out Sir Reg now.

    #CCBGB

       8 likes

  35. Sluff says:

    Over in Everett, Boeing have been making 4-6 747s a year for the past 2 or 3 years, and only for cargo.
    But they make about 10 dreamliners a month.
    Meanwhile A380 production stopping was announced months ago. But A350s are doing well.

    Which is why the ‘hub’ argument for Heathrow Airport 3 rd runway has no credibility.

    Attributing the Coronavirus pandemic to these decisions is a total joke.

       0 likes

  36. StewGreen says:

    So looks like BrowningGate the PPE #FakeNews unravelled at around 4:40pm Friday when BBC News channel aired the source
    and people said ‘Hey this Paul Durrands is not an NHS Trust director, he left in 2011″

    @BbcNews must have posted a vid and the DELETED it
    cos this reply is left hanging.

    There are replies to it.

       13 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      at 13:33pm Friday @BBCnews tweeted and then deleted
      NHS trust boss contacts the BBC asking for the phone numbers of Burberry and Barbour
      because he does not have enough gowns
      for his staff working on coronavirus wards
      https://t.co/Ew3jWm6mCv

         9 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Stew
        Sounds like the BBC is more than ripe for spoofing if they are publishing without checking …. it’s the classic – being told what they want to hear …… more apologies expected ……

           10 likes

        • Ian Rushlow says:

          Oh, the BBC does plenty of checking before publishing a story:
          1. Is the source a BBC employee, former BBC employee or partner of a BBC employee? Tick
          2. Is the source a left-wing political activist and/or member of the Labour Party? Tick
          3. Does the story help promote ethnic minorities, wimmin’, Islam, sexual deviance, EU or globalism? Tick
          4. Does the story show the Conservative government or President Trump in a bad light? Tick
          5. Does the story promote another BBC TV or radio programme? Tick

          You get the picture.

             32 likes

          • Sluff says:

            Ian
            I doubt if even the BBC themselves have as succinctly accurate definition of their policy as your excellent summary.
            I imagine they will be printing it off and sticking it on all notice boards, both literally and electronically.

               9 likes

    • fakenewswatcher says:

      Stew- One suspects that the Durrand/Accelerate situation is replicated a hundred times over, I regret to say. Or a thousand?
      Also, officials: it was an eye opener to see the lady heading South Lanarkshire council is on a £600,000 package, There are many, many councils, with many, many layers of management. Just as there are many police forces. Not to mention devolved governments. Not to mention the many quangos. Or the MPs. And the vast edifice that is the HoL.
      Would it be cynical to ask whether the lack of money for PPE, etc is related to all that stuff? The ‘public sector’ and its many attached parasites are not going to part with the money for the dying in care homes etc. I’m sorry to pose the question.
      Reminiscent of the bbc, by the way: many, many layers of management. Currently bringing you the daily information session from Downing street, internationally. Lucrative, lucrative.

         12 likes

  37. Non Snowflake says:

    bBBC2 currently showing Steve Davis v Tony Knowles from the 1982 World Snooker Championships.

    They have the original commentary from Whispering Ted Lowe and Jack Karnehm. But there also seems to be a BAME female commentating, which I am sure wasn’t there originally. It’s been added purely for lefty PC reasons.

    I’ve found the same footage on YouTube, uploaded between 2017 and 2019, and the same fake woke commentary is present, in fact someone in the comments section mentions it.

    Jesus wept, the bBBC just can’t help themselves.

       26 likes

  38. Fedup2 says:

    Andrew Bowie has tweeted that he is a big fan of the BBC and licence fee – but he is glad that the BBC has apologised for false reporting PPE shortage .

    Andrew Bowie is a Tory MP and Vice President of the Party – he has a Scottish constituency . Always good to know who the opposition is when it comes to Reformation / Termination of the BBC …

       8 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Andrew Bowie thread

         18 likes

  39. yohodi says:

    Boogers serve as your body’s front-line defense against invading germs. … Because as your body digests the booger, it can release those harmful pathogens into your system. Now, some people claim that eating your boogers can strengthen your immune system. By training your body to recognize and attack invading microbes……Bon appetit..

