Weekend 30 April 2022

The White Paper on the future of broadcasting was published this week – here is the link –

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/up-next-the-governments-vision-for-the-broadcasting-sector/up-next-the-governments-vision-for-the-broadcasting-sector

Ending the BBC and its’ bias is a long worthy fight .

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241 Responses to Weekend 30 April 2022

  1. Deborah says:

    Somehow I was directed to a Wales Live page commenting on a BBC item. It was about a woman consultant saying how sad it was that people were presenting to her with cancer that was too late to be treated. Nothing was said about the NHS in Wales being run by Labour.

    The consultant went on to say it was the same all over the U.K. she said that there wasn’t the funding to train people to read scans, (4 years) or do an endoscopy.(3 years). There was no mention how many of the staff would be women and how many of them would want to be part time. It costs the same to train a part time person as a full time. It adds hugely to the cost of our NHS.

    I might add that all staff want to be full time at some point. They all want to be full time for the 2 years before they retire to maximise their final salary pension.

    Cynical? Me?

       58 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      Exactly so Deborah. GPs total earnings are over £150 k on average and they get add ons from owning shares in their practise. I know one GP in his 50’s who works three days a week but takes home over a 100 k .
      GPs in the UK earn more than in any other European country. It’s a paradox that if GPs earned substantially less then more of them would work full time and we wouldn’t have the shortage. The shortage is of hours worked not if the number of GPs.

         34 likes

      • StewGreen says:

        Doublethinker I think BBC More Or Less once brought up this paradox about doctors in general
        that because they are paid “too much” they end up working less.

        Sometimes there is an issue of supertax, that by working a bit more they end up in the top tax bracket.

           8 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      There’s a BBC story which now has the title
      “NHS Wales: Plan to cut waiting lists to a year by 2025”
      .. That is prety good PRasNews for Welsh Labour government
      .. although the long article doesn’t contain the word “Labour” instead it uses the words “Welsh Government” 5 times
      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61218742

      It is interesting that BBC tweets use a more negative headline
      “Welsh NHS waiting times expected to remain over a year until 2025”
      That phrase is no longer in the HTML of the webpage.

         7 likes

  2. digg says:

    A message to mr Musk.

    I think you can see what is happening to society which is why you have moved against its biggest cancer Twitter.

    I salute you for your bravery but do not know if you have the strength to prevail against the evil it has represented and supported,

    I think you will now come up against massive forces of opposition and evil because these people are evil and will want you to fail

    However the World needs people with your integrity to put right the absolute nastiness that your opponents have put in place.

    I think you know this and hope you have the strength to overcome the shit which will come your way and prevail against the despicable legions who will aim their every weapon of distorted bile against you,

    Good luck sir!

       54 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Have to say, he knows what they can’t cope with.

         39 likes

    • Richard Pinder says:

      An explosion of hate crimes against Elon Musk and Free Speech from Democratic Socialists.

      Socialism is a hate crime, a doctrine of tyranny, mass murder, and human suffering on a vast scale. The evidence for its evil is obvious to anyone with sufficient curiosity to look at the historical record. The socialist movement has been responsible for the mass murder, imprisonment, and torture of many hundreds of millions of innocent people, during the twentieth century. Hitler was a National Socialist who killed up to 25 million people, Stalin was a Soviet Socialist who killed up to 42 million people and Mao was a Chinese Socialist who killed up to 80 million people.

      Democracy and diversity are what they say when out of power; tyranny and authoritarianism are what they practice once in power. That is the tried-and-true technique of all socialist movements. Canada and New Zealand are the latest examples of socialist authoritarianism.

      Today, Hunter Bidens laptop shows that Democratic Socialists purvey tyranny and mass murder, by paying big pharma firms like Metabiota in the Ukraine, to make and release gain-of-function viruses, and then make fake vaccines, which will probably kill most young people, after the sixth or seventh jab: https://geopolitics.co/2022/03/26/hunter-biden-secure-millions-for-pentagon-bioweapons-research-in-ukraine-to-remove-russian-genome-from-earth/

         31 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      The campaign against Musk bears all the hall marks of the one run against President Trump . But there might be one difference . I assume that Mr Musk is a globalist who wants to sell his cars everywhere, but like Trump he most definitely isn’t a leftie. Trump was determined to put his country at the top of his agenda and globalism a distant second.
      Trump therefore had both globalists and lefties against him, Musk may only have the left to contend with. If so then the long awaited split between those unlikely bed fellows, the radical left and the global capitalists , may be opening before our eyes. If it does Wokism will collapse very quickly. It’s only the money of deluded global capitalists that keeps it going. Musk may be showing his fellow capitalists the error if their ways.

         24 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      FFS Musk is not the good guy
      ” people with your integrity to put right the absolute nastiness”
      #1 All his businesses are run like a ponzi scheme
      they get into huge debt and he bails them out, by creating brand new biz which he hypes up, gets in funds which he then uses to save the first business.

      #2 Musk smeared a British guy living in Thailand a paedo and got away with it, using legal muscle, by getting case moved to California.
      Musk would have lost in a British court.
      Not that throwaway lines on Twitter should count for much whoever makes them.

         6 likes

    • NCBBC says:

      I hope the new Twitter goes some way to bring down the Climate Change hoax.

      In the meantime from the MET office

      April’s lowest average minimum temperatures since 1922

      https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2021/lowest-average-minimum-temperatures-since-1922-as-part-of-dry-april

      This is something to immediately panic and burn as much CO2 into the atmosphere as one can, as new Ice Age is merely 20 years (Panic panic).

      The above statement was put in as ironic, but is actually quite true in the long term..

      A coming Ice age is inevitable. If we take measures to increase vegetation, and thus absorb more of the sun’s heat, we might just be able avert its worst effects. Making the vast area of Siberia a productive area, will greatly help in averting a really cold normal ice age.

         13 likes

  3. Guest Who says:

    Given they are an unaccountable £5,000,000,000 propaganda machine, a bit more than a problem.

       30 likes

    • AWOL says:

      Honesty and (name a politician) in the same sentence? Surely some mistake?
      All politicians eventually lie, maybe not intentionally, but, it is inevitable when we can check and listen to their every utterance.

         12 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      @IainWatson said “What Labour says ..is that they SIMPLY made a mistake”
      so the word “honest” has been injected by Watson
      The rest of his words are pretty much the Labour line
      but when the BBC report on Tories they don’t regurgitate the Tory line.

