674 Responses to Midweek 12 January 2022

  1. MarkyMark says:

    Prince Andrew: Why the military titles and royal patronages meant so much

    Prince Andrew: Why the military titles and royal patronages meant so much
    Close
    Prince Andrew’s military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen, and he will stop using the style His Royal Highness in an official capacity, it has been announced.

    The BBC’s Dan Johnson explains why the Duke of York’s titles would have been important to him, with their significance within the Royal Family and links to his military service.

    Video produced by John Johnson

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-59989886

    ….

    Titles, styles, honours and arms
    Titles and styles

    Royal monogram
    19 February 1960 – 23 July 1986: His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew[245]
    23 July 1986 – present: His Royal Highness The Duke of York[b]
    Andrew is currently the ninth in the line of succession to the throne.[246] On rare occasions, he is known by his secondary titles of Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.[245][247][248] In 2019 Inverness residents started a campaign to strip him of that title, stating that “it is inappropriate that Prince Andrew is associated with our beautiful city”, in light of his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.[249]

    On 13 January 2022, it was reported that while Andrew retains the style of His Royal Highness, he would no longer use it in a public capacity.[34]

    Naval ranks
    United Kingdom 1979–1981: Midshipman, Britannia Royal Naval College, HMS Seahawk
    United Kingdom 1981–1984: Sub Lieutenant, Pilot, 820 NAS on HMS Invincible;
    United Kingdom 1984–1992: Lieutenant, Pilot, 815 NAS on HMS Brazen; Helicopter Warfare Instructor, 702 NAS at RNAS Culdrose; Flight Commander, 829 NAS on HMS Campbeltown
    United Kingdom 1992–1999: Lieutenant Commander, Captain, HMS Cottesmore; Senior Pilot, 815 NAS at RNAS Portland; Directorate of Naval Operations, British Ministry of Defence
    United Kingdom 1999–2005: Commander, Diplomacy Section of the Naval Staff.[17] Released from the active list in 2001.[29]
    United Kingdom 2005–2010: Honorary Captain[30]
    United Kingdom 2010–2015: Rear Admiral[31]
    United Kingdom 2015–: Vice Admiral[32][34]
    Honours
    See also: List of honours of the British royal family by country
    21 February 2011: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)[250]
    2 June 2003 – 21 February 2011: Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)[251][252]
    19 December 1979 – 2 June 2003: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)[253][254]
    23 April 2006: Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)[254]
    1977: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal[254]
    1982: South Atlantic Medal, with Rosette
    2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal[254]
    2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal[254]
    2016: Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1848)[255]
    UK Royal Victorian Order ribbon.svg South Atlantic Medal w rosette BAR.svg QEII Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.png
    QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.png Ribbon – Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal v3.png CD-ribbon and bar.png New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal ribbon.png

    Commonwealth
    1990: New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal[254]
    2001: Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)[254] (with the first clasp)[255]
    2005: Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan[256]
    Foreign
    Norway 1988: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav[254]
    United Arab Emirates 2010: Collar of the Order of the Federation[257]
    Mexico 2015: Sash of the Order of the Aztec Eagle[258]
    Spain 2017: Order of Isabella the Catholic[259]
    Appointments
    1 February 1984: Personal Aide-de-Camp to the Queen[254]
    2007: Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
    5 May 2013: Royal Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)[254][260]
    20 February 2015: Grand President of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League[261]
    13 July 2015 – 21 November 2019: Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield[190][262]
    20 April 2016: Honorary Fellow of the Society of Light and Lighting (Hon. FSLL)[263]
    1 May 2018 – November 2019: Honorary Fellow of Hughes Hall, Cambridge[191][264]
    Honorary military appointments
    In 2019, Andrew’s military affiliations were suspended and on 13 January 2022 they were formally returned to the Queen.[34]

    Canada
    Canada Colonel-in-Chief of the Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment)[265]
    Canada Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada[265]
    Canada Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess Louise Fusiliers[265]
    Canada Colonel-in-Chief of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (disbanded)
    New Zealand
    New Zealand Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment[265]
    United Kingdom
    United Kingdom Colonel of the Grenadier Guards[266]
    United Kingdom Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th and Ulster Defence Regiment)[265]
    United Kingdom Colonel-in-Chief of the Small Arms School Corps[265]
    United Kingdom Colonel-in-Chief of the Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot)[265]
    United Kingdom Colonel-in-Chief of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s)[265] (disbanded)
    United Kingdom Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own)[34]
    United Kingdom Royal Colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland[265]
    United Kingdom Honorary Air Commodore, Royal Air Force Lossiemouth[265]
    United Kingdom Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm[265]
    United Kingdom Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps[265]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Andrew,_Duke_of_York#Titles_and_styles

       1 likes

  2. MarkyMark says:

    Medals …

    31993298-8631429-image-m-47_1597526280954.jpg

       2 likes

  3. MarkyMark says:

    Boris with cheese and wine whilst country locked up – 650 MPs and Media vocal!
    3 teachers threatened with death in Batley – 650 and Media silent.

