206 Responses to Open Thread Friday

  1. George R says:

    INBBC and Turkey.

    INBBC supports Islamising Turkey’s lobbying for membership of E.U,

    and supports Turkey as base for Islamic jihad on Syria,

    so why should INBBC report the following?:-

    “Turkish Airlines bans red lipstick, critics see it as sign of Islamization”

    http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/05/turkish-airlines-bans-red-lipstick-critics-see-it-as-sign-of-islamization.html

       21 likes

    • LeftyLoather says:

      From that link (excellent site!) I did like this comment;
      “Visual integrity is in the eye of the beholder! But when the beholder’s vision is impaired by Islam, there is no integrity!
      Clowns!”
      Too right! The most utterly ridiculous make-it-up-as-it-goes-along anti-equality crackpot religion around and guarantee I will never be flying Turkish Airlines (of EU-applying Turkey – a whopping 97% of which is in Asia not Europe!), Emirates, EgyptAir Qatar Airways, any of that ilk.

         10 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      So Turkish Airlines doesn’t like red because it threatens visual integrity, eh? Is this the same Turkish Airlines whose logo is based around a stylised bird on a RED background? e.g. see http://www.turkishairlines.com/
      It would be interesting to hear the views of Kevin Costner, Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi and Caroline Wozniacki, as they have all had sponsorship or promotional deals with Turkish Airlines. They are also the official carrier for Manchester United, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. Here’s the info on Turkish Airlines and Manchester United (http://www.designscene.co.uk/work/manchester-united-turkish-airlines); be interesting to hear from their PR department if the ‘Red devils’ will be changing their strip to something with more ‘visual integrity’.

         14 likes

  2. +james says:

    After the drumming Cameron took last night I know how this guy felt like………

       6 likes

    • DB says:

      And the good news for UKIP is that Ken Clarke will, as usual, refuse to acknowledge his own mistakes and will carry on as before.

         41 likes

      • +james says:

        David Cameron’s new policy….

        220px-Keep-calm-and-carry-on-scan.jpg

           15 likes

        • Deborah says:

          and the BBC bias is…….?

             14 likes

          • Demon says:

            I actually think the BBC reporting of the election results thus far is as fair as they can be. I rarely have the opportunity to comment that the BBC are, for once, fulfilling their charter, so I am making the point now.

            Why, oh why, BBC cannot it ever be thus?

               18 likes

            • Doublethinker says:

              By their own standards of impartiality you are right, the BBC have tried to remain unbiased, but the mask has slipped a couple of times. Emily M was commenting on the Cumbria result and let slip that the failure of Labour to gain control was disappointing. Well it was no doubt disappointing for Labour but the way she said it indicated that she was disappointed. And , of course, I suspect that she was and wanted Labour and friend Ed the Panda to have a marvelous set of results.

                 28 likes

              • Aerfen says:

                And The News Quiz (radio Four) was predictably taking a swipe at UKIP and casting the usual aspersions of ‘racism’.

                The real news reporting wasn’t too bad though; one beeboid even admitted that people were voting UKIP mainly because of immigration!
                😮

                (The usual BBC tactic on this is to suggest that ‘people vote UKIP for a number of reasons, the EU, XXX, XXX… and concerns about migration’.)

                   12 likes

                • All Seeing Eye says:

                  The News Quiz was appalling, couldn’t stand it and had to switch off.

                  It’s worth remembering that the coverage doesn’t seem too bad in comparison with previous elections because there wasn’t a dedicated live broadcast all of the way through. We’ll have that back next year when the EU elections are the same day. Live broadcasts are great for catching subconscious bias though space-filling unguarded comments.

                     18 likes

            • RCE says:

              Agreed, Demon, the BBC coverage has been very good.

                 2 likes

          • Framer says:

            Despite the opinion polls and by-election results the BBC is sticking, absurdly, to a 3-party set of studio guests with an occasional intrusion from UKIP.
            You have never seen how obviously the old system of a tight and narrow metropolitan range of opinions has been blown away.
            QT exemplified that last night with David Starkey (angry white male) v. three privileged ladies, one a Baroness and another the niece of an Earl and the wife of an MP.

               23 likes

      • The General says:

        My heart sank when Ken Clarke was appointed to the Cabinet. Was I wrong ? Don’t think so.
        Ineffectual sopping Wet.

           48 likes

    • RCE says:

      Yes, +james, that is the exact clip I’ve had in my head for the last 24 hours!

         2 likes

  3. JaneTracy says:

    Remember when BBC “expert” Mary Beard assured everyone that there were no problems resulting from immigation to Lincolnshire.

    Then the BBC attack dogs went out in the media saying that those who attacked her were “vile”

    Now who do we think was right? The voters of Lincolnshire who live there,as expressed last night or Mary Beard who does not live there?

       112 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      Obviously Mary Beard, because she’s an …. i n t e l l e c t u a l.

         33 likes

      • thoughtful says:

        because in her own words she’s a screaming leftie!

           28 likes

      • TPO says:

        Just another socialist slug.

           31 likes

        • LeftyLoather says:

          But don’t you remember – like no doubt that crackpot bearded lady does – how all the crops in the fields of Lincolnshire and everywhere all just rotted away and went to waste back in the seventies, eighties and nineties because we didn’t have shitloads of foreigners to pick ’em?

          No, exactly, nor do I!

          Bloody well done!, UKIP. Absolutely amazing stuff!

             48 likes

          • RCE says:

            Absolutely. The unemployed benefit claimants of Lincolnshire and Norfolk are making fools of us all.

               3 likes

    • uncle bup says:

      ‘The horror of the tragedy was enormously intensified by the ringside seats we were offered through telephone answering machines and text-messages. But when the shock had faded, more hard-headed reaction set in. This wasn’t just the feeling that, however tactfully you dress it up, the United States had it coming. That is, of course, what many people openly or privately think. World bullies, even if their heart is in the right place, will in the end pay the price.’

      Mary Beard on 9/11.

      Went down well with her set I believe.

         35 likes

      • RCE says:

        Lifetime open invite to the QT panel will have landed on her doormat soon after that one!

        (Or, more likely, same day courier delivery paid for out of the licence fee).

           16 likes

  4. Sinniberg says:

    I get the feeling the BBC are in a mild state of shell-shock because of UKIP’s success and don’t know what to do.

    Unfortunately, it’ll pass and when they’ve composed themselves(probably by tonight) all the avoidance of the real reasons and drivel excuses will start.

       72 likes

  5. dayday says:

    Wow Nick robinson as just employed the Lewdowskey climate con trick, he claimed that a poll showed that UKIP voters were more likley to be prone to the MMR scare, basically calling UKIPERs conspiracy theorists I am sure our nick is a close follower of the climate debate.

       66 likes

    • LeftyLoather says:

      I saw that too! LOL What the hell is that bloke on?!

         25 likes

      • Ian Hills says:

        Control of the people, that’s what he’s on. Like bBBC, like parents virtually being forced to accept MMR, like press censorship – and the rest.

        UKIP might not be the answer but their libertarian stance is definitely part of the answer.

           15 likes

  6. pah says:

    In 2003 when the Tories won 566 council seats to make a total of 4,423 councillors , controlled 100 councils, up by 31, the BBC called it a ‘disappointing result for the Tories.’

    I wonder how they will approach last nights results?

       49 likes

  7. David Lamb says:

    Radio 4 this morning were presenting the UKIP vote in the context of the Labour narrative – it is poor economic prospects which drives workers to extremist parties. No consideration of the fact that the electorate also value their culture, traditions, religion, and freedom of speech which the open door and multicultural agenda has attacked. Labour are now admitting that perhaps they over did it on immigration, but Cameron – oh dear – he can take comfort in his pals among the street thugs of the UAF.

       73 likes

    • Ian Hills says:

      How the modern left would celebrate if the native “underclass” was exterminated, and the remaining middle class feminised into impotence.

         12 likes

      • Aerfen says:

        “the remaining middle class feminised into impotence.”

        The men!
        While the women would all go out to work full time and refuse to bear children! Wouldn’t that be great, if all the indigenous are working their socks off earning money to pay for the fast breeding immigrants to live on benefits?

           9 likes

  8. It's all too much says:

    I am utterly flabbergasted by this piece… Not direct BBC bias as such but the raving all encompassing desire to control every single aspect of life from birth to death shown by the leftist puritans. What miserable,controlled, fearful, timorous, sterile lives these people want for children.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22383453

    Children making strong friendships is not acceptable any more.