       4 likes

  40. StewGreen says:

    Further up the page @ vlad posted BBC: “Coronavirus: Is pandemic being used for power grab in Europe?
    APRIL 18, 2020 AT 1:48 PM

    and @FNS replied

       4 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Stew, very strange that that BBC article doesn’t mention Emmanuel Macron and a power grab by the EU.

      I wonder why?

         9 likes

    • Deborah says:

      The power grab I see following this CoVId business is from the Left and Globalists. The suggestions floating of what we should do when it is all over, from global organisations to form joint areas of government, less flights (not to stop spread of diseases but to fight climate change) etc.
      Perhaps I should suggest that to beat climate change the importation of avocados be banned due to their air miles, as should all importation of rice and instead of cotton we should all be wearing locally sourced wool, eating mutton from the sheared sheep. Can’t see it going well with the Guardian readers at the BBC. I don’t think these are the post CoVId changes the Left are wanting.

         12 likes

  41. Up2snuff says:

    Covid-19 Conundrums

    Someone, I gather, got into trouble in India for suggesting the Covid-19 virus had mutated sufficiently by the time it reached India to not cause Indians as severe problems as experienced elsewhere around the globe.

    Someone else, Prime Minister Modi, got into trouble (I guess mostly with the BBC, for whom it seems he can do nothing right) for his sudden lockdown order.

    You would think, in a nation similar in population size to China, but probably slightly poorer – and with a massive BAME population to boot – that it would have an equally massive number of cases. Or it would be at least matching China’s 83,000, if you can believe that figure. You would think that India might more than match the USA by now, for with almost one quarter of the population of India the USA has three-quarters of a million cases of Covid-19.

    OK, you say, it’s poor reporting and diagnosis in the Indian health system. Two things we know about India is that it has a pretty good bureaucracy and an even better health system. In fact, some of its hospitals and medical schools are world leaders.

    Nope.

    Less than 15,000 cases of Covid-19 in India, as of today.

    I wonder why?

       14 likes

  42. Sluff says:

    Daily Coronavirus news conference.
    The BBC get the first question ( as usual).

    Guess what?
    They immediately play the race card and ask about BAME deaths, implying some racist element.

    A total abdication of whole-country broadcasting responsibility.

       33 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Whoever is handling the HMG News Conference ought to read my post and shoot back.

      I know there are some Brits in India, and also some British Indians, but it could be argued that the whole population of India is BAME, even the white British expats! How come such a small number of cases in India, eh, BBC?

         12 likes

    • fakenewswatcher says:

      Sluff – Rianna is well-rehearsed for that question. She had a lengthy, in-depth discussion with a presenter on bbc TV news earlier this week about the same issue. I think it might have been Clive Myrie.
      I’m sure we’ll see more of her, pushing the same agenda. Taking her question first, yet again, does, however tell us the beeb has lotsa virtue…
      Suspicions of a certain card popping up, being exploited, even in the pandemic debate…

      Hullo, here’s someone with two of those cards, a David Lammy lookalike, one for BAME and one for the ‘migrants’. As it involves recourse to ‘public funds’, Jenrick skilfully passes the buck for the second one to local councils.
      Next thing they’re going to ask that Scottish council boss on £600k to part with some of her gold-plated.

         11 likes

    • Foscari says:

      Sluff-Even during this XI JINPING pandemic the the number one
      issue with the BBC is diversity . BIG BROTHER who runs the
      diversity dept of the BBC controls EVERY aspect of what see
      and listen to.
      The reason why there are so many BAME casualties is because
      London is over 40% BAME. There are as little as 30% indigenous. Londoners now. The epicentre of the virus has been London.

         9 likes

  43. Sluff says:

    We hear that the government are working very hard to source PPE.

    Does the NHS have no separate responsibility for this ?

    Is Matt Hancock personally signing all the purchase orders?

    This whole thing stinks of so-called NHS professionals off-loading responsibility to politicians for implementation of policy and day-to-day office work.