         9 likes

  4. Guest Who says:

    Pippa and Sopes.

    Dream team.

       14 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      @PippaCrerar, who is sneering at Boris there
      Is presenting the Radio4 politics show at 11am on the IMPARTIAL-MY-ASS BBC

      … Bet he’ll be tearing into Labour …. N O T

         14 likes

    • NCBBC says:

      BJ is pro- illegal immigration. Always has been.

      Worse, he is a Climate Change fanatic.

      Too, be careful about changing to EVs. Apart from being inefficient as a whole, and a recycling nightmare, they allow the government to limit your mileage at charge points, and even at your home via Smart meters.

         20 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Guest, Pippa and Part-time fail to ‘get’ their man. (Ref: Prof John Curtice on TWoTWeeee on Sunday.)

         1 likes

  5. Nibor says:

    This is not BBC ( although they don’t analyse it as they should ) but about the LABOUR party . Also it might look like special pleading from me and should be dissected.

    Since the de industrialisation of Britain under both political parties when in power , factory — manual —workers have been decimated.
    Agricultural workers have been in decline for decades .
    So one of or the largest segment of the labour force — the LABOUR— force is the transport sector .
    In old money that means lorry drivers .

    So when a LABOUR minister like Barbara Rosche goes down to Dover to spell out how the LABOUR government is going to punish lorry drivers over something they don’t have control over , and says , publicly ,that she’s “ not here to please lorry drivers “ that shows the LABOUR party should change its name as it’s no longer the party for labour.
    The Nomenclature Party would suit it better .

       42 likes

    • NCBBC says:

      Nibor

      Thank you for very salient points.

      This is exactly what progressive governments ( Labour or conservative) wish to do – limit us to our immediate environment in reach by walking or cycling. My city is now infested with cycle lanes but hardly a cyclist in sight. Huge amounts of money wasted for nothing except increase congestion and irritation. The result is less people shop in town centres, and the Hight street decays even more and less worth visiting.

      In effect, what these progressive governments wish to do is take us back to the Middle ages ,where only the rich could go further.

         18 likes

      • tarien says:

        NCBBC -Knee jerk reactions always the same-the idiots will never learn how unthinking and unintelligent they show themselves to be.

           5 likes

    • NCBBC says:

      What our politicians do not realise is the fuel based primary engine system is also the prime mover of prosperous civilisations.

      If politicians move the West to an inefficient Middle Ages transportation system, what we will get is the Middle Ages, and thus poverty for the mass of humanity.

         14 likes

      • moggie63 says:

        Being in the modern middle ages would work out well since by then we’ll be bowing down to the peacefuls, who follow a medieval religion.

           7 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Nibor, Barbara Roche seeking to make a come-back to House of Commons and then get her old boss back there? From her Wiki page: “Roche has subsequently been linked to the Blair government’s ‘mass immigration’ policy.”

         2 likes

  6. Yasser Dasmibehbi says:

    I found this when I went to You Tube this morning The algorithm served me well.

    For those who haven’t seen it, enjoy.

       35 likes

    • taffman says:

      Scrap the Biased Broadcasting Corporation.

         37 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Right so government shouted Rwanda
      Twitter banned Steve Laws
      and people shout “oh the Rwanda plan worked”

      Steve Laws’ Twitter account is shut down (again) at the same time the government are telling us no boats are crossing the English Channel.
      Anyone else think we’re being lied to?

      People say this week has been windy and that on Sunday the wind will drop.

         11 likes

  7. Doublethinker says:

    One of best things about GB News is that the lefties who appear on Dan Wootton’s are exposed as the hypocrites holding absurd views , that we always knew they were. On the BBC , where such lefties are always in a safe majority, and a safe environment, the lunacy of their views isn’t exposed and goes unchallenged, but on GB News , where they are often in a minority and have to defend their views , they spout ridiculous nonsense.
    Among the star spouters of nonsense are Amy Nickel , Benjamin Butterworth and Ashley James. If only GB News were big and influential enough for Labour politicians to have to appear on it , as Tories , well true Tories, have to on the BBC, the full extent of the damage that their leftist agenda would do to our country , indeed already has done , would be exposed.

       48 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      The BBC used a bit of a recording of an interview between a GB`news presenter at the Tory idiot who later fessed up to being the commons porn watcher ( a remainer ) – but strangely the BBC did not mention it was from GBNews – I just hope it had to pay GBNews royalties ….

      I do fear that Murdock will land up taking over GBNews and dumping the best bits ….to me there needs to be as wide a spread of views as possible to counter the MSM propaganda ( I view the BBC ITV Sky C4 as on the same spot – with C4 BBC Far Left Anti British )

         37 likes

      • StewGreen says:

        It was nasty of GB news to use a thumbnail of him blocking his face with his hand as if he abruptly ended the interview
        In fact he was just waving bye.

           3 likes

  8. Zephir says:

    Meanwhile back at the ranch:

    “We turn our attention back to White House press secretary, future NBC employee and star Jen Psaki, who no longer seems too interested in actually answering any questions. She doesn’t even circle back anymore. How disappointing. Today she ducked a question about the disinformation board. She avoids questions about the border crisis. And it is a crisis. And of course, she refuses to answer questions about Joe Biden’s ties to his son’s shady business deals. We’re also learning tonight that Hunter Biden and his business associate, they visited the Obama-Biden White House seven times after becoming head of … a company with ties to the Communist Chinese Party. Wow. But don’t expect Jen Psaki to field any questions about that. In fact, many reporters now reportedly, I guess, are afraid to ask Psaki tough questions because she’s a bully who, quote, “makes you look like a[n] a-hole.”

    https://www.foxnews.com/media/hannity-psaki-no-longer-circles-back-refuses-answer-bidens-ties-sons-business

    A left wing, female bully ? whatever next ?

    They keep telling us only men do this and women are victims, some, with considerable experience in the workplace, may know better.

       36 likes

  9. Zephir says:

    Does this remind anyone of another political party not too far from here ?

    Victor Davis Hanson rips the Democratic Party: “They’re the party of the ‘elite’ who despise the middle class.”