    “Last year, Gaynor Sbuttoni, who provides counselling for children in London, said it was increasingly common for teachers to encourage pupils to play in large groups instead of developing tight-knit bonds”

    Yep, social(ist) engineers are not happy that children self select friends – as they have done from the time we sat around camp-fires and gnawed mammoth bones, and the BBC gives this wicked nonsense the time of day. Maybe they select the ‘wrong’ friends.

    This really is “Modern Parents” pseudo angst at its very worst. A hideous desire to engineer the lives of kids masquerading as a concern for their precious feelings. WTF will kids treated like this become as they grow up? Even more fearful, insulated spoilt, selfish, ‘entitled’ and above all dependant? FFS kids have got to learn that sh*t happens in life and that even friendship can be transitory.

    However, as with all things leftish involving engineering behaviour (their favourite pass-time) I think that there is more to this than expressed in the article. The real issue as far as they see it is not kids upset by broken friendships or feeling ‘excluded’. Many children when they reach 11 or 12 tend to select people like themselves as ‘best friends’ and peer groups. This is ‘exclusionary’ and obviously has to be stamped out. Firmly.

    So, expect your children to be forbidden to form friendships outside their allocated state appointed friends (who meet all approved ‘criteria’) and they will have to sign rigidly delineated ‘friendship contracts’ spelling our roles and responsibilities. Kids will be allowed up to 9 mins per week semi-supervised ‘friendship-interaction activities’ in designated safe zones with only 12 adult staff on hand to provide ‘reassurance’.

       53 likes

    • Pounce says:

      I too noticed that wee article, One thing I’ve noticed about the left, is how they are full of bringing to the world new ideas which we all need to adopt in which to get rid of the baggage of yesteryear. We had the anti_MMR drive which has resulted in the current situation today. We’ve had the open door policy for all, which has seen the rise of UKIP. We have seen the invasion of Iraq. Lets not forget racism,energy,grammar schooling everything the Left feel needs adjusting results in dire action required later on, and yet if anybody speaks out they are sent to Coventry, unless of course you are a Muslim, then you can only be a victim.

         49 likes

    • Aerfen says:

      I would agree with you , if this was a state school, but there has always been a bit of this tendency at private schools, partly for economic reasons – heads do not want disatisfied parents taking their kids out because theyre not happy. Partly its because the classes are small and if one group form a clique it really can leave those who are ‘out’ very much ‘out’. The final thing is that its justified in terms of children being encouraged to ‘network’ from an early age. Someone once told me that at Cheltenham Ladies College the girls have mid morning coffee, and in the early years they have to sit by a different girl every day!

         2 likes

  9. Voter says:

    Can anyone find actual results on the BBC website. I.e number votes by candidate in each Council District? Not bias, but very poor reporting.

       31 likes

    • Pounce says:

      I’ve noted that as well, something tells me this was a very poor show. (BTW i voted)

         27 likes

    • Dawn Young says:

      To get an accurate perspective of my local results I had to go to my district council website. My conservative Council seat is now a Green.

         5 likes

  10. Pounce says:

    Wasn’t there a report a while back (which the left didn’t like) about how Islamic policemen are more prone to resort to crime in which to help out fellow gay death cult members.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22397668

    I actually read about this story in the London Press yesterday, but for some reason the bBC only presents a much smaller article but much later at that.

       23 likes

  11. David Preiser (USA) says:

    Nick Robinson’s analysis of last night’s council elections can be summed up thus:

    UKIP did not win the election, winning only tens of seats, and control no council. Cameron is already moving to make the right noises on the only issues which make anyone vote for UKIP: immigration and a Europe referendum. UKIP may get to crow today, but are going nowhere fast, and probably won’t even win a single seat in Parliament next time, and so is not really a contender party.

    Okay, fine. Here’s what I don’t understand, as an ignorant foreigner: If votes for UKIP are protest votes and nothing else, I suppose I can accept that as a reason for voting them into one’s local council, especially instead of the local useless Tory. But if the reasons for voting UKIP are because of immigration and Europe, what do local councils have to do with that?

    Either it’s all a protest support which will mostly evaporate by the next general election, or people are looking at UKIP for more than the two signature issues, and perhaps it’s too soon (or too late?) to dismiss UKIP as Robinson does. Am I missing something?

       27 likes

    • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

      Up to about 40 years ago, many county councils (especially the more rural ones) were composed of independents, candidates standing on local issues. Gradually the main political parties took over, and nowadays the local elections are regarded, especially by the media including the bBBC, just as mini versions of national elections.
      Before last year’s local elections the Labour Party ran campaign broadcasts on TV about the NHS, trying to frighten people not to vote Conservative. I wrote to Labour and asked them what the local elections had to do with the NHS, and never had even an acknowledgment, let alone a reply.

         29 likes

      • David Preiser (USA) says:

        I get that local elections are treated by the media as omens (they have to make a story out of something), but do most ordinary people actually vote like they are? The other issue that’s making me wonder about local vs. national is the whole localization, ceding power back to councils thing. Is it now that, as you say, the national parties simply run everything, and nobody thinks of voting on local issues any more? Is nobody voting out their current councilor for making politicized cuts to certain public services thanks to budget cuts?

        I mean, I know some people vote for a political party no matter what, whether voting for President or dog catcher. So is it fair to say the entire country (or the parts of it who had elections yesterday, anyway) has given up on local issues and now vote for national parties one way or the other? The BBC seems to think so.

           11 likes

        • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

          One local issue that seems to have had a big effect – although you won’t find it on the bBBC website – is HS2, the proposed High Speed rail route, especially through Staffordshire. HS2 was proposed by the previous Labour government, acted upon by the present Conservative – Lib Dem government, so those opposed to it probably won’t vote for any of the main parties. Labour thought they would win in Staffordshire but crashed disastrously last night, while UKIP did particularly well in an area where immigration is scarcely an issue in the county.
          Why aren’t the bBBC reporting this? I guess it’s because people at the ends of the HS2 route will gain (stations and the ability to get quickly about the country) while those in the middle will lose (fast trains going past but not stopping). London and Salford are at the ends.

             28 likes

          • thoughtful says:

            Don’t forget that there is a large number of BNP councillors there at Stoke on Trent. Perhaps they have changed their allegiance’s?

            It does appear however that if you oppose HS2 then you are in fact undeniably a ‘racist’.

            The only definition I have been able to come up with for this word is that it means anything the user wants it to mean.

               16 likes

            • Aerfen says:

              “It does appear however that if you oppose HS2 then you are in fact undeniably a ‘racist’.”

              Of course you are! The HS2 is designed to smooth the path of foreigners from one immigrant colony (London) to another (B’ham), only the ‘hideously white’ rural folk in between are going to be negatively impacted.

                 11 likes

  12. pah says:

    With 31 out of 34 councils declared the Tories have lost 9 and Labour have gained just 1 with 8 going NOC.

    This is a dreadful result for Labour when you consider that we are in a period of ‘austerity’ (yes, I know) and mid-term. Labour should be picking up councils left, right and centre.

    So where is the BBCs condemnation of their performance?

    … tumbleweed …

       60 likes

    • Span Ows says:

      That’s my take on it too: isn’t this better than expected for the Conservatives? In these elections where the councils were contested they still have more councils than all the rest put together and more Councillors than LAB+LD+UKIP+IND.

      In by-election, well done UKIP but South Shields has NEVER had a Conservative and only one Liberal since 1929 so no surprises there…

      Did you know the postal votes were 58% of the total!!!!

         41 likes

      • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

        Labour’s postal voter must have been pretty busy filling in all those forms!

           42 likes

        • Derek says:

          Yes, such repetitive action can cause a nasty strain.

          The words ‘nasty strain’ just reminded me, have the BBC told us exactly what did happen to Ed Miliband’s wrist?

             12 likes

        • Reed says:

          South Shields – Labour councillor, social worker…the BBC are swooning.

          This was the first parliamentary constituency election in British history in which the postal ballots outnumbered the polling station votes. UKIP beat New Labour in the polling booth ballot boxes by a very clear majority, according to my mole in the count.

          http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/05/we-earned-them-votes-tonight-in-south-sields/

             13 likes

      • It's all Too much says:

        I noticed the BBC headline last night

        “Labour Win South Shields”. Very true but why “Win”, not the more usual and informative “Hold”?

        Minor point but irritating BBC word association football* at work again

        “Labour win”

        How about a ‘word association’ headline competition – kudos to the most tendentious BBC headline identified (‘though the EDL bomb plot one is an all time winner in my opinion.)