       28 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Sluff, if I was SoS for Health, I’d be very tempted to find a hospital with sufficient to spare PPE and set up a little photo op with the Ministerial Car, chauffeur allowed to self-isolate at home on a day off, driven by the SoState, with supplies of PPE from the first hospital to the hospital where the BBC or other broadcaster had decided there was a shortage.

      Brexit? We are getting it done.

      Covid-19 PPE? We are getting it done.

         8 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Sluff – I think you ll find that the person who does the NHS procurement only does half days on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and have been on a sabbatical for 6 months –

      They’re due back at work soon so if you want anything for the NHS – like PPE – just leave a posted note on their desk and they’ll get round to it in a bit ….

      If it’s urgent leave the request on a bigger posted note …

         13 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Fed, they were probably on holiday in Peru, or New Zealand, or Thailand. Apparently the BBC could find any NHS Doctor or Nurse who was away from the UK: how come they could not find the NHS Procurement administrator on their hols?

           14 likes

      • JimS says:

        I expect NHS procurement is very hard.

        First they need to come up with a requirement which they will need to publish in all 28 EU countries as an invitation to tender. Sufficient time must be allowed for potential suppliers to respond.

        Then the tenders will need to be examined and clarified. Can they give assurance that they don’t employ slaves but that they do employ the correct quota of women, ethnics, disabled, transgendered and religious? Do they have policies and procedures to give assurance that this will always be the case?

        What about the product? Will it be made to all applicable and non-applicable EU standards? Will it be sourced ‘sustainably’? Will proper quality assurance and quality standards be applied? Can they give assurance that policies and procedures are in place? Will no carbon-dioxide be emitted during the sourcing, manufacturing and delivery process? If not will it be offset?

        Then any responses will be marked against a ‘matrix’ that will need to be developed. If more than one supplier makes it this far ‘value for money’ will need to be considered.

        ‘Finally’ the order will be placed. Immediately all the suppliers that missed out will write to their MPs/national governments and the procurement process will go on hold as lots of to-and-fro letters try to justify/nullify the procurement decision.

        By this time we will be into a new financial year and the ‘voted’ funding will be lost. The minister will be castigated for under-spending and for failure to supply paper towels to ‘our’ NHS.

        Then process begins again. It’s tough on the ‘front line’!

           14 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Anyone who dares to criticise publicly the NHS during this time is a very brave man. But I bet behind closed doors there’s a lot of teeth gnashing going on.

         21 likes

  44. theisland says:

    Now someone is saying all immigration checks should be dropped.

    (They are anyway, aren’t they?)

       15 likes

  45. Fedup2 says:

    Having just watched another dismal government briefing and 5 minutes of some jumped up bbc anchor – I had to turn it off . The excitement that she announced that her comrades in UNITE thinks Matt Hancock should ‘consider his position ‘ because he hasn’t don’t the NHS job of getting enough kit .

    There is absolute acceptance of anything anyone claiming to be from the NHS says . It’s nothing like journalism . But with the NHS there is no pretence of neutrality nor demanding for accountability of the NHS management whose job it really was .
    I am breaking the law every year by not buying a TV licence – sometimes I wobble a bit because I prefer to stay on the right side of the law – but when i hear that stuff I know I am morally right and that law is just wrong .

       29 likes

    • Darcy3 says:

      About time some of the so called journalists at these briefings “considered their position” there are many more in this country than the politically motivated UNITE union who would support that I suspect

      trying to make political capital and cause the government as much damage as they can (using proven fake news if required) in a national emergency, world class bbc

      lets hope people have a long memory about this shameful conduct, I am sure the government will

      we do not pay to have bbc so called journalists acting like political candidates in a hustings debate asking questions they know the answer to or know there is no answer so they can roll their eyes and look clever and superior

      leave that to the local cllrs seen it many times

      I am sure there is a job for Lara Carlsberg and the rest of her mob on a parish council somewhere

         15 likes

  46. JimS says:

    Radio Three news tells me that the virus is smart enough to target BAMEs and men.