       11 likes

  4. MarkyMark says:

    c4318e5c-ff26-463e-83e3-1b1398dfdcc3-ac552aef-2d5e-4f34-add4-8faf3e9805f9

    – from order-order.com

       6 likes

  5. taffman says:

    “Downing Street has apologised to Buckingham Palace for two staff parties in No 10 the night before Prince Philip’s funeral.”

    All this while the rest of this great nation were subject to lockdowns etc .
    We were all suffering while this was going on. We have a ‘rotten parliament’ made up of two parties.
    But, there are others, UKIP and The Reform Party , both avoided by Al Beeb and the
    MSM because they are BREXIT Parties.
    Think outside the box.

       18 likes

  6. MarkyMark says:

    Christine Lee: Labour MP Barry Gardiner says Chinese agent ‘gained no political advantage’ from him
    In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Brent North MP Barry Gardiner denies he feels “a fool” following the revelation that Christine Lee – who donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to him – has been engaged in “political interference activities”.
    https://news.sky.com/story/christine-lee-labour-mp-barry-gardiner-says-chinese-agent-gained-no-political-advantage-from-him-12515277

    ‘gained no political advantage’ = he was not a functioning MP and had no value to the UK as well.

    China denied the spying allegations late on Thursday night, saying it had “no need” to “buy influence” in any foreign parliament.

    Asked by Sky News chief political correspondent Jon Craig if he ever discussed Labour policy with Ms Lee, Mr Gardiner replied: “No, not in great detail, no.”

    NO – NOT IN GREAT DETAIL – SO YES, BUT NOT IN GREAT DETAIL! HA HAH HAH

       20 likes

  7. Fedup2 says:

    Meanwhile Reuters reports a massive cyber attack on Ukraine and more russian troops at the border .

    If / when the shooting war starts i really hope UK stays away from it . At least our military is so diminished that it wont be able to do much .

    Does make you wonder why Putin hasn’t gone for it since the talks broke down …

    Ive looked at the running order for the TV licencing bill today . At 1300 they are on bill number 2 of the session . The TVL bill is up at number 8 so i reckon a few hours yet .

       11 likes

    • taffman says:

      Fedup2
      The present so called ‘government’ has diminished our military. I understand that the British Army is now smaller than it was during the Napoleonic Wars.
      At the same time our Home Office has opened the doors to over 28000 ‘people’ of unknown intentions .
      What incompetence!

         26 likes

  8. Fedup2 says:

    Taffman
    I remember someone saying that the problem with having a big military is that it has a habit of going looking for fights . China is probably heading that way as well as Russia – although of course – speaking as an armchair warrior – mere numbers of men or kit isn’t everything …..

    Will putin take on Obama /Biden ? Or do one of those ‘not war – not peace ‘ jobs using Russian forces without uniforms again ? Poland said yesterday that things are ‘touchier ‘ than the last 30 years ….
    ….meanwhile the UK concerns itself with parties and princes …

       13 likes

  9. Guest Who says:

       16 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Until this moment, I was unaware of this.

      Seems pertinent.

         7 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      BTW there is a grey area cos if someone says, there was some event inside “Number 10”
      Boris can argue, the “Number 10 flat is where the chancellor lives.
      Prime minsters have lived at Number 11 for some time.

      Downing St has 90 to 100 rooms yes
      8000 staff ?
      ie almost 100 onsite staff per room
      That doesn’t seem possible.

         6 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        The Cabinet office has 8000 staff spread across several offices, this is where the confusion has arisen. The invitation to the drinks party was addressed to 100 people.

           0 likes

  10. Guest Who says:

    Reminds me of a certain 2iC here.

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/to-staff-kamala-harris-is-a-clueless-bully-who-refuses-to-do-her-homework?

    At least she is still only sobbing away powerlessly.

    If giving The BBC endless claim fuel.

    Odd The BBC, here very concerned about incumbent performance levels, in the USA is hands off to the point of being absent.