        *Python at its best – from”Matching Tie and Hankerchief

           37 likes

    • Demon says:

      They were admitting that it wasn’t very good for Labour. Btu they were making out it was also a great result for the Greens. And that was at a time when they had only increased by one seat nationally, from 17 to 18. The Greens were pleased too, but by what? Standing still?

      To reach 100 seats, like UKIP have exceeded, the Greens will finally reach that figure by 2341, that is in 328 years from now. I’m pleased with their progress to be frank.

         22 likes

  13. pah says:

    … and they still managed to reduce their majority. Morons.

       7 likes

    • pah says:

      Another orphan …

      This post was a reply to Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling above.

         2 likes

  14. thoughtful says:

    PM opens with the music ‘send in the clowns’ to announce the UKIP victories!

    Oh no we’re not biased, why on earth would anyone think that?

       24 likes

  15. AsISeeIt says:

    ‘Starkey’s right: yesterday’s Question Time panel don’t know the meaning of ‘struggle’’

    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/rod-liddle/2013/05/starkeys-right-yesterdays-question-time-panel-dont-know-the-meaning-of-struggle/

    ‘Great stuff from David Starkey on BBC Question Time last night, hammering away at Harriet Harman, David Dimbleby, Victoria Coren and Shirley Williams for having attained their current positions in society with considerable assistance from their famous and influential (and of course loaded) parents.’

       63 likes

    • Teddy Bear says:

      It’s like Starkey knows he won’t be given the time by Dimbleby and leftist QT panel to really explain his thoughts, which would show just how blinkard, trite, or downright unworkable their views are, so he has to resort to a ‘hit and run’ tactic – which he does very well.

      When has the BBC allowed any right wing viewpoint to really be explained?

         39 likes

      • Rich Tee says:

        That’s what Peter Hitchens says. He knows he will not be allowed to finish his point before he is interrupted so he has to get it in quick which makes him appear rude.

        He says he is much happier on US TV because they let him speak until he is finished.

           16 likes

  16. #88 says:

    Remember how last week the BBC were giving the Greens a ‘leg-up’. Covering for example the Green’s election launch on the 10 o’ Clock News, but for some reason failing to cover the Tories launch on the same night…and of course inviting their leader, the woman with the odd accent on to programme after programme,

    Well tonight, Emily Maitless gushes that, ‘The Greens have had a good night.’

    Yes, Emily, so far they’ve got a grand total of 22 councillors, up from 17. Massive Emily. They covered 100% of the seats available and got 22 out of around 2,200.

    A massive achievement! or more likely wishful thinking from the BBC

       54 likes

    • TPO says:

      I’ve long believed that the BBC were poisoning democracy in the UK. This is just another example of it.

         48 likes

    • #88 says:

      Amazinly she has just repeated it.’ Gooo-oood day for the Green Party’

      Final tally 22.

         35 likes

      • Demon says:

        I hadn’t see your comment, so sorry for duplicating it, but mine above was from an earlier point in the day. Usinf your revised figures, it will still take 64 years for the Greens to reach 100 seats at this rate. And yes the BBC were saying they were having a great day at a time when they had only increased by one seat. No wonder they went mad when they achieved five.

           18 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      And how long have they been around compared with UKIP?

         14 likes

      • Ian Hills says:

        They’re about 20 years older.

           8 likes

        • pah says:

          Aren’t they the rump of the old Ecology Party run by the strangely tonsure Jonathan Porritt? The old Ecos were around in the early ’70’s.

             2 likes

          • chrisH says:

            Porritt has plenty kids of his own, but lectures the rest of us on eugenics and the need for population control.
            Porritt is the son of some Bishop or other, but is a godless hypocrite, much as Jon Snow is.
            Porritt, like Al Gore sold his soul and convictions to be a house-trained lime greenwashed do-gooder of privilege…and a place in the House of Lords( I think-he`s done f***all since he`s been around).
            The BBC like Porritt-whose smug self satisfied hypocrisies so clearly match their own.
            Peas in a pod( organic, of course!)

               11 likes

            • pah says:

              When his hair started falling out in such an unusual pattern I wondered whether he had been too close to some fissionable material!

              Of course that can’t be true so it must just be his diet …

                 5 likes

  17. Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

    https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?XXR=0&ID=230&RPID=5184915
    Just discovered Amy Nutall stood in the local election. She got 14%, Ukip……..47%
    Who is disgusting now ?

       34 likes

    • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

      Nutall? Try Rutland
      #stupidboy

         8 likes

      • Sir Arthur Strebe-Grebling says:

        https://twitter.com/rutters101 doesn’t seem to have reported her own result yet.
        Neither has her biggest fan, https://twitter.com/leftistbile.

           16 likes

        • Reed says:

          She might have to change her twitter description…

          Living the dream, and no-one is gonna bring me down

          UKIP succeeding so thoroughly in her region is no doubt her nightmare, which has definitely brought her down with a bump.

             20 likes

          • Buggy says:

            “Living the dream, and no-one is gonna bring me down”

            I inherited my great-grandfathers .416 Rigby. He used it on elephants, so it might be just the weapon to chastise Amy The Charmer.
            O/T It’s nice to see that KCC have ditched that bloody dobbin they were flirting with and now have the proper white horse forcene back on the masthead.

               4 likes

    • It's all Too much says:

      This is quite a big story in itself and needs to make it into the MSM. This needs to be circulated.

      Anyway, we will be seeing much more of Amy in future. I suspect that she is already angling for a ‘researcher’ post with some friendly MP with a view to eventual selection for a safe seat

         18 likes

      • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

        On that performance, I don’t give much for her chances of a safe seat.

           9 likes

        • Buggy says:

          I’m more hopeful than you, and as that would mean the mini twat leaving what’s left of my county for pastures new I’m all for it. Mayhap there is a seat somewhere in the vicinity of Peterhead she might contest ? Or perhaps she could become an MEP for somwhere in Silesia ? Endless happy possibilities !

             9 likes

        • Demon says:

          She’s already got a huge seat.

             15 likes

    • Reed says:

      She got 14%, Ukip……..47%

      Deep, deep joy.

         27 likes

    • Chop says:

      Amy ⚓ ‏@rutters101 22h

      Also, love that I got 14% in Birchington despite no campaigning at all #beatingtheFibDems

      You did your “Disgusting” campaigning free of charge on the BBC.

      There just had to be a reason for her bratty little outburst.

         10 likes

      • Buggy says:

        Let’s be honest: bearing in mind her toxic personality keeping a low profile is Nuttall’s best tactic. Had she done any campaigning, the good folk of Birchington would have reacted to their exposure to the junior harpy by awarding her something less than 14%.

        Say the square root of bugger all.

           6 likes

  18. George R says:

    BBC-NUJ, along with Labour, Lib Dems, and many Tories, are not politically in tune with much of British public opinion, and they don’t understand the UKIP surge in popularity.

       24 likes

    • Dave s says:

      It is indeed a seachange. Although it is actually the shires that have voted UKIP . I doubt if London and other cities will and this fact alone will hasten the coming and rather sad ,because it is inevitable, split between London and England.
      The liberal media cannot comprehend what has happened and what is going to happen and it will be amusing to watch the BBC/Guardian/political elites flounder over the next few weeks.
      I wonder just how many voted UKIP because Cameron’s obssession with gay marriage proved to be the last straw and enough to convince them that this man is no conservative and simply not to be trusted.. Round my way it certainly played a part but that is reality and the last thing a liberal can cope with is reality.
      Perhaps it is now time to refuse to indulge liberalism by debate. Scorn is better and laughter. They have had their way with this land for too long. Time to reclaim England.

         32 likes

  19. Fred Bloggs says:

    The wife started playing a recording “The politicians husband”. Not my thing, but I could not but wonder how much interfering the ‘the bBC political vetting committee (aka the Labour Party)’; had taken place with the plot and script.

       8 likes

  20. George R says:

    SYRIA.

    We must be on guard to ensure that West’s political class does NOT respond to latest Islamic jihad massacre by wanting to send in Western troops to get killed instead of Sunni and Shia Muslims.

    “Syria conflict: ‘Dozens executed’ in village”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22398831

       5 likes

    • thoughtful says:

      In the first world war one propaganda joke of the Nazis was
      “What’s the Jews favourite war song?”
      “Onward Christian Soldiers”

      Seems that it might be worth resurrecting that ironic joke, just changing the subject.

