whether this piece, on the withdrawal from the party leadership contest of Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten, says more about the BBC or the Liberal Democrats. In Parliament since 1997, Mr Oaten is seen as being to the right of many in the party, having promoted a law and order policy of “tough liberalism”. Mr Oaten has campaigned for prisoners to be given the vote, a policy which his then … Continue reading →

– I am sure readers can add a lot to this post. There are many examples of where the BBC just spouts nonsense for no apparent reason- one suspects just a dilute form of PC is at work. This article was a typical one for the Beeb– post-colonial handwringing. I am not saying that it is unimportant what went on in the past- not at all. However, one point struck … Continue reading →

I’ve always said that the BBC are neutral betwen Tories and Labour – they’re happy to attack the Tories (from the left) or Labour (from the left). Good to hear this from ex-BBC business editor, Jeff Randall. But surely the BBC’s journalists give the government a hard time? ‘They attack Labour ministers, but usually for not being sufficiently left-wing.’ On the BBC and immigration : ‘Whenever we had an anti-immigration … Continue reading →

Aunty was very anti- the Iraq war. We all know that. Yet, in the wake of Hutton and in the light of numerous gaffes that astounded even their own, she seemed to be learning something. Yet, like a misshapen dingy filled with gas, the BBC keeps righting itself idiot side up. Today you can find the BBC reporting how Gen Musharraf has come under pressure over the US air strike. … Continue reading →

Paul Marks thinks pro-Bush comments may have been edited out from a session of “Any Questions.” Click through to read and contribute comments on this post.

This incident requires an explanation. Memo to Beeb: there are some attentive listeners out there. Enough to catch you out if you behave just as you like. Then, this is also an important testimony from Jeff Randall : ‘On the whole, they treated business as if it was a criminal activity’ Of course, his arrival made some impact, but if that’s so, then what about the impact of a whole … Continue reading →

says Mark Holland, in a piece on the new Channel 4 (non-BBC) output which takes a sideswipe at BBC ‘comedy’ (which on Radio Four means Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel and a host of public-school lefties, one of whom must be called Sally for some reason). These days we all know how to read between the lines, Pravda style, during any BBC news broadcasts we’re unlucky enough to catch. On the … Continue reading →

Not that I disparage Iranian democracy of course, it just seems that there’s a niche in the market left by certain mainstream broadcasters. But today the BBC have held the frontpage for Ahmadinejad to proclaim that ‘Iran ‘does not need nuclear arms’ What this is is full-on propaganda from the terrorist-in-chief. What Iran doesn’t need, of course, is nuclear energy. As VDH comments aptly: ‘Any country that burns off some … Continue reading →

The sanitisation and idealisation of the religion of Islam proceeds apace at the Beeb. It must- as this culture is being more and more forcefully advocated by its adherents, so it requires greater and greater efforts to retain management of the news in a way that the Beeb feels is responsible. After writing this post originally, I heard of the terrible stampede at this year’s Hajj. I am naturally sorry … Continue reading →

Something about the picture in this article reminds me of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s the utopianism I think. So, as multiculturalism (and lifestyle choice) becomes religion, religion becomes problematic, though, as Ritter points out, Sir Iqbal and Mr Jones get different treatment. And no, it’s not just the media treating the two cases differently. There’s no mention of Mr Plod actually knocking on Sir Iqqy’s door. Click through to read … Continue reading →