       13 likes

  11. StewGreen says:

    What eas Boris’s specific lie about parties at Downing Street ?
    I can believe he lies every day
    and everyone says he lied about parties.
    But I can’t find the specific sentences

    AFAIK Dec 1st Starmer stands up at PMQs after the Daily Mirror
    and says Boris was hosting illegal BOOZY Christmas parties.
    (“boozy parties” must be a Labour line the media run with)

    Yet ultimately the accusation is Boris must have known Civil servants had organised parties even though he himself was not boozing away.

    Starmer by using an embellished line
    makes it easy for Boris, to think he shouldn’t confess to something he didn’t do.
    AFAIK Boris didn’t give firm denials but just said “guidance was followed”
    So all he is stating is that he didn’t have awareness of any illegal events.

    https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-says-all-guidance-was-followed-as-keir-starmer-accuses-him-of-breaking-covid-rules-with-boozy-party-last-christmas-12483813

       8 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Maybe one of the Sunday papers will have the ‘leak’ which finishes him off in the court of Public Opinion …

      …behind the scenes there must be plenty of ‘spads’ updating their CV s …

         5 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Starmer’s indoor boozing in Durham with his staff
      was exactly 2 weeks after the Number 10 leaving do, on Friday 30th April 2021

         11 likes

      • MarkyMark says:

        ‘Absolute hypocrite!’ Keir Starmer savaged after lockdown drinking picture re-surfaces
        SIR KEIR STARMER has been branded “an absolute hypocrite” for attacking Boris Johnson for illegal parties in No10 despite pictures of him drinking with colleagues during lockdown.
        By DAN FALVEY – POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
        08:21, Fri, Jan 14, 2022

           16 likes

        • Thoughtful says:

          The whole thing is insane! If he had a cup of coffee or a soft drink it would be OK but a bottle of beer isn’t ?

             1 likes

    • JohnC says:

      Same as Trump never told people to inject disinfectant.

      The Left – and particularly the BBC – lie as easily as tell the truth. They really don’t think there is anything wrong with it if it is helping their agenda.

         27 likes

  12. Fedup2 says:

    For those following the Bill to abolish the TV licence and make the BBC a subscription service – it has been put over to the 21st of January –
    But in real life I see it going nowhere . It is a long long fight …

       19 likes

  13. Guest Who says:

    BBC feature him a lot for his views on things.

       13 likes

  14. Fedup2 says:

    Well – the Peter bone hill would be an ideal retaliation against the conduct of the BBC – I bet he’d have a majority if he wanted to rain it in a bit ….

       6 likes

  15. Sluff says:

    ‘And now on BBC news, in the wake of coronavirus cases almost halving since last week, down to under 100,000 from 180,000, we’ll be talking to all the learned Professors we interviewed and asking them why their doom-laden worst case scenarios have singularly failed to happen’

    And then I woke up.

    Which is a pity because there is a genuine story to be told about how and why, with the quite light touch of plan B, unlike the Scottish and Welsh lockdowns, cases are falling rapidly.
    But such impartial analysis would be far far too muh for the Boris Bashing Corporation.

       26 likes

    • JohnC says:

      I wonder if the Bozo in SAGE who predicted 1,000,000 cases a day is still in a job.

      Of course he is.

         22 likes

  16. Zephir says:

    Erm… pot, kettle of colour ?

    Photo emerges of Sir Keir Starmer drinking a beer with staff last year when Covid rules were still in place

    Keir Starmer has been a vocal critic of Boris Johnson over Number 10 party row
    Senior Tories have now claimed the Labour leader is an ‘absolute hypocrite’
    They pointed to picture of Sir Keir drinking a beer with Labour staff last year

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10403057/Tories-accuse-Keir-Starmer-hypocrite-party-row.html

       17 likes

  17. Guest Who says:

    Depends on the broadcaster from whom they source their ‘news’.

       6 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Jon has found his voice (not in Mandarin).

         5 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      Sangita Myska
      @SangitaMyska
      Now: Freelance Radio & TV Presenter, Writer, Conference Host (DMs open). Was: BBC Award-Winning Senior News Correspondent, Presenter & Podcaster| one of the 93%
      London, Englandyoutu.be/2NI6eSK9hUgJoined January 2009

      ….

      YOUR COMPLAINT:

      President Trump’s 100 Days President Biden’s 0 Day 

      Dear Winston Smith in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth,

      You covered President Trump’s 100 Days and then produced a Beyond 100 Days to hold power to account.

      Why have you not done the same for President Biden to hold power to account?

      ‘Omission is the greatest form of lie.’ 