         4 likes

  21. OldBloke says:

    Deep within Amy’s blog, I came across this:

    Andrew Neil ‏@afneil 19 Apr
    Conservative 2010 manifesto pledge: “We will safeguard Britain’s credit rating” Oooooops

       5 likes

  22. thoughtful says:

    Is someone listening in?

    Just a thought, but I’ve noticed over the past week or so complaints on these pages followed by the BBC changing the headlines or the wordings of their articles. One example of this is the ‘EDL bomb Plot’ which was seen on one article and rapidly changed. It’s not the only one though, I’ve noticed a few stories seem to change following threads on this site.

    Perhaps we should start to monitor where these changes happen, because is someone is taking some notice that means we’re having an effect which can only be good ?

       20 likes

    • MD says:

      Nobody is listening I’m afraid. ‘EDL Bomb Plot’s is just as it was when I Google it, see here.

      What made you think they’d changed it?

         2 likes

        • David Hanson says:

          They are still at it. At about 7.50am this morning on BBC1, one of those ubiquitous BBC women who are head of something or other referred to “the EDL terror charges”. Silly me, I thought it was the ” Muslim terror charges”.

             18 likes

      • thoughtful says:

        The original report is there, but subsequent reports changed to something more realistic.

        I’m not suggesting they are going back & retrospectively changing their web pages, but they are making sure some of the later ones are more balanced.

           3 likes

  23. thoughtful says:

    The news quiz savaged Ed Milliband this week if it hadn’t been for Jeremy Hardys unfunny left wing digs and repeated mentioning of ‘racsim’ every other sentence it would have been funny

       11 likes

    • Louis Robinson says:

      Lefty comedians think slowly. Wait for NEXT week’s News Quiz. They’ll give UKIP and Tea Party treatment.

         20 likes

  24. George R says:

    ‘Independent’:-

    “Who’s laughing now? Nigel Farage forces Ukip into the political mainstream with a stunning haul of seats in the local elections.”

    [Excerpt]-

    ” It already seemed bizarrely missing the point to see BBC News’s election coverage dominated by a studio panel of the hitherto three ‘main parties’, when the drama’s main character was elsewhere: if not Hamlet without the Prince, this was Julius Caesar without Brutus, the political giant-slayer that Farage, after years of being patronisingly written off as a bit of a joke, now threatens to be.”

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/whos-laughing-now-nigel-farage-forces-ukip-into-the-political-mainstream-with-a-stunning-haul-of-seats-in-the-local-elections-8603471.html

       16 likes

  25. Teddy Bear says:

    An article from AP that we’re never likely to read at the BBC.
    Now why would that be? 🙄
    Disabled Gaza baby lives in Israel hospital
    By DIAA HADID | Associated Press – 15 hrs ago

    RAMAT GAN, Israel (AP) — In his short life, Palestinian toddler Mohammed al-Farra has known just one home: the yellow-painted children’s ward in Israel’s Tel Hashomer hospital.
    Born in Gaza with a rare genetic disease, Mohammed’s hands and feet were amputated because of complications from his condition, and the 3 ½-year-old carts about in a tiny red wheelchair. His parents abandoned him, and the Palestinian government won’t pay for his care, so he lives at the hospital with his grandfather.

    Doctors’ fundraising has covered Mohammed’s years of treatment, Somech said. One donor provided $28,000 for Mohammed’s prosthetics.

       14 likes

    • pah says:

      If it was reported on the BBC you could be sure that:

      1. They would mention the ‘struggle’ between Gaza and Israel and the child’s infirmity close together. The reader being left with the inference that Israeli bombing caused the problems.

      2. That the parents are prevented from visiting by the Israelis – wall or troops take your pick.

      3. That the money to pay for the treatment came from ‘private’ sources and not Israeli doctors.

      4. That the child’s plight is made worse by the ‘Occupation’. – If only those nasty Jooooooose would just let him go home. Sob. Sob.

      5. Or as an alternative to 4. That the Israeli blockage on Gaza means the kid can’t get the right medicines in Gaza and has to stay in the hated Israel.

      Etc. Ad nauseum.

         12 likes

  26. Chilli says:

    Newsnight Friday 3rd May. Stephanie ‘Two Eds’ Flanders discusses the council election results with UKIP’s Diane James and three LibLabCon stuffed shirts – including Chucka ‘two face’ Umnunna. Flanders starts by grilling Diane James for about 3 minutes, disparaging UKIP policies from their 2010 manifesto:  Flanders continually interrupts Diane, barely giving her a chance to respond to each attack before cutting her off and moving onto another attack.  Then Flanders turns to the LibLabCon stuffed shirts and says something like “when you listen to this lot (rudely gesturing at Diane) you must think what a load of rubbish right?”  She then provides Chucka with the best part of 10 minutes to waffle on without any interruptions atall. She never returns to Diane James for a response. 

    Once the episode becomes available on iPlayer I will reply here with the stats on talking time and number of interruptions – but the segment just reeked of bias. This is how the BBC intend to play it:  Always ensure the UKIP speaker is outnumbered 4:1 by LibLabCon panellists (and presenter). Continually interrupt the Ukipper while allowing the LibLabCon speakers uninterrupted airtime to attack UKIP.

       49 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      Bring on the “British Spring”!

         15 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      The interruptions are not simply a result of bad manners, disagreement or impatience, IMO they are quite deliberate.

      With a less experienced panel member, an early interruption can seriously throw the speaker off balance and it can be difficult to recover. People like Dimbleby are well aware of the effect it has.

      UKIP are in for a difficult time.

         25 likes

    • Beness says:

      they keep repeating a failed tactic,(butting in and editorialising on things they disagree with), hoping that the general public will slowly fall into step.

      The public marched off in front and down the road some time ago so it will fall on deaf ears.

         16 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Thanks Chilli-let us know the results…I`ll do the same, and we can begin a “Craigs Index”.
      Sick to death of interruptions-Diana James deserves the respect of somebody who has actually STOOD for election, and has suffered inconvenience for doing so.
      To be got at by the daughter of a rich popular muso of his day, who has fooled around in Labours seed beds and who shows up to polling on a Wednesday( then moans, about voter apathy!) is a bloody outrage.
      Diana earns her own living-Flanders-leeches off this nation for hers
      Let Flanders be that famed single mother she claims to be-and stop living off the State….oh wait. no wonder the Beeb find common cause with the sponging community up in Tameside and Sheffield.

         17 likes

    • Big Dick says:

      Thats normally par for the course with Flanders & other beeboids, but its usually , easy ride for Lib / Lab ,tough grilling , insults & interruptions for any type of person , who they regard as an evil right winger !

         5 likes

    • Doyle says:

      @Chilli, I didn’t think that interview was that bad, although I must confess I wasn’t paying my fullest attention. The polite Diane James was given a bit of a grilling (which is what you’d expect after UKIP’s triumph) with the usual Dimblebyesque interruptions whenever it looked like she’d make a valid point but worse still, she wasn’t given the opportunity to reply to the liblabcon criticisms. She just had to sit there and take it. Flanders seemed genuinely upset that the liblabcons were so useless but the subsequent interview just confirmed the fact that they are. The liblabcon three stooges just embarrassed themselves, the Tory was a fat arrogant get, Chuka proved just how vacuous he is and the lib was a weaselly shit. None of them have got it yet and one suspects that they still don’t. Best of all, Flanders couldn’t get the lib to say that Farage should be in a PM debates despite the libs forcing themselves in the last one because of their vote share. Classic liberal hypocrisy: Farage shouldn’t be there but Clegg should. If it was a ‘get UKIP’ episode then it was a spectacular own goal.

         15 likes

    • Chilli says:

      Those stats from iplayer:

      Diane James (UKIP):
      Number of questions: 6
      Interruptions: 3  “Flat tax!” ” Two Tier Flat Tax”  “I read your manifesto just 2 hours ago”
      Total time spent asking questions & interrupting:  80secs
      Total time allowed to respond: 100 secs

      Tory Bob Neal
      Number of questions: 3*
      Interruptions: 0
      Questioning: 30 secs
      Answering: 100 secs

      * Including this really tough opening question: “Bob Neal, when you listen to this (gesturing at Diane)…. I mean… although your prime minister’s being very polite today, in your heart of hearts you still think they’re not serious, they’re a flash in the pan, don’t you?”