    “Well, we don’t have the people, but we have the institutions, corporate boardrooms, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, K-12 academia. So, we can influence opinion without having a majority of opinion.” And then, of course, they changed the demography, we’ve had about 40 million people come in the last 40 years.

    we’ve got to reeducate young people, get them where they’re young, indoctrinate them,’… And so they’re trying to do that. And they want to change the system. They’re saying, “Well, if we can indoctrinate them, maybe we can get rid of the filibuster or get rid of the Electoral College or pack the court or have a national voter ID law.”

    https://www.foxnews.com/media/victor-davis-hanson-rips-the-democratic-party

       23 likes

  10. Zephir says:

    The crap continues to infect this country:

    “Illustrator of Biff, Chip and Kipper children’s book is ‘profoundly upset’ at decision to pulp his work over ‘Islamophobia’ claims, as friends describe ‘racism’ row as ‘incredibly silly’ and point out that he is married to a Muslim woman”

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10769313/Biff-Chip-Kipper-illustrator-upset-work-pulped-Islamophobia-claims.html

       25 likes

  11. Guest Who says:

    His bio ‘suggests’ a deep love for polls that suit.

       19 likes

  12. Zephir says:

    Boris Becker jailed meanwhile another bankrupt:

    Katie Price and her son Harvey, 19, are joined by Carl Woods at nightclub meet-and-greet in appearance that ‘saw the reality star cash in £6,000’

    Katie appeared at Crawley Magistrates Court on Wednesday. During her brief attendance in court, she filmed a five-second video from inside the court building showing photographers outside, and posted it to her Instagram story for her 2.7million followers.

    Filming inside court and publishing such a video is illegal under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act and could be regarded as contempt if it amounts to an interference with the administration of justice.

    But Sussex Police said it would not be taking any further action against the OnlyFans model.

    The TV personality is said to have sent Kieran a message on January 21 this year in which she branded his new partner, Michelle, a ‘c***ing whore’ and a ‘gutter s**g’.

    Katie, who was known professionally as Jordan, was banned from contacting Michelle directly or indirectly on June 3 2019, under the terms of a five-year restraining order.

    She was fined hundreds of pounds for hurling a foul-mouthed ‘tirade of abuse’ at her during a row in a school playground.

    Katie avoided jail in December when she was handed a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for a year, as well as a two-year driving ban after admitting drink-driving while disqualified in December.

    She also tested positive for cocaine after she rolled her BMW near her home in Horsham.

       26 likes

  13. Zephir says:

    How did Katie Price fund six holidays this year – and £15,000 of cosmetic surgery – when she’s bankrupt and owes £3.2million?

    Katie Price, 43, has enjoyed £15,000 worth of procedures, six holidays this year
    She travelled Portugal in May and June also visiting St Lucia, Turkey, and Spain
    Price earlier in 2021 crashed her uninsured BMW X5 into a hedge in West Sussex
    Judge told model on Wednesday she deserved jail but would avoid serving time

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10322963/How-did-Katie-Price-fund-six-holidays-year-shes-bankrupt-owes-3-2million.html

       20 likes

    • Zephir says:

      a decision that has outraged many — including police, road safety campaigners and one of her ex-husbands — not least because, in reality, thrice-divorced Price has so far shown no convincing signs of changing her ways.

      Take the fact that she hasn’t yet paid a penny of the fines incurred for all her previous driving offences, an amount standing at £7,358.

         22 likes

  14. Fedup2 says:

    Not directly the BBC – but the swamp . It seems there are 722 All Party Parliamentary Groups on particular subjects or countries …. Which to me sounds the very best way to receive backhanders from the likes of China …..as well as getting freebee trips to nice sunny places on ‘fact finding ‘ missions .

    Good journalism would expose some of the corruption of these outfits – all done within the rules – of course ….not sure if there is a parliamentary working group on pornography though …

       21 likes

  15. Zephir says:

    You can check them here, many receiving buckets of dosh:

    Such wonders as

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Single Parent Families”

    “Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia All-Party Parliamentary Group”

    “Showing Racism the Red Card All-Party Parliamentary Group”

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group for Shipbuilding and Ship Repair”

    “Zoos and Aquariums All-Party Parliamentary Group”

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Yoga in Society”

    Registers of All-Party Parliamentary Groups published in 2022

    https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/registers-of-interests/register-of-all-party-party-parliamentary-groups/registers-published-in-2022/

       13 likes

  16. theisland says:

    Look at what Hartlepool Constituency Labour Party are distributing where Anne Marie Waters of For Britain is standing for local election. Once again, Labour has been reported to the Electoral Commission (who will undoubtedly do nothing), along with the council electoral services. They cannot even spell Hartlepool correctly.

    Alternative political parties get no or adverse publicity and consequently many/most normal people are unaware of or are turned against them. They are in effect ‘proscribed’. Additionally, Labour in particular support those well organised and funded activist organisations (?charities) who disrupt and spread lies about any and all ‘conservative’ or populist movements. These organisations include the ludicrously named hope not hate, stand up to racism, unite against fascism, and various antifa groups and unions. You can add the bBC and their Labour guests and celebrities to the list of activists.

    It is about time more candidates from the alternative parties were voted on to local and borough councils with the aim of ultimately entering parliament. Imagine someone who might one day end up in the HoC actually brave enough to stand up and call a spade a spade. Be sure to vote for alternatives to all the main parties in the local elections. It may feel like a wasted vote but I think the days of tactical voting should be over.

       23 likes

  17. Zephir says:

    And, believe it or not:

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Wrestling”

    “Purpose To promote, support, and raise awareness of professional wrestling; to work with the industry to improve it and to build confidence; to celebrate British success in professional wrestling.”

    I am just wondering if their are gangs of old ladies waiting outside the meeting to swipe them with umbrellas if they cheat on expenses and whether they hit each other with folding chairs if they disagree on points of order ?

    Does the chairman hold the honourable title of “Big Daddy” ?