      ———-

      Thank you again for contacting us,

      BBC Complaints Team
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

         7 likes

  18. Zephir says:

    You just cannot win with this lot, thery will moan and take offence at anything

    ‘This is one of the worst Vogue covers ever’: Magazine featuring nine African models is branded offensive for ‘fetishising’ them with lighting that hides their features and makes them ‘look like mannequins’

    British Vogue has revealed its February 2022 cover, featuring nine black women
    Issue celebrates rise of African models and talks those ‘redrawing the map’
    Edward said: ‘We need to ensure these girls last. We have to invest in them’
    Some fans have slammed the cover online, with some calling it ‘the worst ever’
    One wrote: ‘They gathered all of these beautiful women and decided not to use lighting properly? One can’t even identify who is who!’

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10402325/This-one-worst-Vogue-covers-Issue-featuring-nine-black-women-slammed-fans.html

       6 likes

  19. Guest Who says:

    He’s safe.

       9 likes

  20. Zephir says:

    And again:

    Cambridge University academic sparks backlash by calling Black professor ‘eloquent’

    Another Cambridge academic accused him of being dismissive

    https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/cambridge-university-academic-sparks-backlash-22744243

       7 likes

  21. Guest Who says:

    https://order-order.com/2022/01/14/bbcs-open-application-for-new-political-editor/

    In Armstrong and Miller ww2 flyboy accents.

    “I say, Tim, this Joseph G. sounds just the ticket. And well rad… innit”

       3 likes

    • MarkyMark says:

      I am tendering my resignation because for some time past I have been conscious that I was wasting my own time and the public money on doing work that produces no result. I believe that in the present political situation the broadcasting of British propaganda to India is an almost hopeless task. Whether these broadcasts should be continued at all is for others to judge, but I myself prefer not to spend my time on them when I could be occupying myself with journalism which does produce some measureable effect. I feel that by going back to the normal work of writing and journalism I could be more useful than I am at present.

      I do not know how much notice of resignation I am supposed to give. The ‘Observer’ have again raised the project of my going to North Africa. This has to be approved by the War Office and may well fall through again, but I mention it in case I should have to leave at shorter notice than would otherwise be the case. I will in any case see to it that the programmes are arranged for some time ahead.

      Yours sincerely,

      Eric Blair.

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/5d9YBP3rFCcPzrJBYDYq8Vr/orwells-resignation-letter-from-the-bbc-24-9-43

         4 likes

  22. StewGreen says:

    Local ITV news : Sheffield Council CEO’s public apology
    Sheffield is a Labour Council
    The CEO a worker Kates Josephs
    had a leaving do from her job as The GOVT Director of COVID Taskforce

    No mention of crowds that were already drinking outside pubs from April 12th onwards

    Now cricketer Azeem Rafiq saying his family has had threats
    interview.

       7 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      My error this second leaving do was at a completely different date to the other one in April 2021
      This one was Dec 17 2020 .

         1 likes

  23. Guest Who says:

    Meanwhile, in bbc ECU…

       7 likes

  24. Guest Who says:

    BBC North American Editorial Guidelines are clearly similar to BBC here guidelines.

       6 likes

  25. StewGreen says:

    ITV local news Amani Khan doing PRasNews for Foundation Earth
    who actually launched their Climate Traffic light labelling for food packets 6 months ago.

    Actually they launched it 6 months ago, but since there was a new Independentpaper article ITV are copying
    “Lets send the junior to Doncaster to interview bloke”

       6 likes

    • Kaiser says:

      man eats cow, cows eat grass, grass eats co2

      if cows dont eat grass , grass rots releases co2 back to atmosphere

         3 likes

  26. Guest Who says:

    A bbc hero.

       14 likes

  27. Guest Who says:

    The jokes write themselves.

    About university research, media, some men…

    And those who look at them.

    Seems the ‘Grande’ version covering the entire head would make anyone from Vile to Sleepy look less of a tool.

    Studies suggest.

       6 likes

  28. Guest Who says:

    If true, unsurprising.

       9 likes

    • harry142857 says:

      One of the twitter replies sums it up about CC.

      “She’s a f***ing cockroach”. 🤓👏❤️

         8 likes

  29. StewGreen says:

    BBC local news has Christina Pagel on
    cos she says it’s wrong to say that Covid might be slowing down

    5 minutes they did the stats
    “In our region every area is lower than 7 days ago
    and everywhere in Lincolnshire is below the national average”

       8 likes

  30. Guest Who says:

    Rather suspect they do.

