Author Archives: David Vance

MANDY ON MONDAY

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So, the Conservative Party conference finishes and up pops Lord Mandelson on the Today programme to explain the genius idea by Gordon Brown to flog off various State owned assets. I think he was given a very soft ride not least on the fact that selling assets at the bottom of the market is unlikely to realise the prices Brown imagines – Davis could have pressed a lot further. He also might have wondered why a fire-sale that at most will realise £3bn over two years would deal with a deficit that it £16bn and growing? Mandelson must have been grinning from ear to ear as he was also allowed to entirely misrepresent the economic position taken by Japan over the past twenty years. Surely with his economic background, Evan could have interrogated Mandelson a little harder? Or is it all hands on deck to try and save Gordon?

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PEACE, PERFECT PEACE.

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Today marks the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton by the Irish terrorist group the INLA. (Good article here by Lord Tebbit, btw for those who care to read)

Yesterday, the BBC covered the news that this terror group was “renouncing violence” just in time for Hillary Clinton’s arrival in Northern Ireland. Now I am glad when any terror group ceases to kill and maim BUT isn’t it odd that the BBC does not report the allegations that the INLA claims it will be in receipt of £7 million from the British Government for graciously agreeing not to kill us?

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THE DEBATE IS NOT OVER..

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Here on B-BBC we regularly (and rightly) chastise the BBC for it’s assiduous cultivation of AGW, but by way of contrast, and in an attempt to be fair, this seems a decent item by Paul Hudson. Worth a read. However I wonder will this sense of better balance make it into the mainstream? Somehow, I doubt it. I feel that for too many in the BBC, the debate IS over.

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HAIN ON BBC BIAS…

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Did you read that Peter Hain is to make a formal complaint to the BBC Trust over the appearance of the British National Party leader, Nick Griffin, on BBC1’s Question Time?

This follows what insiders described as a “robust” meeting between the Secretary of State for Wales and the show’s executive producer, Ric Bailey, during the Labour Party conference. “Mr Hain said yesterday: “I fundamentally disagree with the BBC’s decision. I fully understand why colleagues feel they have to appear, but I certainly wouldn’t appear with a racist, fascist representative – I think it gives them legitimacy.”

Glad to see that Peter Sissons rebuffs the pain Hain.

“Instead of bleating to the BBC Trust, why doesn’t the great campaigner offer to go on the programme and dismantle the BNP’s policies himself?”

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HITCHENS ON BIAS…

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Here is Peter Hitchens on BBC bias..

“Here, I believe, is proof that the BBC is institutionally biased against male conservatives. Not long ago, I received a call from a BBC Radio 4 person. It was not very flattering. They were having a big debate about Afghanistan.

And, as they were having great difficulty in finding anyone else to support Britain’s immediate withdrawal, would I please, please, please take part?

I said yes. Several days later, the same functionary called me and said they had now found a ‘female person’ to do the job instead – as if that person’s femaleness was a clinching argument.

Curious, I asked who this ‘female person’ was. ‘Erm, Lindsey someone,’ she replied. I’m still not sure if she was embarrassed or genuinely didn’t know who she had hired.

It turned out my replacement was Lindsey German, until a few months ago a member of the Central Committee of the Socialist Workers’ Party, a revolutionary Bolshevik organisation.

Does a Marxist Leninist Trotskyist really represent the 57 per cent of the British population who are against this daft intervention better than I do?

The BBC thinks so.”

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EASY LIKE A SUNDAY MORNING

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Nicky Campbell on “The Big Question” asks “Should Christians be Socialists”. First few guests assert Jesus was a lefty.

Andrew Marr virtually hugs Alan Johnson on his programme.

BBC World Service declares “Heart and Soul – the 99 beautiful names for God in Islam”
Not biased. Naturally.

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HE’S THE ONE…

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So, Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Price. The BBC coverage here is interesting insofar as even the BBC is forced to fess up that of the thousands of those who have contacted the BBC, 75% have expressed “surprise”. (Though “world leaders” welcome it) I’ll say. My small point is that the BBC makes reference to this award being surprising after his “less than a year in power” period. Erm, bit more than that. The final date for nominations for the Nobel Prize was a mere TWO WEEKS after Obama ascended to high office which means it took just 14 days to carry out “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples”. Hope the BBC make that point clearly since it is pertinent to the quality of the decision. I also enjoy the way the BBC reports the Taliban perspective so ensuring that those of us who think him not worthy are cast into the same rhetorical camp as Islamist killers.

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HARRYING HARRIET..

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Did you catch this item on Today this morning? Christine Odone vs Harriet Harman on the issue of whether a minority of women in government are steering women’s policy towards “macho” values. Naughtie seemed keen to ensure that La Harman got as much time as possible not that there’s any bias here….heaven forbid. Perhaps letting Harman talk on and on is not a bad idea since whether she knows it or not, the more she talks the more she digs herself into a hole.

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A GENERAL QUESTION..

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The reason I ask is the BBC driven faux outrage over the fact that a senior soldier should seek to serve his country amongst the ranks of the Conservative Party. Today has been making mischief on this one all week and Sarah Montague had another go this morning. It strikes me that the BBC was determined to make this week as uncomfortable as possible for Cameron and so getting an experienced military leader advising the Conservatives is presented in the worst possible light. Had he joined up with Gordon’s gang, do you think the BBC would have treated the matter in this way?

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