Author Archives: David Vance

IGNORING THE PAST, FIXED ON THE FUTURE

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We have heard a LOT from the BBC concerning the SWP and the alleged success of some of their campaign tactics in recent times. Biased BBC contributor Alan picks up on this raises a number of points;

“The Socialist Worker’s Party….a Marxist revolutionary group intent on destroying democracy. Let’s not beat around the bush…these people are fronting an ideology that is prepared to kill those who do not march to their tune. The romantic image of Marx so beloved of many in the corridors of the BBC is betrayed by his own writings…

‘The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. they openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution.’Communism called for the arming of every worker….and as put into practise in Russia these arms were put to good use….killing anyone who tried to improve their lot in life.

Given all that you might think it strange to hear a BBC senior economics reporter, Evan Davis, on the BBC’s flagship political news programme advocating the Unions join up with the SWP and adopt their tactics in battling capitalism.

Strange that a responsible senior BBC journalist should tie his flag to the mast of such a motley revolutionary crew and openly champion acts of public disorder, intimidation, blackmail and civil disobedience.

Strange that the BBC who apparently believe that democracy is a ‘sacred’ thing…or did when Nelson Mandela was fighting for it in South Africa….should now allow a senior journalist to suggest that rather than have a democratic engagement of the people we will allow those who are prepared to shout the loudest and use the most violence to decide government policy.

Of course that has long been the BBC policy when it comes to Muslims….giving them a platform to air their supposed grievances unchallenged by frightened BBC presenters who lack the knowledge, the will and the nerve to question any statement by these ‘community’ spokesmen.

All this is not new…though the BBC woiuld like you to think ‘Occupy’ and the SWP were the first people in the world to challenge Capitalism….see how sucha challenge turned out:“

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NUMBERS DON’T ADD UP..

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The BBC can be very quick to spin one story into another, if it suits them. But isn’t it curious that they can run an item here on the disturbingly low levels of numeracy amongst those leaving our schools without so much as once asking why we have such poor teaching of the subject? Each year, the BBC leads the hallelujah chorus that GCE’s and A level results have come to constitute,  with praise being lavished on the Education system and those within it. This is the same education system that delivers 22% of students obtaining a “decent” GCSE in Maths. On the Today programme this morning, there was an interview with a lady who had failed Maths at school but had subsequently went back to College and gained a Maths qualification. She stated that she felt let down by what went on in the classroom with the teacher allowing her to mark her own questions! She said she cheated. This went without comment. It’s remarkable to observe the BBC protect a dumbed down Education system.

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THOSE IRANIAN "CONSERVATIVES"…

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I know we have discussed this previously but I am not prepared to let the BBC run a contrived headline such as “Iran conservatives contest poll for Parliament” without comment. As ever it is their use of the term “conservative” to describe those Mad Mullahs around “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that I object to. There is nothing that is conservative about these Islamic radicals and the BBC know that – but it is such fun to attach the appellation”conservative” to such a hateful barbaric and deranged regime as that headed by Khamenei and so they just can’t resist it.  So, Iranian “conservatives” and British “conservatives” – what’s in a name?

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TONGE IN MOUTH

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Thanks to the BBC’s wonderful new policy of NOT linking the various items it runs on the Today programme (Well, you never know who might be listening), you will need to go to listen again and tune in to the 7.33am spot to hear an outrageously biased Humphrys interview involving Baroness Tonge and Conservative MP Robert Halfon. Tonge’s notorious views on Israel are a matter of record and yet Humphrys was easy on her and tough on Halfon. It amazes me the gentle ride that Tonge gets – it’s as IF her views resonate within the corridors of Broadcasting House. Surely not

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BBC AND PORN..

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Another of our legion of alert readers draws our attention to this…

“The link below is a news ‘item’ from Newsbeat, the BBC’s service for youngerteenagers. You will note the mealy-mouthed disclaimer below the clip that thisis part of a wider ‘investigation’ of pornography, but the woman featured isnot challenged on any of her (somewhat outlandish) claims regarding thepornographic business. I wonder how many impressionable young girls will watchthis and consider a career in the sex industry lucrative and enjoyable? Theshamelessness of the BBC seems to know no bounds… http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13040300“


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THE CRUEL BBC AT SEA…

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Fascinating post here at Counting Cats in Zanzibar concerning BBC efforts to re-write history and in particular the Royal Navy’s valiant efforts against German u-boats in the North Atlantic during ww2.

“This is a genuine question – in that I do not know the answer (and would like to know). I only know “The Cruel Sea” from the film (about the Royal Navy against the German “U Boats” in the North Atlantic during World War II) so I do not know what the book (or whatever) was like. 

I ask because the BBC radio production (which I heard an episode of on Sunday) of “The Cruel Sea” was full of socialist propaganda – and some of it was very odd.
For example, I can understand (just about) someone who has just seen an oil tanker ship blown up by a German submarine, rage against people who waste fuel by “speeding to their golf club”. It would not be my first thought whilst watching men die – but people are different, perhaps someone else would blame people who speed to golf clubs (rather than the Germans).” 

However, a lot of the rest of the production was harder to accept. For example the Captain of the new Royal Navy ship lines up the crew and tells them that they have been unemployed for years because of the greed and selfishness of other people. Whatever the faults of 1930s Britain – it was not exactly famous for “greed” and “selfishness”, it was a rather austere place. Then he tells the crew that now everyone (on the ship) will work together for the common good and….. (a speech that might have come out of the mouth of a Nazi SS commander rather than a Royal Navy Captain – who would have been more likely to say “carry on men” and not wasted any more time).

Do please read the full post. It’s quite stunning to read how the BBC distorts and inserts its socialist agenda into events like those discussed. My thanks to the B-BBC reader for bringing this to my attention.

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TRUST OR DISTRUST?

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B-BBC contributor Alan observes


“I almost choked whenI read the below….had George Monbiot, the Guardian’s greenie guardian,suddenly come out as a climate sceptic, scourge of BBC environmentalcorrespondents and dissolute politicans?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/27/britain-rebuilt-in-aid-corporate-power?INTCMP=SRCH

‘This column is a plea for distrust. Distrust is the resource on whichdemocracy relies. Distrust inspires the scrutiny and accountability withoutwhich representation becomes a lie. Distrust is all that stands between us andbamboozlement by people who, like the BBC’s Black and Harrabin, channel theinstincts of the billionaire owners of newspapers and broadcasters.’

Actually no, there was no mention of Black, Harrabin or the BBC….I made thatup…..but I think if he’s so keen on this distrust thingy, accountability,democracy and bringing the media to book then it should apply equally toall….not just the select political and commercial rivals of those who controlmost of the mainstream media….ie the BBC and friends.

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DEVIL IN THE DETAIL…

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A B-BBC reader notes..

“A new book makesclaims about Megrahi’s release. The BBC reports that the author is by”writer, researcher and TV producer John Ashton.” Unfortunately thereport fails to inform us that Ashton was also a member of Megrahi’s defenceteam“

Pesky details.

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THE WORLD SERVICE AT 80…

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I was most amused by the James Naughtie interview on Today this morning with Peter Horrocks and John McCarthy concerning the BBC World Service and it’s 80th birthday! Yes, we were informed of the global reach of the BBC and the trust it enjoys across the world. Seems it is increasingly popular in Iran and let’s not forget the vital role in played during “the Arab Spring”. It’s the impartiality of the World Service that so appeals, we told by Naughtie. Alright – who agrees?

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