       23 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Zephir
      I reckon if the make up of particular ‘groups’ is analysed the most corrupt ones come out – the china one must have hundreds of mp members – inc Barry gardiner …

         8 likes

      • Zephir says:

        All-Party Parliamentary China Group
        Purpose Parliament’s platform for discussion on all issues of importance to the
        bilateral UK-China relationship
        Category Country Group
        Officers
        Role Name Party
        Chair & Registered Contact Richard Graham Conservative
        Treasurer Lord Wood of Anfield Labour
        Secretary & Vice-Chair – Health Dr Lisa Cameron Scottish National
        Party
        Deputy Chair Lord Clement-Jones Liberal Democrat
        Deputy Chair Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Conservative
        Deputy Chair Jonathan Reynolds Labour (Co-op)
        Deputy Chair Catherine West Labour
        Deputy Chair Sir Mark Hendrick Labour (Co-op)
        Vice Chair – Scotland Christine Jardine Liberal Democrat
        Vice Chair – Industry and Investment Mark Garnier Conservative
        Vice Chair – Trade Viscount Waverley Crossbench
        Vice Chair – Consumer Economy Yvonne Fovargue Labour
        Vice Chair – Environment and Climate
        Change
        Geraint Davies Labour (Co-op)
        Vice Chair – Human Rights Mr Alistair Carmichael Liberal Democrat
        Vice Chair – Media and the North of
        England
        Mark Logan Conservative
        Vice Chair – Globalisation Baroness Falkner of
        Margravine
        Crossbench
        Vice-Chair – Innovation Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Conservative
        Vice Chair – Finance Stephen Hammond Conservative
        Vice-Chair – Agriculture & Culture Lord Carrington Crossbench
        Vice-Chair – Cyber Henry Smith Conservative
        Vice Chair Baroness D’Souza Crossbench
        Vice Chair Baroness Northover Liberal Democrat

        Financial Benefits
        Source Value £s Received Registered
        HSBC UK 11,000 25/03/2021 01/04/2021
        Arup 6,000 01/04/2021 01/04/2021
        John Swire & Sons Ltd 4,000 13/07/2021 09/08/2021
        Oxford Instruments plc 2,500 26/08/2021 26/08/2021
        DLA Piper 2,500 14/09/2021 15/09/2021
        HSBC 2,500 24/09/2021 29/09/2021
        John Swire & Sons Ltd 3,000 09/03/2022 14/03/2022
        City of London Corporation 6,000 11/03/2022 14/03/2022

           12 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          I bet the spies love that lot …the bungs must be …. Fantastic … hope the Chinese have bought a good few privy counsellors or people on the security committee …

             10 likes

  18. Fedup2 says:

    Today watch

    The Bee Lady having a chat with a friend

    I had to listen for the name – `Bridget Phillipson – a labour MP –
    It was a nice chat where phillipson was allowed to run through Tory badness -then the bee lady said – ‘l have to ask you about an event in Durham’… I’m sure the bee lady didn’t want to raise beer gate . …

    …. And the response?

    1 it’s political
    2 it’s a Tory distraction
    3 it’s because of local elections
    4 it’s a waste of money investigation
    5 the police have better things to do
    6 no rules were broken

    Now – ladies and gents – I’ve held posts where you prepare someone for media interview – and they get a ‘ if asked’ brief – and this dodgy labour MP had been well prepared for the beergate question . She also knew that she’d get an easy time when rolling out 1-6.

    Ms Phillipson – in this case -dumped any moral superiority by running through 1-6 above as she read them out .

    But I believe in fairness – which is one of the reasons I hate the BBC so much – if politicians break their own rules they should be treated equally – but this beergate thing is an example of inherent BBC bias .
    Phillipson was given bee lady – who is a non confrontational drip of a journo – any decent journo listening to 1-6 above would have challenged and basically ripped this labour dragon apart . But no – 1-6 accepted – no counter – just done . …
    Don’t get me wrong – I care less about number 10 events as much as Durham – but they deserve to be treated equally …. And we don’t get that .

    BTW – I think a more serious aspect of this is the failure of Durham plod with its far left commissioner -investigating events properly …after all – this is the PM and deputy in waiting – right ?

       36 likes

  19. Zephir says:

    @ Fedup2

    Thank you for brightening my morning, this is an endless surce of fasconation, here we have the

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group for Woods and Trees”

    (They can’t see each other)

       21 likes

  20. Zephir says:

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group on Opera”

    Very loud three hour meetings of fat ladies and a silly plot

       7 likes

  21. harry142857 says:

    BBC Breakfast Sport.

    4 stories

    1.Boris Becker, took up 90 % of the ten minute slot.
    2. Chelsea FC sale.
    3. Womens Six Nations. Its a sellout naturally (at Bayonne, hold 16,000. Why not stage it at Parc Des France, so 80,000 could attend)
    4. Boxing in the USA, just because the main fight is two women.

    No mention of Premiership and other football, whereby important promotion and relegation matches are taking place or Cricket, County Championships or news of the England captaincy or the climax of the World Snooker semi finals or a report on the St Helens vs Salford Rugby League or Sale vs Newcastle in Union or a mention of the first two classics of the horse racing season or PGA golf from Catalunya etcetera.

       27 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Harry – the only reason the BBC is going so ‘big’ on mr Becker is because he worked for the BBC and his name is boris . If he was coloured we’d here nothing of it ….
      As for the footy – end of season tears – best time of all …

         16 likes

  22. Fedup2 says:

    You see Zephir – you are hooked – is there an all party parliamentary group on all party parliamentary groups ? Or an APPG on parties ?

       4 likes

  23. Zephir says:

    A meeting for sado masochists ?

    “All-Party Parliamentary Group for One Punch Assaults”

    (yes, really)

       8 likes

  24. Fedup2 says:

    The corruption must be breath taking …..

    … with the Tory porn watcher is digging his own grave – ‘l watched porn by mistake ‘ – apparently – i mean – please – just stop . One poster on this site says we need to pay MPs more to get ‘higher quality ‘ – and maybe that’s right . If an MP looks at porn in the commons and then comes out with such crap he is unworthy of a responsible job of any kind – back to the family farm …

       13 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      LOL, to my mind politics in the Tories is viewed as where you go when you can’t get a proper job because you aren’t good enough, but the selection process of the Tory party leaves a lot to be desired.

      There are a small number who enter politics after generating enough funds to be self sufficient but they are few and far between.

      A fairly local chief exec has just resigned and it was revelealed her salary was well in excess of that of the PM, but then she was seconded onto various comittees which also paid a high salary in addition to the base, and during the Covid lockdown she was seconded to the NHS where in addition to the full salary she raked in a further £100K plus.

      I can’t believe that these people are holding down jobs which are two or three or even four times as onerous as that of the office of Prime Minister, nor the DG of the BBC on £450K pa

         7 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        But thoughtful ( had you in mind ) – the process where people do PPE then become councillors or SPADs then fight and lose a seat before getting a safe one – is the reason we land up with inexperienced – thick – compliant – unworldly politicians of all tones .