    Doesn’t Radio 4’s talk, drama and ‘comedy’ output constantly tell me that there is no such thing as race and biological sex, that they are all ‘social constructs’? I expect the virus is a ‘social construct’ too!

    Sorry girls, you have had your go at running the world and it isn’t working out. Better give the wheel back to the men – if there are any left who know what duty, responsibility and suffering are about. Crying to mummy Jacinda Ardern and clapping like performing seals won’t cut it anymore.

       20 likes

    • Dave S says:

      Nobody wants to talk about Vitamin D. Whites make it easily and BMEs don’t in these latitudes. Maybe it is so important to our immune systems that a lack of it makes you vulnerable. It is so easily solved but political correctness rules so they will not talk about it. Idiots. They make me sick.

         16 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        These numbers are three days out of date. Bear in mind that the population of Barnet is predominantly white and affluent. The population of Enfield is less white, slightly less affluent than Barnet but not much. The BAME population of Tower Hamlets or Newham is considerably proportionately higher and poorer than Barnet or Enfield.

        There are 496 confirmed cases in Tower Hamlets, out of a local population of 317,705
        There are 775 confirmed cases in Newham, out of a local population of 352,005
        There are 326 confirmed cases in Islington, out of a local population of 239,142
        There are 410 confirmed cases in Haringey, out of a local population of 270,624
        There are 503 confirmed cases in Hackney, out of a local population of 279,665
        There are 552 confirmed cases in Enfield, out of a local population of 333,869
        There are 961 confirmed cases in Barnet, out of a local population of 392,140

        NB: not all cases will have been tested

        This rather debunks the theory that poor BAMEs are more likely to suffer Covid-19.

           11 likes

        • fakenewswatcher says:

          Snuff – Shhhh! You don’t wanna put Rianna Croxford out of her (no doubt well-paid) job with the beeb? She is their ‘Communities’ correspondent, and that’s her agenda you’re trampling on.
          So don’t confuse us with facts…

             10 likes

      • Ian Rushlow says:

        Lots of empty ‘planes at the moment. Perhaps they could be used to transport some people to sunnier climes so they can make vitamin D naturally? Could Dicky Branson help?

           10 likes

  47. Emmanuel Goldstein says:

    If a doctor or nurse is working on a covid ward then why do they need to keep changing ppe.
    The doctors and nurses will be protected by keeping the same ppe on and the patients have the virus already.

    Maybe they do this already but the impression given is that they change the complete ppe many times a day, possibly after every patient.

    Yesterday I heard (or read) that at least 70 private firms were offering the nhs all the ppe they will need yet the nhs or phe are not replying or they are being ignored.
    Why is there not more being made of this.
    I know some on here have mentioned they (nhs/phe) will be shown up for how useless they are if the private sector are allowed in to show them how it’s done. That sounds about right.
    Of course, I’m on about the management and quango’s being useless, not the front liners who are doing a sterling job and are rightfully appreciated by the general public.

       21 likes

    • taffman says:

      Emmanuel Goldstein
      “Yesterday I heard (or read) that at least 70 private firms were offering the nhs all the ppe they will need yet the nhs or phe are not replying or they are being ignored. Why is there not more being made of this.”

      Bureaucracy ?
      Could it be because they do not have the standard ‘CE’ mark ?

         19 likes

      • Eddy Booth says:

        Probably because we have an unbalanced economy of just high tech manufacturing and paperclip coordinator desk jockies.

           10 likes

    • Dave S says:

      I think we know the administrators of the NHS are wanting. Same as always. During WW2 the main problem was the bureaucracy.
      Which is why Eisenhower was in charge of D Day. He would not tolerate it here.

         12 likes

  48. BRISSLES says:

    Very noticeable how the narrative on the news channels has changed in the last couple of days. The death figures have now been followed by…… “of course each one of these deaths leaves a family behind……….” etc. I wonder if there have been complaints that there isn’t enough compassion being shown as the figures have been called out like bingo numbers.