    However….

       9 likes

  31. StewGreen says:

    May 25th 2020
    \\ Asked how he can countenance not resigning given the damage that has been done,
    Cummings says much of the anger is based on reports in the media which have not been true
    //

       5 likes

  32. StewGreen says:

    Local BBC news falsely making out the East Yorkshire coastal erosion is caused by “sea level rise”

    Actual the coast is kind of artificial : tens of thousands of years ago seas deposited the material that built up these coastal cliffs
    what has happened for the last few thousand years is that the sea has been eroding the material it once deposited

       16 likes

    • JohnC says:

      The cliffs at Tunstall on the East Yorkshire coast (not far from where I grew up) have been eroding since I was a lad. Where it had the path, a gap, a football field and some rough ground, the cliff edge is now right up to the path.

      The BBC have realised since Brexit and Trump (especially Trump) they can get away with anything now and are running riot. They badly need reigning in : it’s just ridiculous.

         21 likes

      • Northern Voter says:

        Same as Aldborough, that’s the Yorkshire one, not the posh Suffolk one. Anyway, the rich brown earth falling off the cliffs from Whitby to Spurn point builds up further down the coast in Lincolnshire. When the Wash is full they’ll blame Climate change. Spurn Point has disappeared and reappeared numerous times.

           13 likes

        • Deborah says:

          Don’t forget there are several villages and even I think a town which over the past few hundred years ended up under the sea, several miles from what is East Riding shore. It is nothing to do with climate change.

             7 likes

          • JohnC says:

            They have a sign at Tunstall showing the historic villages which are now out at sea due to natural erosion.

            We live in a world of lies. And the Left with their agenda are the biggest liars of all because their ideology makes them believe the ends justify the means.

            Islamic terrorists murder innocent civilians for much the same reason.

               7 likes

          • Nibor says:

            And don’t forget the city of Dunwich which disappeared in the 11th century .

               4 likes

            • Philip_2 says:

              Rye, East Sussex
              Is an old smuggling port that is now two miles way from the sea shore… and when one is on the White Cliffs of Dover its also hard to imagine that this was the Sea-floor as its so high in parts. It erodes naturally revealing small sea fossils as does another famous place called Lyme Regis. Erosion is natural as is the east of the country falling into the sea and other parts rising above it. It has little to do with rising ocean levels which is scare mongering based on Climate projections by UNCOP26 Scientists as accurate as Professor Fergusson on deaths by Covid unless we all get vaccinated 18 times.

                 4 likes

  33. Foscari says:

    Is everybody enjoying diversity night on the BBC this
    evening? My favourite moment up to now has not
    been watching Diversity dancing on the One Show.
    I think that the BBC 6PM national news takes top
    spot up to now . And especially seeing the virtuous
    British Pakistani cricketer telling us once again
    how he was” racially abused” by his Yorkshire team mates.
    Isn’t just a shame that this gentleman with some
    anti-Semitic tendencies is given so much time on the BBC.
    When the victims of the rape gang “cousins” of this
    cricketer are seldom even mentioned on the BBC? Well of
    course it’s a diverse culture. that us whities don’t understand.
    And although the young girls were racially abused. And
    all racial abuse is equal. So far as the BBC is concerned .
    Some racial abuse is more equal than others.

       26 likes

  34. Guest Who says:

    They win, no matter what.

       2 likes

  35. Northern Voter says:

    Mrs Voter was at the sick bay tiffs this morning, 0830 would you believe. I put the radio on in the car, I can only get Radio 4 and 5 here in Northern France. Some reporter was extolling the virtues of Arsenal gaining a draw with Liverpool in the Milk Cup. So he then introduces a goalkeeper who had played for both teams. Siobhan Chapman, WTF.

       11 likes

  36. Up2snuff says:

    TWatO Watch #1 – the BBC are getting a bit over-confident perhaps?

    Some have written on this Thread and on this web-site in the past that ‘the Left’ are none too bright. And so it appears. Mark Drakeford has been trailed across the BBC News airwaves to try to explain that his approach to a Lockdown for Christmas and New Year was just right and Boris Johnson’s approach was just plain wrong. And this just when the BBC are trying to suggest today that Lockdowns were wrong and caused huge damage which they did – but who was calling for them? Yes, the Sucker in charge of the Labour Party.

    The BBC are trying to say “Lockdowns were wrong” and blame the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, just when they are also trying to keep ‘Partygate’ going. Please excuse me if I go a bit Nelson Muntz at this point: “Hah haah!” You couldn’t make it up. But it gets worse with TWatO today, Jonny Dymond in charge.