        The solution I would suggest would not be acceptable … but the list of criminal / deviant MPs gets longer …

           7 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          The PPCs in our shire are beyond woeful, if a central casting dream.

          The Labour one is an ex teacher (may even have been a headmistressperson) who cannot string a coherent sentence together verbally or in writing.

          The Green is a middle aged rich mumsy who only has one mantra.

          And the Limp is… I forget. But a wimmin too.

          In other news our shire town tourist board has launched a new website. Lovely. Lots of categories, with images.

          Local scenes, and folk. Well, except the indoor stuff, with that lady from Getty in California the bbc like. Not in the kfc though.

             8 likes

        • Thoughtful says:

          I think the worst part of all is the internships for Personal Assistants to MPs who have to do this for two years without pay before entering the selection process – something which Cameron & the Millibands did.

          How many people do you know who have enough money to live and work in London city centre with no pay for two year?

             8 likes

  25. Fedup2 says:

    The PM of the BVI ( acronym alert AA) arrested in the US for drugs —— he asked the undercover DEA Feds for a calculator to work out 10% of 78 million Dollars…. Which we all know is … 760 euros … (I asked Alexa )….

       6 likes

  26. Thoughtful says:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10769277/Vladimir-Putin-set-declare-war-Ukraine-DAYS.html

    He we go. A disgracefully unprepared Island nation betrayed by decades of Socialism refusing to spend sufficiently on defence, leaving us wide open to attack from hostile nations.

    Truly shameful.

       17 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Thoughtful
      Well if putin uses a ‘battlefield ‘ nuclear weapon I suppose there will be that electromagnet pulse thing which means no internet and new iPads …. I bet nuclear war is excluded from the contents insurance as well …

      On the upside survivors might get pretty sunsets from all that radioactive dust thrown into the atmosphere- until it rains of course… happy days …

         5 likes

  27. Guest Who says:

    Holding Power To Account – U.K. MSM… 2022

    Meanwhile with local elections looming, there are Greens using each other as Vox pops, Labour conflating legitimate parties with scary ones… all assured it will be played down or plain ignored.

    https://order-order.com/2022/04/29/green-party-runs-out-of-local-voter-endorsements/

    Something very rotten in… that country once headed by a lady married to a Labour Remainer.

       13 likes

  28. Fedup2 says:

    Today watch – not bias

    The former head of MI6 is ‘interviewed ‘ by another lightweight ( name unknown ) – MI6 bloke has a lot of serious stuff to say – but the kidult interviewer interupts – can’t listen – can’t follow up and essentially it’s a rubbish interview – but I will try to summarise-

    Putin doesn’t have a reverse gear
    We have lost the MAD deterrent element
    This is a more dangerous time than cuba
    This is not about Russia -it’s about Ukraine
    Nuclear war could be very very near
    Pray .

       12 likes

  29. Guest Who says:

    “Not newsworthy” ©️beebiesnews

       18 likes

  30. Foscari says:

    ” BIG BROTHER” I know here at the BBC’S diversity department
    we decide on the BBC’S agenda and that diversity issues are
    numero uno over anything this , even the collateral damage
    in Ukraine. Anyway there’s not much diversity in the folk
    in Ukraine so we do out bit by sending out all our ethnic
    presenters and reporters to show them was true diversity is.
    Big brother of course I also know that in the name of
    diversity and positive discrimination and inclusiveness that
    all sport for all genders is equal, although some sport is
    more equal than others. Of course women’s boxing and women’s
    rugby is as every bit, if not more equal than anything in men’s
    sport. BUT should a fight between two foreign women take
    precedent over any other sport taking place in the UK today?”
    “YES !!! Smith . Have you been reading Douglas Murray’s latest
    book.?” Don’t you understand although we have a brand name
    of the BRITISH broadcasting corporation. The BRITISH stands
    for nothing!!!!!!1 Get that stuck into your head.” We at the
    BBC despise anything to do with the history or culture of
    this racist country!!. Look up oxymoron in your dictionary. And
    you will start to understand what I am talking about.”

       23 likes

  31. Guest Who says:

    Dan thinks Mad Al might not be the best representative for Labour.

    Femi gone further Bonkers yet?

       14 likes

  32. Guest Who says:

    With Brando looking shifty at the Darwin Awards, Bex making her bid for the Clive of the Helipad slot.

    However, Bex is blonde. Very blonde.

       3 likes

  33. Up2snuff says:

    TOADY WATCH #1 – funny, now what was all over the news until Thursday this week?

    I listened to about the first 30 minutes of TOADY and there was plenty of porn in the parish (Oooh, Vicar!) but absolutely no mention of that other ‘P’ word, now what was it? Someone remind me …. aah … ‘Partygate’ that’s it: ‘Partygate’. It must have slipped the BBC’s mind now that the Labour Party have been involved in partying. And as for Labour’s sexual harrassment of the Prime Minister …. no ….. no mention whatsoever.

    But there was plenty of Porn in the Parish.

    Disgraceful bias on the part of the BBC.

       18 likes

  34. Flotsam says:

    Do we know what sort of porn he was watching? Was it naked babes or was it action stuff? Video or stills? There is a tendency to label any bare flesh as “porn”. It seems inconceivable that the MP was viewing porn in mixed company so the accidental viewing claim may be true and, again, what was being viewed? Was it really porn?

    He couldnt have been reading the Daily Mirror, it’s Socialist porn.

       15 likes

    • pugnazious says:

      Yeah….you can pull out your dog-eared copy of Mao’s Little Red Book in the Mother of all Parliaments and celebrate the murderous ideology but looking at some porn is just one down from denying the Holocaust….maybe if it had been ‘Asian Babes’ he’d have been alright…diversity is important.

      Let’s get more women into Parliament! We need cheerleaders for each Party…..

      Tories….

      Labour….

         5 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Flotsam – I’m as interested in what debate was he attending where that a mass of MPs at the debate …?

      The MP is sort of screwed reallly after that GBNews interview where he didn’t mention that he was the MP in question … he’d have done well to mentioning how a constituent sent him something which had said porn attached to it … but as usual the cover up makes things worse ….

      Various convicted criminals are still in the Commons – what chap did may well not be criminal …so …

         5 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      Caught in the act

      FRbmPLpXoAEwdDs?format=jpg&name=medium

         18 likes

    • maxincony says:

      Flotsam,

      Was it really porn?

