Author Archives: David Vance

IT’S TOUGH UP NORTH

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IT’S TOUGH, UP NORTH,

I see that intrepid BBC journalist Andrew North has gone off to Baghdad to gather information to show us that jails their are dangerously overcrowded and living conditions are far from ideal for the residents. (Apparently there are no aromatherapy practitioners on call to relieve the stress of the in-mates.) North repeats allegations of torture and in general paints as bleak a picture of life in prison as possible and in this way, he continues the BBC essential narrative that things in Iraq just go from bad to worse. Perhaps the Howard League for the abolition of prisons could fly over and do a follow-up?

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(SOCIAL)WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE.

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The irony must have escaped the BBC. Earlier this morning they read a news report on the jailing for life of the monster who fathered seven children by his two daughters despite doctors, nurses and social workers remaining oblivious to the abuse going on over decades in front of their very eyes. This then segued into an interview with Margaret Eaton, Chair (sic) of the Local Government Association whose primary concern was for those poor at risk…social workers – following the public outcry at the death of Baby P. She got a very sympathetic hearing from the BBC as she waffled on about putting in place best process and having urgent reviews, joined up multi-agency thinking and other gems from the lexicon of the bureaucratically anaesthetised. What struck me most was that Margaret Eaton fails to understand that social workers have a fundamental responsibility to exercise best judgement and so you can perhaps understand why the Jonathan Ross loving BBC is so sympathetic to Ms Eaton and her comrades in the LGA.

FORCED MARRIAGES.

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Hats off to the BBC. It manages to run this item today on the subject of new laws aimed at outlawing forced marriages without ever once mentioning Islam. Well done BBC – consummate skill. Forced marriages, along with “honour murder” is just part of the rich cultural heritage that Islam has been bringing into the UK but you would be hard-pressed to figure that from the BBC’s coverage.

OBAMA WORSHIP.

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Even as Gordon Brown digs the UK into ever deeper recession, BBC coverageof Obama’s unfolding administration continues to put the fawn into fawning. His newly announced treasury team, replete with Harvard and Berkeley professors, appears to offer little different in substance to the current Bush/Paulson endless bail-out approach – other than they will bail even more out! This is “the jolt” that Obama promises and which the BBC uncritically lets pass without deeper economic analysis. It seems to me that the BBC gets excited when politicians extend the malign tendrils of government into every part of private business, and so Brown and Obama can expect an easy ride in the time ahead.

DON’T MENTION THE PUBLIC FINANCES

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Had to laugh at BBC1 Morning News today. There was an item on how wonderful Alistair “Spend Spend Spend!” Darling’s pre-meltdown mini-budget was, with a spokesman from accountants Ernest & Young. It all started well but then – gasp horror – the E&Y man pointed out the shocking state of UK public finances prior to the current financial troubles. This was met with a rapid “moving along quickly” response from the BBC presenter – since the Beeb narrative does not allow for a recognition that Prudence never actually existed and that Public finances were recklessly managed over the past 11 years. There is also a general BBC acceptance that taxing “the rich” till the pips squeak is a socially responsible act from the tax thieves in power. I also noted that the BBC is constantly stating that the Government is “being honest” with us all. What rubbish – the Government has been lying through its teeth and the farcical notion that we are now entering an era of truthfulness shows just how detached the BBC is.

General BBC-related Comment Thread

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General BBC-related comment thread!

Please use this thread for comments about the BBC’s current programming and activities. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog – scroll down for new topic-specific posts. N.B. This is not an invitation for general off-topic comments, rants or chit-chat. Thoughtful comments are encouraged. Comments may also be moderated. Any suggestions for stories that you might like covered would be appreciated! It’s your space, use it wisely.

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MORE OF THOSE BRITISH MILITANTS

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Poor Rashid Rauf– the on the run Brummie now turned to wormfood care of a well directed US missile as he and his Islamist pals tripped through the mountains of Wazirstan. Rashid was linked to a UK plot to use liquid bombs to blow up transatlantic airliners but he was on the run after escaping from those ever so tough Pakistani jails. Rashid was arrested in Pakistan on 9 August 2006, at the request of US authorities, who feared he was about to disappear into the remote north-west of the country. I note that that the BBC’s very own Barbara “Yassir” Plett is quick to point out how annoyed the Tribal leaders are each time the US kills Jihadists. I don’t suppose the thought occurred to her that it might require that the “tribal leaders” whose opinion she rates so highly are exactly the sort of people missiles should be targeting. But back to Rashid the “Brit militant”. I’m surprised the BBC haven’t been speculating that poor Rashid the Brit hadn’t been on some sort of educational or charitable tour of Jihadistan – after all that’s pretty much the line retailed concerning every other “Brit” that ended up in Gitmo!

LONDON CALLING.

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If a Conservative In Name Only such as London Mayor Boris Johnson wants to win favourable plaudits from the BBC, what better way than to suggest that the 400,000 illegal immigrants that live in London be granted an amnesty and allowed to stay? The BBC believes, as an article of faith, that all immigration is a good thing and so those in political life who cheer-lead for the law-breakers who slither into our country get favourable Beeb coverage. I note no-one is allowed to attack Boris for this latest proposed abrogation of the rule of law in favour of winning future votes.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

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I was reading Robert Peston announce that Alistair Darling may have to increase taxation in a few years time (to helpfully unspecified levels – cheers Robert). Peston adds that “the bulk of the tax cuts will be directed at those on lowest incomes, partly because they have the highest propensity to spend – for the good of the economy – and also for reasons of social justice.” OK, I accept that socialists like Labour believe in spurious nonsense such as “social justice” – it’s a handy euphemism for taking from the industrious and giving to the spongers – but since when does the BBC Business Editor have the right to use the vocabulary of the left in his own witterings?

ROSSY SANITISED?

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I see that BBC Trust report into Manuelgate is due out later today. I’m sure that Wossy will be excused any further punishment beyond the minor slap on the wrist he has been given. I will be on the BBC this morning here in Northern Ireland and I will be demanding that Ross have his obscene contract terminated forthwith and that this incident highlights the entire credibility of the license-tax which is then used to fund the likes of Brand and Wossy. Talk to you later.