      Chucka:
      Number of questions: 4
      Interruptions: 1
      Questioning: 45 secs
      Answering: 170 secs

      LibDem
      Questions: 2
      Questioning: 10 secs
      Answering 65 secs
      Interruptions: 3

      So in summary, Diane got a grilling while Chucka and the Tory were given an open mic. Turns out Chucka only droned on for 170 secs not 10 minutes as I originally thought ( although it seemed like 10 minutes ). 

      As Doyle pointed out, Diane James still came out looking the winner – despite the unfair treatment by Flanders.

         23 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      This is the standard BBC operating procedure to threats from the right. If the Tories moved away from the centre on any policy they would get the same treatment sustained for days.
      UKIP have a great opportunity to show the BBC up for what it is , a key part of the liberal left establishment, who are totally disconnected from what the British people think. If they play their cards correctly they turn each BBC attack into a positive by just repeating that the BBC don’t understand what the British think about a wide range of issues and that they ,UKIP , are giving voice to deeply felt beliefs that the establishment and the BBC have suppressed for decades.

         22 likes

    • London Calling says:

      UKIP need to toughen up. Its not about the bBC nice people – its about calling them out. You asked a question – now STFU while I answer. Interrupt the interrupter. How difficult is that? If they can’t deal with the bBC, how do you think they will deal with reality?

         1 likes

  27. AsISeeIt says:

    BBC or A-EBC

    Some of the inherent contradictions contained within the BBC’s constant flow of heavily left-liberal flavoured commentary were bound, eventually, to be sussed by the English public.

    Hence UKIP

    Consider:

    The popular BBC ‘Westminster is out of touch’ meme :

    So, Scottish and Welsh national parties are a necessary counter balance. They are treated as well intentioned and progressive.

    However, any hint of a need for an English national party is nasty and obviously racist.

    Let’s leave politics for moment and think culture. Let’s take the BBC at its own ludicrous face value….

    Think about a BBC broadcast presentation of Scottish Highland or of Irish dancing. Just imagine the respect and bucket loads of goodwill.

    Now, in your mind’s eye, visualise how English Morris dancing might be covered by the BBC. The utter contempt splashed into that same bucket will be dripping over.

    For some time now it has not been British Broadcasting but anti-English Broadcasting. A-EBC

       26 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      Isn’t there a theory that Morris dancing has its origin in Moorish dancing? I’m surprised the BBC is not supporting it.

      I once worked with a Morris dancer. He told me that when they dance outside a pub they get free beer. Not daft at all.

         17 likes

      • Cosmo says:

        Jewish people cannot be morris dancers, apparently you have got to be a “complete p***k”.

           1 likes

      • pah says:

        I think The National Association of
        Men’s Morris & Sword Dance Clubs
        may agree too. Not so sure myself.
        Wikipedia even suggests it comes from Romania! Expect it to become cool on the BBC after a certain date!

        Personally I find Morris Dancing fun, especially the attendant Mummers – It’s a taste of England – the finest flavour of them all!

           9 likes

        • Reed says:

          I agree. We should all be less cynical about our own traditions, however silly they may appear to others, or us.
          It’s quaint – that’s the point.

             3 likes

    • Reed says:

      Morris dancing = naff, ridiculous people prancing about in silly costumes – ignore

      Bollywood = wonderfully enriching spectacle of traditional national culture – celebrate!

      Morris dancing is wonderfully silly, eccentric and not to be taken seriously. A perfectly appropriate form of English cultural expression. It’s just not metropolitan, sophisticated….or foreign, so it is dismissed.

      Morris dancers are great blokes. They know they’re laughed at, and they don’t care one damn bit. They are doing what they enjoy, with absolutely none of that oh so fashionable self-conscious irony.

         15 likes

  28. Old Timer says:

    The bias has never been more obvious on the BBC. I have never seen so many miserable faces when they discuss the election results. On the other hand I have never been so cheerful since Maggie whacked the unions.

    It is nice to see new people from UKIP on the TV too and have been pleasantly surprised how ordinary and sensible they seem. I know they are new to it and are being bullied or sneered at but if they are being trained by Nigel I suspect they will soon stand their ground.

    It is interesting to note that UKIP’s website doesn’t mention the BBC (that I can see) and there certainly isn’t a glowing commentary like the one ‘Call Me Dave’ gave the National Treasure. I await the opinion of UKIP on the biased broadcaster with interest and hope.

       25 likes

  29. George R says:

    “BBC bans office pot plants as ‘territorial’: Foliage could be used for ‘desk-grab and form un-collaborative barriers’ with colleagues.
    “Staff were sent draconian directive from BBC bosses.
    “Kettles, microwaves and coat-stands on the blacklist.
    “It comes after £1billion refurbishment of London HQ.”

    By ALASDAIR GLENNIE.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2319278/BBC-bans-office-pot-plants-territorial-Foliage-used-desk-grab-form-collaborative-barriers-colleagues.html#ixzz2SJb5nf6t

       8 likes

    • noggin says:

      £1billion refurbishment of London HQ 😀
      bbc s draconian measures, that hilariously
      allow … nay encourage, absurd wander-thons
      in the office … oops apologies bbc 😀
      the “communal” work space, i ask you? …
      in what genuine workplace, is floating around aimlessly
      acceptable practice? ….. grrr!
      only at the bbc

         10 likes

    • chrisH says:

      What of cannabis plants though?…and their rights as living organisms, organic and medicinal…and always on the go to get that key interview with Russell Brand and coterie.

         6 likes

    • pah says:

      This is actually quite common in offices.

      Pot plants are banned to stop people watering the computer by mistake, kettles and microwaves overload the electrics etc.

      It’s all H&S bullshit but employers have to jump through the hoops in case some numb nuts fries themselves and then sues.

         6 likes

    • 1327 says:

      Oh dear it looks like the Beeb have had the consultants in and the the idiot management has picked up buzz words from them. Note the “recycling hubs” and the “kitchen hubs” etc. This is the kind of cr*p that really makes the HR drones moist (excuse my language).

      I’m sure I have ranted about this before but if you want to destroy a workplace and its productivity the very best of doing it is to move to an open plan office. I can tell you exactly what will happen in this environment , anyone who actually does any work will have to go elsewhere (the local cafe , home whatever) to be able to it so you will end up with less collaboration than you did before. What is interesting as that when the management see what they are doing isn’t working they rarely change their mind but invent more and more petty rules to stop people doing what they need to do to work.

      Unsurprisingly the people who don’t do any real work but want to suck up to management by doing pointless work love this environment.

      Its funny as I heard in the week that one of my customers who currently reside in a 1950’s tower block which is OK but not perfect are moving to a new building. The consultants have been called in , management has drunk the kool aid and they are getting a glass cube with no office walls and a giant “ideas space for collaborative working”. I know where this is heading as do many of the employees but no one is listening to them.

         9 likes

  30. chrisH says:

    Watched a bit of Channel 4 News, so this is not just a BBC grumble-OK Colditz etc?
    The UKIP success narrative is set already I note…Krishnan wanted to know if UKIP would get a berth at TV debates , come the elections of 2015…and do the Tories and Liberals agree that they should?
    Also…”protest vote”, “splitting the Tory vote” cropped up with Krishnan just as much as his fellow grubs at the BBC.
    Such was the respectable medias response to over 1/4 of the electorate available voting for the only Party NOT neutered and corralled by the BBC and Guardian hive of huggies.
    Glad I voted for UKIP-if the BBC hate and fear them, as does the right-thinking liberals-then they`re alright with me!

       31 likes

    • Mice Height says:

      Even if they didn’t win in your area, doesn’t the damage they’ve done to the establishment just because of the sheer number of people who voted for them over all, make you feel as if you’re vote actually counted for once!

         23 likes

    • Colditz says:

      For months I’ve been pointing out the pro-UKIP campaign run by the BBC which sees Nutty Nigel on the box pontificating on a weekly basis- and look at the results!

      Tories and LD slaughtered, Labour picking up LD votes and consolidating the left under one umbrella. UKIP breaking apart the right wing vote. Fantastic!

      Yes, it’s all going to plan. Labour 100 seat landslide? Great.

         8 likes

      • Old Timer says:

        And pigs will fly!

           11 likes

      • uncle bup says:

        Come on, folks, care in the community and all that. Colditz’ post sitting there with 0 likes.

        Will one of you heartless bastards please click it.

           18 likes

        • David Preiser (USA) says:

          I just did because Colditz Prime is pretending he thinks the BBC is biased against the Tories and have this whole Corporation-wide conspiracy thing going to boost UKIP because of it. It amuses me.