      BigBrotherCorporation,

      Minister for Sluttishness? I can think of a good candidate…

      BiasedBBC; currently defending a male MP for watching porn in the workplace, whilst calling a female MP a slut for crossing her legs.

         0 likes

      • taffman says:

        maxincony
        Any observations on the new, impending, White Paper re. the TV Licence?
        That’s he licence that robs from the poor to give to the rich.
        Over to you maxi for a reply …………………

           0 likes

  35. pugnazious says:

    Not only has Labour just discovered Rayner was at the bash but the BBC has discovered that the rules did make exceptions for work related gatherings. Odd that they should choose to emphasise this for Starmer but all too often forgot to mention it when Boris was in the frame.

    And surely Starmer should resign for, as Nick Robinson and his colleagues so often tell us in relation to Boris, the rules and procedures surely don’t matter…it is the appearance that counts…not to mention the ‘morality’….the look of the thing…..one rule for us, one rule for everyone else…never mind if no rules were broken.

    Hmmmm….’exceptions for work purposes’…..let’s see what they say…..

    ‘Exception 20: campaigning

    (29) Exception 20 is that—

    (a)the gathering consists of no more than two people, at least one of whom is a campaigner (“C”),’

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/364/schedule/2/made

    Oh, right….no more than two people…..I’ll bet there were more than two people at Starmer’s election campaign bash.

    Resign!!!!!!!!

    Is the BBC dragging in endless numbers of horrified public whose parents died whilst Starmer partied and they weren’t allowed to see them? Of course such scenarios were nothing like Boris being ambushed by a cake and yet the BBC couldn’t stop making the comparison and milking the ‘outrage’.

       29 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Yeh but if one of the people at the gathering is the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner
      how likely is it that Durham Police will find the gathering legal ?

         12 likes

  36. Fedup2 says:

    Pug
    The Big Issue will be how the PCC communist of Derbyshire plod – and the lefty plod itself -declare that there were no fixed penalty notices –
    It should also be included in the Gray report but the ‘terms of reference ‘ will exclude it – new investigation by our Baroness Gray of cake?

       10 likes

  37. pugnazious says:

    Must be an election looming very shortly as the BBC whips up a ‘Tory’ scandal….

    ‘Chancellor breaks pledge on energy bills’

    So isn’t it actually the councils which have failed to pay the money?…and then you have to ask which councils….how many are Labour? How many have spotted a chance to get one over on the Tories by not dishing out the cash and then blaming the Tories via their very own propaganda outet….the BBC?

    Just asking….could all be Tory councils but would be nice to know…oddly the BBC fails to mention which councils….

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61270840

    Regardless the BBC are making sure you know all about it just before you vote.

       18 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      If the government suggested to you that money would reach the whole country’s bank accounts in April
      would you be surprised if before a bank holiday all had not been completed ?
      Nope ..you wouldn’t start complaining until mid-May
      That would make it a scandal after the May 5th election

      Apparently all of Scotland’s and some of England’s councils simply took the rebate off your bill.
      (If you get asked for bank account details, that’s usually a scam)

         8 likes

  38. StewGreen says:

    BBC Friday local news : Ramadan from Scunthorpe Islamic Centre
    .. I wonder why they use that term instead of “mosque”
    In the morning on the radio we had the report from the Asian guy (Hindu surname, Muslim first name), with him promising a TV report later.
    At 6:50pm the TV presenter introduced the TV report as being by the black TV female TV reporter.. However she didn’t appear at all in the report , neither did the radio guy., instead we got 6 happy Muslim voices, 2 adult males, 1 boy and 3 girls.
    Almost everyone wore traditional dress with all the females wearing headscarves except some younger girls.

       14 likes

  39. StewGreen says:

    BBC Ukraine news
    They shout “Mass grave in Mariupol”
    Meanwhile a grim discovery has been made in a village some 20km (12 miles) outside the city.
    US satellite firm Maxar says it has identified a mass burial site containing about 200 graves in Manhush.
    Local Ukrainian officials accuse the Russians of burying Mariupol civilians killed by Russian troops there, but Moscow has not yet responded to the allegations.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61179734

    #2 They somehow has magic info on Putin’s plans
    “Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to seal off Ukrainian defenders inside the besieged port city of Mariupol.
    Mr Putin told forces to abandon plans to storm the sprawling Azovstal steel works there, where Ukraine is still resisting the invaders.”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61175675

       5 likes

  40. StewGreen says:

    11:30am FooC
    Honduras : former President Juan Orlando Hernandez was voted out of power in January, and within weeks was arrested, accused of being part of a major international drugs ring. This month, Mr Hernandez was extradited to the US, where he will face charges of drug trafficking and money laundering – charges he denies. Meanwhile, back in Honduras, police say they are now trying to destroy the drug industry, and invited our correspondent Will Grant along to show how.

    Ukraine : A British man was killed this week while fighting
    Thousands of foreigners have travelled to Ukraine to take up arms, encouraged by the country’s President Zelensky.
    Hugh Barnes spoke to recruits.

    (One a US marine he’s gone home cos he said it’s too amateur)
    ..
    – Odessa had a warm relationship with Russia.
    But has been hit by Russian missiles, and with significant civilian casualties. Jen Stout
    ..
    – Sao Tome and Principe Islands
    One of the tragedies of climate change is that those who will suffer worst from its consequences are often those who played little role in causing it

    (FFS things in the deep future are not caused by those people wherever they are)
    Sao Tome and Principe is particularly exposed, a poor place made poorer still by environmental damage.
    Now it may have a chance to alleviate some of that poverty, by selling the oil which some believe lies under its ocean. Yet it is burning oil *which has caused the country’s climate problems* in the first place, presenting a dilemma
    Tamasine Forde witnessed first hand.

    (Sure the country may have some problems, I doubt it’s caused by Global Warming)
    (They haven’t found oil)
    “Melting ice is making the sea grow”
    ( FFS the sea level has hardly risen at all)

    France : Emmanuel Macron savours victory in the French election, some will be putting it down in part to the studied attempt to change his image and look more casual.
    Often depicted as stuck up and aloof, Monsieur Macron appeared in a much-publicised, and indeed much-mocked photograph, with no jacket and an open-neck shirt.
    However, while the re-elected President may have swapped his tie for tufts of very-visible chest hair, the same cannot be said of his staff.
    Indeed, the ‘Macronistas’ seem keen to preserve France’s international reputation for sartorial suaveness.
    Hugh Schofield

       6 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Stew – I notice america doesn’t get much coverage any more – I suppose it fits with the policy of ignoring the Biden dementia for as long as possible in the hope that one day he just doesn’t wake up ….
      The latest footage shows him failing with the autocue bigly …

         22 likes

      • Mustapha Sheikup al-Beebi says:

        I noticed this very soon after Biden’s “election” in 2020.