    If I remember correctly, Craig Oliver who was Press spokesman (Director of Communications) for David Cameron and, I think, Theresa May was asked to make a contribution to TWatO. Surprisingly, the BBC sought balance on ‘Partygate’ and brought on Jonathan Powell, immediately afterwards, who was Tony Blair’s Chief of Staff. Powell instantly dropped Sue Gray (Investigator of Partygate) in it with a giveaway statement that she was ‘political’ ie. not as independent as a Civil Servant is expected to be. Jonathan Powell immediately corrected himself and said “non-political” but by then the damage – Sarah Montague-style – had been done.

    Interestingly and previously, Jonny and the TWatO team had also arranged two more vox pops; a Chairwoman of Tunbridge Wells (I think) Conservative Association and a Deputy Chair of the equivalent near to our Stew Green’s part of the world, Skegness. The lady went first and helpfully (for the BBC & Labour) said (I summarise) “Boris must go” but the gent who was the East Coast Conservative was rather more robust “It is all a plot to get rid of Boris Johnson.” Later as Jonny talked to both, the woman from Tunbridge Wells adjusted her position and agreed with the gentleman from Skegness.

    Oh dear, poor BBC. Poor old Labour Party. Nelson Muntz to comment again: “Hah haah!”

       15 likes

  37. digg says:

    Following its stalwart defence of the communist Chinese agents trying to infiltrate the UK Government the BBC float the question, should we all speak Chinese….

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/should-we-all-write-in-chinese/p05t8dzj

    They are the nothing more than a sleeper organisation for Global Communism and need to be gone in our democratic Country. It is disgusting that they can even float this idea.

    What a shame we don’t have a UK Government with the balls to say it and give them the boot!

    They are now the most dangerous movement this Country has ever faced and we are all paying for them to do it!

    Enough is enough in my opinion.

    Begone foul creatures, we are British not slaves of China and never will be!

    This will end in bullets and killing!

       18 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      BBC is probably more socialist than the Chinese gov
      .. The Chinese govt produced a video debunking a BBC report
      .. https://youtu.be/9RK5Me8maG4

         6 likes

      • Philip_2 says:

        The BBC would never have allowed Cuba to export goods to America, they much preferred it as a backwoods country of peasants as a holiday destination. As for Hong Kong, the handover to China was something the BBC would approve of to abolish ‘capitalism’ – in the form they want. Global capitalism serving the ruling global elites ONLY. Much like the EU plans for a post soviet model creating another soviet style EU by stealth claiming its based on American idealism. Well thanks to Biden, that is the wheel in motion once again. Chinese Communism v Russian Communism v American global imperialism (its a last pitch is to change all the rules to suit a purely digital US economy that it can control virtually). The BBC has always proffered the ‘soviet-model’ as many of the staff are not Marxist but (self admitted to Jeremy Clarkson) as being proper ‘Trotskyists’. An elite branch above the common Chinese global communal money grabbers (sniff). The BBC have their own cash currency!, they even have their own BBC Charter of rights and it ‘excludes’ those that are common money grabbers and (poor) Marxists.

        BBC donations are of course accepted from China, George Sorus, Bill Gates, Qatar, Saudi and Russia, purely for monetary gain and greed to aid the impoverished at the BBC. Propaganda ain’t cheap, millions to be made either way.

           3 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Hmmmmmmmm slave of China or Slave or Saudi ? I know which I’d prefer everytime !

         1 likes

  38. digg says:

    Shut the BBC… protect our Country… they are worse than Lord Haw Haw in 1940.

    Come on folks!

    Scream for their heads!

    Otherwise you will go under. I promise you!

       6 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      They offered to fly the Swastika for the Nazis in the late 1930s from Bush house.

         7 likes

  39. Fedup2 says:

    Digg – and others – just before the weekend thread – a reminder that the Peter Bone Bill to end the TVL and make the BBC subscription only – has been put over to next Friday the 21st of January ….

       4 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Another interesting discussion on GBNews between Steyn and Starkey . Starkey likening wokeness to a new form of puritanical religion .

      He could expound it – but if you see it like that it sort of explains itself – say just one thing unapproved and you are ended – burned at the digital stake – cancelled – and in real life – rendered unemployed – unemployable – destroyed over one word or phrase –
      With these kidult woke new puritans out Woking each other to burn the heretic …
      Ironically another so called religion – Islam is having its own medieval feast in the West ….

         13 likes