             6 likes

  31. pah says:

    That may the view from under the bridge but it is an illusion. It was Labour wot failed on Thursday – their vote loss out shone the Tory one.

       12 likes

    • Colditz says:

      Final results
      Conservative -335
      Labour +291
      Liberal Democrat -124
      Independent +24
      United Kingdom Independence Party +139
      Green Party +5
      Residents Association +2
      British National Party -3

      Only is the bizarre Looking Glass world of this site and the Daily Mail would Labour’s results be classed as a failure. These elections were in the shires, not Cities were Labour is far strong. So any progress here is another nail in the coalition. UKIP’s result is outstanding as they’ve picked up the protest vote that’s utterly fed up with Cameron’s failure to grow the economy. But it is a protest vote that’ll quickly flatten when it’s a real election. One look at Nutty Nigel’s proposals (25% tax effectively, Robin Hood in reverse!) will ensure the centre left stick with Labour. Labour would be hoping for c16% UKIP vote (about the LD level) to ensure the landslide. LD left wing which was lost from labour in the 80’s will come home. In other words the left vote will harden as the far right splinters. Going to be tough times ahead for the far right. Another 20 years out of govt!

         9 likes

      • thoughtful says:

        Many of us hoped that the election of a Tory government would see the end of the horrible political correctness which has oppressed the population; placed political officers in every public sector department; the witch hunt of ‘racism’; ending of careers; and the inability of people to be promoted unless they were able to give examples of how they promoted left wing values & policies.

        You only need listen to alleged comedians like Jeremy Hardy or Andy Hamilton to hear the favourite bully word ‘racism’ used in every other sentence.

        Why does no one mention this though? That it’s not just a reaction to immigration, it’s a reaction to the oppression which goes with it.

           22 likes

        • Andrew says:

          The talentless Hardy was at it again on “The News Quiz” (Fri p.m. and Sat a.m. on Radio 4). Per the gospel according to St Jeremy, it is apparently not enough for the UKIP to be “non-racist” (its own words) as it ought to say it’s “anti-racist” (his words). Remind me again Jeremy, when did you win your last democratic mandate?!

             25 likes

          • thoughtful says:

            Well it’s some progress given his last outburst that anyone who voted (voted not a member!) for the BNP should be lined up and shot in the back of the head.

            Nice to know you believe in democracy Jeremy.

               16 likes

          • Joshaw says:

            This original sin nonsense is on its last legs.

            I’m sure someone in UKIP can find a short sharp answer to this fool’s suggestion.

               3 likes

      • Richard Pinder says:

        20 years? Is Colditz, Arthur Scargill?

        A year into the five years of socialism in France has refresh the memory that poor people are better off under a right-wing government.

        It took 70 years in Russia, but that was because they did not have democracy.

        Five years of a revived old Labour would destroy Labour for a generation, make UKIP win an election, and after 18 years, New Labour would come back to power again under a leader who calls himself the heir to Farage.

           11 likes

        • Justin Casey says:

          Colditz …. the B-BBC sites resident `auntie-social` activist…
          He calls the abject failure by the Labour Party to take advantage of the elections being held at a time when the current Governments policies and intentions are proving unpopular with many people… They only managed to gain control in two Councils and hold onto one in which they already held a majority ( there share of the votes had dropped) and although they gained seats in other regions, their inability to clarify their intentions regarding their policies, or produce any informed and constructive debate on any of the major issues they say they are against… They are led by a man who stabbed his brother in the back so he could become the leader of thier party. A man who undermined his own brother and lied about his intention to run for election as the leader of the party is apparently NOT the kind of person the public trust.. They know he is two faced, hypocritical, dishonest and extremely selfish… The public need more than some muppet spouting left wing socialism soundbite rhetoric.. Three councils are under Labour control… I can`t wait for the next elections…. I believe that UKIP will gain more votes and prove that they are here to stay…. The voters don`t like it when dickheads arrogantly assume they are protest votes… How the f*ck would they know?? When was the last time they asked the public what they want?? Lastly how the f*ck would you know why I vote for UKIP?? Stupid facile c*nt!!

             18 likes

          • Colditz says:

            Justin, UKIP is on 12% nationally according to You Gov so it was just a protest vote.

            Being abusive reflects very poorly on your views.

               4 likes

            • Guest Who says:

              ‘Being abusive reflects very poorly on your views’
              I tend to agree, if for anyone, but as precedent has been set..
              ‘I can guarantee you do pay your licence fee. But a false identity gives you the balls you lack in real life.’
              …so does unsubstantiated divination and a total lack of irony (unless, Beckham-styly, your parents were moved to name you after a truly inspired conception location), especially in complement.
              Just the facts, man. Moving onto knackered high horses on pedestals that cracked is just daft.

                 3 likes

            • Justin Casey says:

              Colditz…. As I have already said… there is no way that you can possibly say my decision to vote for UKIP is a protest vote… It wasn`t and you are still a facile c*nt!!!

                 6 likes

            • Richard Pinder says:

              UKIP’s vote keeps DOUBLING every few weeks.

              12 percent is out of date, it was double that in the local elections.

              In 1923, the Labour party replaced the Liberal party.

              UKIP,s performance is almost identical to that of the Labour party 100 years ago.

              So in 2023, UKIP will replace the Tories.

                 6 likes

      • RCE says:

        ‘25% tax effectively, Robin Hood in reverse!’

        Moron.

           3 likes

        • Reed says:

          Quite. I think Gordon ’10p tax rate remover’ Brown is a much more fitting candidate.

             2 likes

          • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

            Gordon’s masterstrokes:
            75 pence pension rise
            Abolition of 10p tax rate
            Selling 400 tonnes of gold at rock bottom, also prewarning the market of date and time of sale, thus depressing price even more.
            Murdering final salary pension schemes thro’ the abolition of dividend tax relief.
            Bank regulation system
            Long term affair with Prudence
            And of course abolition of boom and bust forever, well the boom anyway.

            Oh yes, how could I forget, saving the world.

               5 likes

        • Colditz says:

          A lesson in economics.

          Most tax in the UK is taken from higher tax rate payers.

          UKIPwant a flate rate of 25%

          SO lower tax payers will pay more.

          Higher tax payers will pay far less .

          Robin Hood in reverse.

          Oh and how on earth will any education, military or medical or transport or any other services run in such an eventuality? Nutty Nigel is another public school toff who isn’t going to suffer much.

          No-one will seriously vote for these loons in two years whatever far right fantasy is currently in vogue. But I love Nigel for splitting the Tory bloc vote and the BBC for their continued support. No Eddie Mair interview for him!

             3 likes

          • London Calling says:

            Correction: Most tax in the UK is taken from higher tax rate payers Conservatives, who have earned it. Why should those who produce more of what people want and are successful pay more? Typical adolescent greed Coldtits – hope of gaining more from redistribution of wealth than its creation. Flat tax is eminently more “fair”. Except to you.

               3 likes

  32. Old Timer says:

    The political swings from the left wing pro-nationalisation, pro-union dominated, inefficient top down control of the Stalinist Labour Party to the money dominated, selfish and aristocratic toffee nosed posh boys club of the Tory Party that have run this country in the past are over.

    This wild messing about with industry and the economy by the opposing sides of the political spectrum has wrecked the country and filled it up with foreigners. No one in this country ever voted for what has happened, it has been just spite, resentment, incompetence or greed, alongside stupid experiments with people’s lives and livelihoods by one political party or the other for nearly a hundred years.

    I voted UKIP and it wasn’t a protest vote. I have never voted negatively in protest and it is an insult to suggest that 24% of the people that voted this week did so just in protest against the other old partisan parties. It is that we can now see another way forward. A party led by people with no particular axe to grind other than to find the best way forward for the country and all of its people without wrecking it for the sake of ideology or to fill up an already overflowing bank account.

    It might not please the old diehards of the left or at the BBC and the name callers of either side can huff and puff if they like, and yes it will undoubtedly split the vote in future elections, one way or the other. And there will be mistakes but will they be as bad as those of Ted’s or Tony’s? I don’t think so.

    It doesn’t matter, the door is open to a new way now, that of United Kingdom Independence. Good init?