        It was a strange feeling at first, somewhat like visiting a relative’s home and sensing there’s something missing that you’d remembered from last time (months or maybe years before). Didn’t they have a big bookcase at one end of the living room? Wasn’t there an old wardrobe in the guest bedroom?

        After Trump and January 6th 2021, things seemed to go very quiet in BBC coverage of the US. So much has been going on that doesn’t even get a mention, e.g. Hunter’s laptop and business deals, the John Durham probe into the 2016 campaign tricks by HRC, Joe and Kamala’s uselessness, the border crisis in Texas, etc.

        You don’t have to take everything that Fox News says as gospel, to realize that the BBC is engaged in a massive cover-up operation for the Democrats in the US. Claims by Sopel and company that the BBC is impartial are a complete joke.

           31 likes

      • StewGreen says:

        FFS BBC ran a 5 days a week show called 100 Days cos they were that certain they could get Trump out of office within 100 days.

           16 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Near zero.

        Speaking of whom, Sopes’ tweets are very… Groper.

           3 likes

  41. Foscari says:

    Not really BBC other than them being one of the chief
    disciples of global warming. I live in the suburbs of North
    London. Woodside Park to be precise , in the Borough of
    Barnet, which will vote Labour next week . Barnet has always been Conservative since 1964 when the Greater London council was
    set up. Only in 1994- and 1998 was there no overall majority,
    though the Conservatives had the most seats. But demographics
    has finally caught up , as it will over all of the country in the
    most four generations, possibly even three. It’s as sure as night
    follows day. The BBC will proudly be starting their morning
    programmes with the Adhan. Probably one of Sadiq Khan’s
    great grandchild’s will be Prime Minister . Unless the UK is
    part of a greater Islamic theocracy.
    But back to the main topic . And I am going to be selfish. I very
    much like the climate change in my part of the world. It’s more
    like Western France. You know around the Bordeaux area.
    Ok we are not getting enough rain. BUT isn’t it great for April
    to be a spring month and not a late winter month !
    I know that because of the climate change vineyards are
    being grown more and more. Who knows in time, without
    the winter frosts that we USED to have we can take on France
    at their own game!! This would be one in the eye for the French
    and the EU loving BBC . BUT maybe by then alcohol may be
    a forbidden fruit !

       10 likes

    • Mustapha Sheikup al-Beebi says:

      The climate may well be changing: the winters in Gloucestershire seem milder to me, for example, than those of 30 years ago. The fallacy of the BBC and others is that CO2 is the main cause of this.

         10 likes

    • vlad says:

      We may indeed be hurtling towards an Islamic takeover, but it’s a little known fact that islam itself is hurtling towards its own collapse.
      The liars at the BBC will tell you it’s the fastest growing religion. On paper that may be the case, partly due to demographics, and partly due to the fact that you’re not allowed to leave!
      But huge numbers are secretly rejecting islam, both in the West and in countries like Iran and Pakistan, where they see what islamic theocracy looks like, and they don’t like it.

      Furthermore, there’s another factor undermining the faith. Western scholars are subjecting it to the same sort of scrutiny that, say, Christianity has been subjected to, and the contradictions, inconsistencies, errors, falsehoods and plain nonsense are being revealed for all to see. Some scholarship is challenging the core teachings, the central tenets, the historical claims, even the existence of Mohammed himself.
      For centuries, islamic scholars and imams have lied and deceived their followers, but the truth is seeping out and will soon be an unstoppable flood.

      https://www.youtube.com/c/pfanderfilms/videos

      https://www.youtube.com/c/Acts17Apologetics/videos

         16 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      I wouldn’t count on global warming to make Britain warm.
      It’s still the case that local weather depends on the wind direction
      So that any time of year the weather cannot be relied on.
      It can blow heat from the south or cold from the north in any time of year.
      The urban heat island effect is real,
      But changes in fauna like grapes is no proof in rising temps
      cos many varieties and new technologies are available. Some grapes need a frost. Early daffodils are almost always new non-native species etc.

         7 likes

      • BigBrotherCorporation says:

        Unseasonably hard frost last night on the allotment – weather forecast was for an overnight min of 4oC, min-max thermometer INSIDE the potting shed read -2oC, outside would have been several degrees lower, it’s nipped the potatoes hard and quite a lot else, so I’d reckon on -4 or -6oC last night, here in the SW.

        We’ve had such overnight frosts through to the end of June over last last few years, didn’t used to, frosts used to end around mid-April, but then you get a frost like that with clear skies and dry weather, which usually gives warm, sunny days. Average the temp over 24 hrs though, and it’s colder than you might think, based on the daytime temp alone.

           7 likes

    • moggie63 says:

      I lived in Woodside Park in the late 80’s, nice area. At least, it was then.

         3 likes

    • Deborah says:

      Sorry to be posting about a local non BBC topic. Foscari, I was only musing to myself the other day about why the High Road at North Finchley is such a dump. As Foscari will know, the side streets are very suburban with semi detached houses going for £1 million plus and not so many Council flats. Yet walk down the High Road and try to avoid the myriad of languages spoken by young women of all colours pushing cheap buggies and usually at least one or more toddlers in tow. Some will have headscarves if not the full covering.The men are in cheap trackie bottoms and nylon pullovers etc. These people are poor and the shops reflect it. Are they really living locally and how do they afford the rent? I don’t think many are being housed in these expensive properties at tax payer expense but I simply don’t understand the disparity. I might add that Finchley Central is similar.

         4 likes

  42. Doublethinker says:

    Last week I heard Mark Steyn say that he was under investigation by Ofcom for some trivial point or other. Does anyone know what the trivial point actually was.

       4 likes

  43. theisland says:

    We’re going to need more community centres mosques and all those Labour councils and ‘Labour’ councillors possessing at least two passports will oblige.

    “assist”

       10 likes

  44. StewGreen says:

    So how effective was the WaPo’s scheme to doxx the LibsOfTikTok account ?