       20 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      The final “ question “ in the briefing was from a ‘ journo’ from The ( Black ) Voice . Nice bit of tokenism to tick box colour of questioner –

      So of this chap went on some meandering speech about windrush and other stuff which just turned into blah blah blah – but I think he wanted to know what colour the ‘ inquiry team ‘ into racism within the Covid Virus community and whether the virus is – in fact racist ….
      Tory politicians being on full defensive – the non entity minister just let him go on . He didn’t yawn . He didn’t look at his watch . I can’t remember what he said at the end and I wonder if any One can .

         17 likes

      • fakenewswatcher says:

        Fed – If he’s the David Lammy lookalike, I mentioned him and his two cards earlier: BAME and ‘migrants’. Jenrick said the latter were the responsibility of councils as it required access to public funds. Was just hearing on beeb 5.15 news that councils are all very short of money…
        As for BAME, he doubled up on Rianna Croxford’s agenda. I think we need to brace ourselves for a lot more of this.
        So far no mention of the fact that men make up three quarters of the deaths. Men are so last century, and apparently have no one batting for them, as a ‘special interest’ group. Unless, of course, they fall under another heading as well…

           14 likes

      • Richard Pinder says:

        My official answer to “Black Lives Matter” would be “The virus is grey with red fuzzy hair. It started out being racist against yellow people, but is mostly ageist and discriminates against people with asthma and other breathing problems. It also discriminates against fat Black people. So yes, it is racist, that’s why you should go home, stay at home and protect the NHS from the inconvenience of having to look after the Black victims of a racist virus, as well as helping to save those Black lives that matter more than most”

           13 likes

        • taffman says:

          Richard Pinder
          Not many stabbings in London of late . I wonder why ?
          Are the reports of stabbings being ‘buried under the bad news’ of Covid ?

             9 likes

    • Eddy Booth says:

      Are we at a point yet where all the deaths are ones who caught the virus during lockdown

         9 likes

  49. Darcy3 says:

    I wonder if it is worth phoning the bbc up to ask if they know the number of any world class journalists capable of asking an intelligent question that the public would probably like to be asked at the next HMG press briefing as there appears to be a national shortage

       27 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Darc
      Earlier in the week someone here was pondering on what the next BBC fixation would be after ventilators and PPE – looks like it’s coming down to racism in viruses and calling on ministers to apologise or ‘ consider their position ‘ or similar

      I reckon one of the Sunday press will have some Tory politician ‘ breaking their own rules ‘ by going outside …..

         17 likes

      • Darcy3 says:

        And these are the journalists questioning scientists:

        “If you are a creative writer or dreamer at heart and keen on pursuing a career in Mass Media or Journalism, take up subjects such as Modern Indian Language, Hindi, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology from the arts stream. A liberal arts education is an excellent starting point for the journalism foundation.”

           15 likes

    • BRISSLES says:

      Excellent Darcy !

         7 likes

  50. davylars says:

    Yes.
    Since it would appear the BBC is the new yellow pages,
    I am about to phone them to see if they can direct me to any shops with loo rolls in stock…

       17 likes

    • Darcy3 says:

      Hang on before you call…I have got a few more questions ……

      for example who will be monitoring social distancing at rama bleeding dam as I am damn sure the bbc will be endlessly harping on about it having paid lip service to Easter with some black wimmin and a wimmin vicar featured

         21 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      But how does one get in touch with the BBC? I can’t see a phone number on their website. My situation is desperate – I need a new Burberry jacket and the John Lewis store is closed.

         21 likes

      • Darcy3 says:

        I understand, from the bbc, that nurses are a dab hand at converting bin bags into alternative
        apparel ?

        any colour you like as long as its black, just drop your size into any A and E and raise some much needed funds etc etc etc etc

        since the pubs have closed and gut bucket sunday footballers are no longer clogging the place up with twisted ankles there should be a quick turnaround

           13 likes

        • BRISSLES says:

          I hate to say it, but judging by the size of some of the nurses, only 2 bin bags will be big enough. Perhaps that’s been the problem, not enough triple X size PPE which need more fabric. Just saying.

             9 likes

          • Darcy3 says:

            BBC maybe got it wrong, was not Burberry they were trying to get the number of it was Millets

               4 likes