       18 likes

  33. Alex says:

    I don’t really know why this has made it onto the BBC News website, but I do know that if, as happens everyday up and down the land, a Muslim boy made racist remarks towards a white Christian boy, the BBC wouldn’t even raise an eyelid.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-22412282

       13 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      Here’s hoping the BBC makes sure to inform the public that this was merely the act of a Tiny Minority™, and Scottish people really don’t harbor such racist and Islamophobic sentiments. Although I didn’t notice a statement from a local Scottish group condemning the boy’s actions……

         9 likes

    • noggin says:

      what erm RACE? would this … ALLEGED? attack
      be concerning?
      this nonsense is getting out of control

      “I would like to thank the local community who responded to our appeal and gave us the information we required to detect this alleged offence” … hmm i bet
      i thought there were two women, ALLEGEDLY attacked?
      why was the community required, to DETECT an offence?
      there was obviously a witness .. well wasn t there?
      are we having “sharia” police in scotland now? to check to detect whether a headscarf was pulled? or whether it wasn t?
      hmm you know theres something amiss here

         10 likes

      • Albaman says:

        Any offence remains “alleged” until a court decides guilt or otherwise. The “community” helped the police identify and locate the alleged offender – pretty common occurrence don’t you think?
        Would you be as outraged if it had been a muslim youth attacking two non-muslim women?
        The only thing “amiss” here is your attitude to this alleged incident.

           4 likes

        • Justin Casey says:

          Perhaps if Albumen and Colditz spent less time over here attempting to justify the morally corrupt dishonest practices of the BBC they might notice all the distasteful child rapes and theft of laptops (probably stolen as they contained indecent child images) by BBC staff who have now mastered the skills needed to walk through some automatic doors in the foyer whilst carrying a fair trade coffee and any IT equipment which wasn`t nailed down…

             6 likes

          • noggin says:

            nonsense …
            this “attack” to which you refer is allegedly, ie disputed, pulling a headscarf.
            “Would you be as outraged if it had been a muslim youth attacking two non-muslim women?”
            would you all bum? eh!

            well … you re late, it has already happened, and it was a lot worse than a dispute over whether a headscarf was pulled … or not

            this has been used many times
            to fabricate, an idea, a precedent of victim status, an unwarranted and incorrect assumption of “racism”

            http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/3543337.stm

               2 likes

    • Joshaw says:

      “a Muslim boy made racist remarks towards a white Christian boy, the BBC wouldn’t even raise an eyelid”

      Like Aaron Dugmore for instance.

         0 likes

  34. will says:

    Reporting on the Boston (alleged) bombers

    No motive has yet been established for the bombing

    Does the next para provide a clue?

    The family are ethnic Chechen Muslims from Russia who had been living in the US for about a decade, and Tamerlan was drawn to radical Islam.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22409920

       16 likes

    • noggin says:

      the imam said that the bombing suspects often prayed at the mosque, “the attack – grotesque perversion of our faith” but didn t turn them in to the FBI, when their pics were all over the media … how unusual.

      R Spencer has loads of info on developments…
      oh …. and jihad banners calling for the murder of buddhists, 😀 obviously not going to be on al bbc anytime soon
      http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=201354\story_4-5-2013_pg7_20

         4 likes

  35. George R says:

    NIGERIA: INBBC misreporting Islamic jihad massacres there still.

    In this anonymous ‘report’ INBBC manages to give the impression it wants to give, that Christians not Muslims, were responsible for the murders at this Christian funeral.

    “Nigeria clashes kills dozens at Wukari leader’s funeral”

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22414436

    In contrast:-

    [Islamic] “Militants Turn Nigeria into Christian Killing Field”

    By Gary Lane.

    http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/May/Militants-Turn-Nigeria-into-Christian-Killing-Field/

       8 likes

  36. Guest Who says:

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/strings.html?
    It might be nice to get Mr. Barron back.
    As I recall he did on occasion post on The Editors, which seems a bit sparse of late. In fact, since moving, for no apparent reason, to a new home with much fanfare a few weeks ago, the entire complement of BBC Editors have managed to share, between them, precisely nothing.
    As to the matter of the BBC’s bottomless funding pockets when it comes to market rates, Mr. Barron’s talents escape me, but if he is seduced back it must surely be on the strength of an offer he can’t refuse.
    Bailing from a rather successful company with a fair reputation for employee satisfaction to return to a tanking joke (especially if Newsnight is the stepping stone) and HR track records highlighted by Pollard and now Rose that would make a viper nest blush, would need a fair incentive.
    Or maybe he simply wants to get back to a place where ‘Do no evil’ is not really part of the corporate ethos. Quite the reverse. From a ‘different time’ to the present.
    Once your soul’s sold Beeb, you can never leave?

       5 likes

    • David Preiser (USA) says:

      I noticed one of the books advertised in the side bar is “Alpha Dogs: How Political Spin Became a Global Business”, by the new BBC Director of News. So the author is well placed…….

         5 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        I was a bit distracted by the ‘Bad Idea’ T-shirt ad.
        Rather nice to see the concept of funding on a less unique basis than those he talks about has been embraced.

           1 likes

      • Guest Who says:

        Mr. Harding crops up here, too.
        http://bbcwatch.org/2013/05/05/bbcs-sackur-suggests-being-pro-israel-should-be-a-problem/
        There are a raft of issues raised, and some that will no doubt suit the ‘balance’ brigade, but I was as interested in Lord Patten’s convoluted bluster as much as Mr. Sackur’s basic premise in questioning.
        One thing is for sure, no matter where one’s empathies lie, all that can and should matter are the facts.
        If the Chairman of the BBC Trust can so easily fail to grasp… again… that if what he claims is not borne out by reality, then this rotting pile of fish is starting to make a stink no amount of arrogance will cover up.

           3 likes

  37. George R says:

    BBC-NUJ still doesn’t get it on UKIP popularity.

    BBC-NUJ is not prepared to admit that UKIP’s explicit opposition to UK membership of the E.U. is central to UKIP’s popularity:-

    “How UKIP became a British political force”

    (By Beeboid Anon.)

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22396689

    So we can expect BBC-NUJ to continue with its daily pro-E.U propaganda.

       16 likes

  38. John Wood says:

    BBC broadcasts biased Game show.

    Have you ever taken part in a Game show in which you KNEW you were going to win? Contrariwise – have you ever taken part in a Game show in which you KNEW you were going to lose – before competing?

    It happened tonight on ‘The Voice’.

    With about 6 acts still to play there was only one space left – now think about it.

    If one of the early acts fills the space then the remainder of the acts know that they can’t win – because there are no spaces left. So the auditioners cannot fill in an act before the end. BUT

    If the space is left until the end – then only the LAST ACT can fill it.

    So no matter what could occur several acts would be in the invidious (or wonderful) position of knowing what the result would be.

       7 likes

  39. Jeff Waters says:

    ‘Lord Tebbit urges Tories to set EU referendum date’ – Why has this been the lead story on the BBC news website for the past few hours?

    The political views of an octogenarian ex-minister from the 1980s who isn’t even an MP are not exactly front-page news…

    Jeff

       5 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Poor bloke was referred to as a “leading conservative” too!
      I happen to rate him highly, but he`s nothing to do with the liberal guilt tripping voguers and mannequins that become Tory MPs.
      Only wish he was!…but the BBC are happy that he`s not.
      But they`ll say he is if it creates their chosen narrative…our BBC!
      Norm really should have dismembered it when he and his chums had the chance…the BBC were sniffy that Tebbit would not meet the Brighton Bomber for one of their “Reunion” shows on radio.
      Tebbit therefore knows the type that run the BBC.

         9 likes

      • Jeff Waters says:

        BBC were sniffy that Tebbit would not meet the Brighton Bomber for one of their “Reunion” shows on radio.

        The Brighton Bomber put Lord Tebbit’s wife in a wheelchair, so it was a tad insensitive for the BBC to make that ‘offer’…

        Jeff

           11 likes

        • Guest Who says:

          ‘…a tad insensitive for the BBC to make that ‘offer’…’
          Indeed.
          But it was a no-lose for any broadcast pond-dwelling exec.
          Ratings for a high-profile kiss & make up.
          Or ratings for a rejection, plus a time heals all public memories bonus that the poor guy looks petty to refuse.
          But ‘sensitivity’ is not a term I associate with the broadcast community and especially the BBC in tribal mode, unless they are on a hypocritical bandwagon accusing others of not having it.

             7 likes

  40. All Seeing Eye says:

    During the course of the rolling news tonight, the target hit by the Israelis abruptly changed from being a “military research facility” to a “scientific research facility ” at about 2am UK time.

    Somebody must have noticed and decided that the target needed to sound a bit more ambiguously ‘civilian-ish’.

       14 likes

  41. thoughtful says:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2319605/BBC-man-called-The-Pimp-picked-girls-Stuart-Hall–filmed-having-sex.html

    AH bBC what have you been getting up to out of sight? How come your moral compass became so defective?