    Taylor Lorenz after doxxing @libsoftiktok
    to get her banned
    only to watch @elonmusk buy Twitter the next week
    and accidentally help the account surpass 1M followers

    It’s heading to 1.2 million now

       6 likes

  45. StewGreen says:

    4pm Woman’s Hour
    The “aunties” – the older women in the community who we should respect but for some may be judgemental as well as motherly.
    Podcaster and writer Tolly Shoneye and Anchal Seda discuss.

    I have heard the word “Auntie”s used like that in other languages say in Asia or Africa
    but it doesn’t seem common in Britain
    I don’t hear people say “the aunties at the market” etc.

       8 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      Any female over 35, relative or not, known or not, is ‘Auntie’ in East Asian Chinese cultures.

      There were two women I could call that here.

         3 likes

  46. StewGreen says:

    R4 3pm is usually a drama on Saturdays
    Instead today’s prog is titled “Zadie Smith with the BBC Symphony Orchestra”

    It actually appears the mixed race writer her talking about hanging out with the black girls at school , briefly mentioining her dad is white. etc

       7 likes

  47. Eddy Booth says:

    ‘It seems there’s been a concerted effort to take out Ukraine’s petrol stations’
    14:39
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61252785
    Joe Inwood
    Reporting on the road to Lviv
    “It’s lucky our drivers filled up before we left Kyiv”

    Ukrainians would be luckier if BBC was there grabbing the last of their fuel….

       6 likes

  48. Eddy Booth says:

    Bodies of three men found in a pit near Bucha – Ukrainian police
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-61252785
    “The BBC has not been able to confirm this independently.”

    Publish it anyway..
    Had a recent visit from twitter police I wonder?

       4 likes

  49. Guest Who says:

    Bunch of Jeremy Hunts, especially the Teflon one.

       9 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      with subtitles : https://youtu.be/qRuWrNZtqJ8

      #1 Naga said the words
      #2 Who knows why ? ..we can’t assume it was a mistake

      #3 Ben Ellery of the Times’s smear article against Alex Belfield said he has OBSESSION with Naga
      The point is she provides Belfield with the material , by making so many strange statements like this , for Belfield to point out.

         1 likes

  50. theisland says:

    Martin Howe. The Sunday Telegraph · 24 Apr 2022 · Martin Howe QC is Chairman of Lawyers for Britain

    //
    Overriding the Northern Ireland Protocol would be entirely legitimate

    It is good to hear reports that a new Bill with regard to the Protocol will give us powers to tackle the grave problems it has created

    Next week, there will be elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the same time as local elections on the mainland. These polls will bring to the fore the increasingly dire state of politics in Northern Ireland. Excepting some miracle, it is likely that the Northern Irish Executive will remain collapsed for the indefinite future.
    The root of the problem is the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU. It should not be confused with the later Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which regulates trade between Great Britain and the EU.
    The Protocol is meant to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and peace in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, it increasingly has the exact opposite effect, by creating barriers within the United Kingdom between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and forcing the people of Northern Ireland to live under EU laws over which neither they nor the Westminster parliament have any say.
    Under the Protocol, large swathes of EU laws – basically, all EU laws relating to the single market in goods, or to customs, VAT and indirect taxes, and state aids – continue to apply inside Northern Ireland even though the UK has left the EU and its single market. Those laws must be kept up to date with changes made within the EU, resulting in hundreds of changes a year being imposed on Northern Ireland. The EU Commission and the European Court of Justice interpret and enforce those laws, with the Commission having the right under the Protocol to send in officials to oversee and inspect how they are being applied.
    Checks on the movement of goods within this country between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are a serious and important problem. But having a foreign system of law applying within Northern Ireland – which voters there cannot change or influence and which will progressively diverge from UK law – is a fundamental problem of democracy and is actually the cause of the unwanted Irish Sea border.
    This foreign law also threatens the constitutional status of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. The articles of union of 1800 between Great Britain and Ireland stipulated that there should be no customs duties or prohibitions on goods crossing the Irish Sea in either direction, and that subjects on both sides of the Irish Sea “in all treaties with foreign powers shall have the same privileges”.
    The Allister case – the unionist-supported legal challenge against the Protocol – has (at least so far) failed in strict legal terms, but only because the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal ruled that the articles of union have been successfully “subjugated” by the 2020 Act of Parliament that gave effect in UK law to the EU Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol. To date, the government has mitigated some of the worst effects of the Protocol by using and extending “grace periods” to defer aspects of its implementation, while seeking to negotiate with an obdurate EU to minimise the checks on goods that cross the Irish Sea from Great Britain. But this is not a long-term or stable solution to the problems created by the Protocol, even if agreement could be reached. That is why it is heartening to hear reports that the government is preparing a bill that would give ministers wide powers to disapply provisions of the Protocol under UK law. Such a bill is a long-overdue and very necessary step to tackle the grave problems created by the Protocol, and replace it with arrangements that control the movement of goods across the open Irish land border, while leaving Northern Ireland free to follow UK laws about goods and the Republic free to follow EU laws. A key element of such arrangements would be a system of so-called mutual enforcement. The UK would impose a legal requirement on businesses who choose to export goods across the Irish land border to pay any EU customs duties that become due and to comply with EU laws about goods. The EU and the Republic would impose a corresponding requirement on businesses exporting from their territory into the UK. Publishing the bill would change the dynamics of negotiating with the EU. At present, the EU can simply reject any changes to the Protocol knowing that it is embedded into UK law and ministers do not have the power to change it. But the EU must be brought to recognise that no sovereign and independent state can possibly tolerate for more than a short time a part of its territory being subject to foreign courts and foreign laws. The EU would understand that once the bill became law, they would lose the power to continue to impose the Protocol. The usual suspects will claim that such a bill would breach the UK’s international obligations. But the EU has obligations, too, including arguably under Article 13 of the Protocol to consider and agree in good faith changes to the Protocol that protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and that continue to protect the EU single market from duty-avoiding or non-compliant goods. It cannot be good enough for the EU simply to reject all changes under a “what we have, we hold” mentality. The current Ukraine emergency, in which the UK is punching well above its weight in the collective defence of Europe, is not a reason for holding back. On the contrary, it is a reason for asking the EU to recognise that we too have a fundamental concern about restoring the sovereignty of our whole country.
    END

       7 likes