Nice to see that BBC enthusiastically “investigating” the Government’s removal of housing benefit aka “bedroom tax”. Labour must love the way the BBC sets the agenda on these issues so it can then row in behind.
OUR HOUSE..
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From now on call the licence fee the ‘telly tax’.
The telly poll tax.
Make sure everyone knows where the tax goes…..
The BBC Telly Tax or the BBC Telly Poll Tax.
I posted this in the weekend open thread as I did not realise you had opened a thread about this subject. Although I only managed to listen to a couple of minutes on the “Today” programme this morning the 6% figure certainly stuck in my mind as it was forcefully pushed throughout the few minutes I listened to the biased bar stewards.
Anyhoo, this is what I posted elsewhere:
This is not a word of a lie – This morning, Friday 28 March 2014, I turned on the bedside radio at 07:50 and tuned in to BBC R4, a station I’ve not listened to in the morning for a couple of years now because of the way their “Today” programme upsets my equilibrium for the rest of the day. I’m not sure why I tuned in to that station this morning, except I was restless having been awake for a few hours and I honestly think I was tuning in to hear the weather forecast just before 08:00.
I never heard the forecast.
I caught the end of an “article” on the changes to housing benefit and the presenter said “Thank you” to some “expert” then said now we have a housing minister, [*I cannot remember the name*], and the presenter proceeded to interrogate the minister about the “only 6% change that has happened since you introduced this change to housing benefit”.
I lasted all of less than two minutes before actually screaming at the radio: “LET HER BLOODY WELL SPEAK!”
The “interview” was unbelievable! Butting in constantly by the presenter and this in turn led to the government minister talking over her to try and get her original answers across. At the end it was like two fishwives screaming across the street at each other and neither one listening to what the other was saying.
My blood pressure peaked to dangerous levels and again I switched off this mockery of an unbiased national broadcaster and tuned into Classic FM to try and restore some calm to my day.
Years ago (MANY years ago!), I religiously switched on BBC R4 (or the Home Service) as soon as I awoke and for an hour or so I absorbed the current news of the day as presented by the likes of Jack de Manio as my day began. I am not sure when the rot set in, but the “Today” programme is now totally rotten to its very core with its bias and rude, intrusive “interrogators”. I remember remarking to some friends many years ago after listening to Jimmy Young interviewing Margaret Thatcher on his R2 programme, “*That* is the way to interview politicians!” He was polite, never really interrupting, yet after they finished their spiel he often seemed ready with a stiletto question from himself or a listener which often caught them unawares.
These days there are no “stiletto” questions on BBC R4 – just a squalid gang of thugs, complete with baseball bats, knocking aside any single person who does not agree with their fixed mindset.
According to Robin Aitken,in his book ‘Can we trust the BBC’,the hugely popular Jack de Manio was an early victim of the BBC’s pro EU agenda
I can very well believe that, Stewart.
What I would love to see one day – though I suspect I’ll be long gone if it ever happens – is that after the eventual collapse of the BBC (AND THAT WILL HAPPEN!) some proper investigative reporters will start digging, and keep digging, until one day they hit pay dirt.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ONE DAY, OR MAYBE MANY DAYS, ONE MEETING, OR MAYBE MANY MEETINGS,
When someone, or SOME COMMITTEE more likely, decided amongst themselves that the BBC was to change course.
What baffles me about all this, and to be honest it worries me tremendously about the future of this country, is that we have newspapers the likes of the Daily Mail frequently flinging disparaging articles at the BBC.
Yet, NO ONE DIGS DEEPER? If they believe the BBC IS biased as we on this site believe, why don’t they DIG?
When you see what a few private individuals on this site can dig up concerning obvious BBC bias, it does make me wonder why no newspapers have properly dug into the mess?
Even the likes of Sky News and The Sun run by Rupert Murdoch who has been condemned outright by the BBC, excoriated by the “luvvies” and “celebrities” in the “Hacked Off” campaign which was also strongly supported by the BBC, go pussyfooting around this “Wonderful Institution Which Is Admired Worldwide”!!!
Where are their balls?
Where are their balls? Tied to their mortgages. I believe that , after the collapse of the behemoth (the BBC) thousands of displaced apparatchiks will begin a circus of recrimination. Naming those who through their arrogance and contempt that have brought about its demise. Perhaps then we will know a little of the truth
If you haven’t read Aitkens book then you should
I will most certainly get Aitken’s book as you recommend. I have Peter Sisson’s story though my opinion is he pulled his punches.
Apart from that though, Rupert Murdoch has no mortgage worries! I suspect he is afraid to let his hounds loose perhaps because once the dirty linen stuff started tumbling into the open there would be a highly orchestrated campaign, supported by every single luvvie known to mankind (and even some unknown!) who would be screaming:
“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE YOUR BELOVED DARLING AUNTIE BBC POSSIBLY REPLACED BY THIS … Uuuurrrghh!! UNMENTIONABLE !!!
They would more than likely run stories like, “If the BBC loses the licence fee, there will be NO MORE EASTENDERS!”
I am certain that there will never, ever be real civil trouble in this wonderful country of ours until the lights go out for a few nights, *AND* the Great British Public are unable to follow Coronation Street, Eastenders, and whatever current “reality” seris is running.
Cynical? Moi?
I think your point about an armed stand off between Murdoch and the BBC may have some merit to it.
But I suspect most journo’s,especially those who haven’t already ‘made a name for themselves’, whether they work directly for the BBC or not are scared of the the effect the BBC’s displeasure would have on their careers. That is part of the problem with its market dominance.
I find that I miss Brian Walden-who was a Labour MP but one who was fair and shafted the likes of both Thatcher and Healey on a good day equally well.
He was ITV of course.
Nantucket Sleighride !
Can we have Tony Benns house, seeing as he no longer needs it and his spawn are doing pretty well from the taxpayer…with continuing employment for the grandkids as Parliamentary blow-ins or comprehensive school champions( as long as their kids can stay at Holland Park or something befitting their unearned wealth)?
Benns Spare Room Tribute-set an example you Red Barons!
Great to see the Beeb employing FOI so effectively (why only 200 councils?)
Strangely not keen to answer FOI requests though
The bedroom tax deserves not only scrutiny, but a thorough dismantling.
In my opinion the BBC is perfectly reasonable in its coverage of this issue, and any accusations of bias are absurd.
The bedroom tax should be abolished, no questions asked.