       9 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      The BBC getting a taste of its daily dose of ‘sources say’, so they can’t complain. What is interesting is the job titles of claimants if not names, which rings truer than a Nick Rob ‘HoC junior SPaD overheard in the loo’ or ‘The BIJ told us they’d checked and that was good enough for us’.
      So again we have the BBC high command knowing all and doing sod.
      ‘The new accusations increase pressure for an inquiry’
      Sure… ‘Tony… Chris… pop another two mil from the unique fund into the kitty for the backside covering squad, compo and side-stepping, and the see who’s left we can rely on to look just hard enough we don’t need to redact a bunch of stuff this time’.

         6 likes

    • +james says:

      Oh my, that is so sleazy, licence fee payers money being used to run a fake casting couch scam. Also licence fee payers money being used to film hardcore porn.

      If it was bad then, imagine what it is like today!

         10 likes

  42. noggin says:

    BBC, The Big Questions, has the panto dame going all “interesting hair” over …..
    are religions fair to women? 😀
    all his best buddy “ejector seat” scholar/knowledgeable/ imams have run for the hills.
    according to the blurb, we have a convert to islam? and a rep from muslim women of education? ….
    appears there might be a, lorra! lorra! talk about women bishops.

       3 likes

    • noggin says:

      sadly usual fare … a lady was on who was an ex-muslim,
      and as usual, had to contend with two mouthy converts and erm “helpful 😀 ” interventions by the dame.

      one simple observation … why did this ex-muslim lady
      resort to wearing large dark sunglasses and a red wig?
      nothing else needs to be said.

         6 likes

      • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

        The whole programme and not a mention of the effects of marrying a 9 year old child?

           5 likes

      • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

        Well, she did actually say the ” more” .

        She said ” apostacy is punishable by death” bur panto ignored it.

           4 likes

  43. Guest Who says:

    The rough and tumble of blog thread comments can bring out the worst, or best.
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/jimmy-savile/10037039/A-decade-that-hushed-up-horror.html
    There is a lovely moment when an apologist trots out a ‘is that all?’ taunt, and leaves the door open to be totally pwned with a deluge of hyperlinked facts.
    Quite made my day seeing that.
    Theirs… one suspects… not so much.

       6 likes

  44. Aerfen says:

    The BBC are really pushing for Afghan interpreters to be given British citizenship! There are so many reasons why this is wrong I hardly know where to begin!

    The obvious question begging to be answered is why the hell does the army employ ‘local’ interpreters in the first place when there are plenty of Afghans already here with British citizenship who could have been appointed and whose families would not be in any danger of reprisals!

    Of course the BBC doesnt think to raise this, to my mind all too obvious, point!

       11 likes

    • Alan says:

      The other obvious point is that there are 300,000 plus Afghans in the army and police…..surely they too are just as likely to be under threat from a Talliban regime….can they all come here, with their families?

         6 likes

      • aerfen says:

        Obvious, but I admit, one I hadn’t thought of; and in fact those people on active service, rather than an ancilliary service like interpreting are probably more at risk

           1 likes

    • aerfen says:

      There really is no reason why Keynes should have been offended to be described as ‘gay’. Surely he wasn’t homophobic? :-/

         3 likes

  45. TomR says:

    http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22419995
    So only now, when Israel are involved, do the BBC take the Syrian government’s line and call the rebels ‘terrorists’. Ridiculous

       6 likes

    • Pounce says:

      Tom,
      I noticed that somewhat straight in your face Headline as well:
      Israeli strikes ‘backing terrorists’
      Israel’s air strikes on military targets in Syria show co-ordination between Israel and “terrorist groups”

      Yes the bBC which goes well out of its way in which to refuse to call a Spade a spade, has no problem assigning that inflammatory tag when the guilty party are Jews.

      Which may explain the current bBC tickertape headline:
      Arab League secretary general urges the UN Security Council to ‘act immediately to end Israeli attacks on Syria

      The bBC, the apologist for Islamic intolerance, Islamic terrorism and traitors to the British people.

         8 likes

  46. Reed says:

    Anyone else lost the ‘comments RSS’ link in the righthand panel?

       0 likes

    • Reed says:

      Actually – ignore – the ‘follow’ tab does the same thing. 🙄

         0 likes

      • Reed says:

        Actually – no it doesn’t – damn – I’m half asleep.
        Dozy git.

           0 likes

  47. George R says:

    Islamic Bangladesh ‘and tiny minority of extremists’.

    Even INBBC doesn’t miss this:-

    “Riot police battle Islamists in Dhaka, Bangladesh”

    By Jill McGivering.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22418379

    Pamela Geller has:-

    “BANGLADESH: THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS STONE POLICE, TORCH SHOPS AND CARS AS THEY DEMONSTRATE FOR SHARIA BLASPHEMY LAW”

    http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2013/05/bangladesh-thousands-of-muslims-stone-police-torch-shops-and-cars-as-they-demonstrate-for-sharia-blasphemy-law.html

    I wonder how much support the Islamic jihad demonstrators in Bangladesh have in the half a million plus Bangladeshi population of Britain, concentrated in areas such as London, Birmingham, Bradford, Oldham, Luton, etc?

    Perhaps INBBC could do an independent, non-Muslim investigation in e.g. Tower Hamlets, London.

       5 likes

    • noggin says:

      independent and non muslim!, WHAT! cough/splutter!
      sorry george, no dice, as that would be racist. 😀

      ps
      erm … what race is islam again?

         1 likes

    • noggin says:

      better check this out :-D, from the absurdly named
      alliance of civilisations?
      “Thousands of Muslims protest outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Sat 6th October 2012, demonstrating love for the Prophet and their outrage at Islamo-faux-bia.
      The event saw Muslims from ALL SECTS, including Sunni and Shia communities, establishing a united front against Islamo-faux-bia”
      erm … what do you think would happen if someone had turned up with a mo-toon?

         1 likes

  48. AsISeeIt says:

    Emergency! Emergency!
    The Arctic Ocean is turning to acid!
    The BBC says so.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22408341

    ‘ By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst, BBC News ‘

    Must be true. The BBC Trust ensures that the Licence Payer is given truth and balance.

    ‘Scientists from Norway’s Center for International Climate and Environmental Research monitored widespread changes in ocean chemistry in the region.’

    Gosh, that sounds like an academically rigorous piece of work by an independent Scandinavian research institute…

    I wonder, what’s the mission statement of this group?

    http://www.cicero.uio.no/about/index_e.aspx

    ‘Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing us today. ‘

    Oh, it sound’s as if they have already made up their minds.

    And that famous BBC balance? One or two ‘mays’ and ‘likeys’ ‘mights’ and right at the end we get….. ‘It is too soon to tell’

       7 likes

    • Old Goat says:

      There was a piece about that on Toady this morning – Justin Webb ‘ermed’ and ‘ummed’ his way through a few questions, and the interviewee ‘ermed’ and ‘ummed’ his way through a few unlikely scenarios, but of course it’s all our fault, we nasty humans, breathing out, and daring to have an Industrial Revolution. The answer? Do nothing, apparently, because nothing would have any effect for thousands of years. It must be one of the final shots of the warmie alarmists, because they weren’t shrieking, and didn’t seem to have a clue what they were talking about.

      Yawn… more of the same… next?

         2 likes

  49. AsISeeIt says:

    Bonnie Tyler comes out as Welsh

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22063172

    Our BBC Entertainment reporter begins her report….

    ‘Bonnie Tyler is set to represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden. The Welsh rocker talks about keeping secrets, turning down the job before and how she rates her chances.’

    So for the BBC the most important piece of information about Bonnie is her Welshness. Some will remember her from the 1970s and 1980s and many will be too young.

    Still, all of the British audience can understand the note of BBC approval inherent in the concept of Welshness – right?

    If you want a vision of the future, imagine the BBC ramming a leek into an English face – forever.

       6 likes

    • Andrew says:

      Nice, reasonable, civilised, liberal, wise and multicultural John Humphrys nevertheless can’t resist gloating on “Today” if Wales beat England at rugby or if Welsh players are prominent in a British Lions squad. Would it be ok to tease a Black or Asian sports reporter if England had just beaten West Indies, India or Pakistan at cricket? For Humphrys, who would caeteris paribus be the more representative cyclist of Becky James (clue: her surname) and Victoria (cringe at that imperialist name!) Pendleton?

         1 likes