494 Responses to MID WEEK OPEN THREAD…..

  1. Thoughtful says:

    Nothing on the BBC about this :

    The Government has failed to collect more than £120m in fines imposed on British firms over the past six years for employing illegal immigrants, PoliticsHome can reveal.

    Figures released by Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill show that penalties worth £179.1m were issued to companies from 2009/10 through to September of this year for employing people here illegally

    Some £57.4m was collected by the Government during this period, meaning £121.7m, or two-thirds, of the fines have not been paid.

    Overall, there were 15,115 penalties issued from financial year 2009/10 to September 2016 for firms employing illegal immigrants.

       23 likes

  2. Thoughtful says:

    Nothing about this either:

    Birmingham City Council last night apologised and vowed to review its systems after it emerged that it had paid more than £5,400 to a Belgian man while he was fighting in Syria.

    Anouar Haddouchi moved to Birmingham from his native Brussels in 2009 along with his wife, Muslim convert Julie Maes, and their two children.

    They lived in private rented accomodation and despite being foreign nationals, were legally entitled to child, housing and council tax benefit. Haddouchi even boasted to his friends how he was able to live “very comfortably” on the money he received from the British state.

    Friend, Azzedine Kaddour, told police that Haddouchi had managed to bank a large amount of cash from his benefit payments and had used the money to fund his journey to Syria where he joined Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

    He said: “Anouar Haddouchi financed his trip with money he had in his bank account. In essence he emptied his account to go to Syria. A good chunk of that came from the benefits he received in the UK.”

    In an extraordinary blunder Birmingham City Council continued to pay his housing benefit directly into his Lloyds TSB Islamic bank account for 11 months after he had left the country, even though his landlord wrote to officials to say he was no longer living at the address. …

    Our good friends at Birmingham city LABOUR council AGAIN !

       53 likes

  3. soyelcaminodelfuturo says:

    In the Daily Politics today, Brandon Lewis, the Home Office Minister was talking complete bollocks. He was arguing that it was possible to negotiate a way to remain in the customs union and to negotiate free trade agreements with countries outside of the EU. Neil quite rightly pressed him hard to reconcile this evident rubbish but he didn’t budge. We are expected to buy this complete inversion of reality from our so called leaders – WTF? How can you have the tiniest faith in a government that proposes that of course we could negotiate the right for black to equal white. The one consolation was that, at the end of the interview, JoCo suggested that the government must have good negotiators and Neil responded with “…or magicians”.

       16 likes

  4. Sir_Arthur_Strebe-Grebling says:

    The racist bBBC is at it again.

       33 likes

    • quisquose says:

      Racist and illegal.

         43 likes

    • nogginator says:

      Ahhhh! RACIST BBC AGAIN …
      and the very latest on these “fake news” stories from the BBC
      from, wait for it!, you guessed it the BBC

      “Pope Francis has condemned disinformation as “probably the greatest damage that the media can do”.
      His comments come amid warnings of a “fake news” crisis in online media following last month’s US elections.”
      … but the pontiff doesn t mention fake news stories BBC

      “Social media platforms and search engines were widely criticised in the poll’s aftermath for failing to prevent the spread of fabricated stories.
      The Pope himself fell victim to a fake news story, which falsely reported his endorsement of Donald Trump.”
      But BBC, he doesn t mention “fake news” he actually intimates all the MSM.

      “Beyond the rapid and far-reaching spread of fake news, analysts have also criticised social media platforms like Facebook for enabling an “echo chamber” to be created, in which people are far less likely to be exposed to both sides of an argument.”

      Why the picture of the Pope?
      better to have a picture of the Beebot who wrote the piece

      BBC links from the page.

      The city getting rich from fake news
      The rise and rise of fake news
      … OK we get the narrative

      Those getting rich from fake news
      I write fake news that gets shared on Facebook’
      Fake news detector plug-in developed
      … enough already

      How can you tell if news is fake?
      Fake News – The crisis
      From Our Own Correspondent – Fake News
      … that s it I give up

      Fake News About ‘Fake News’ – The Media Performance Pyramid
      https://t.co/khvmcxdEY3

         20 likes

      • embolden says:

        The BBC likes nothing more than reporting stories about “the meeja” and meeja folk.

        It reinforces their belief that they understand issues, understand people because they have special liberal insights, even a little superiority…..they are highly paid and therefore must be especially important…..(the little bit of doubt they have about this drives them on)

        What they don’t seem to have realised is that the influence they thought they had is gone…they didn’t get any of the recent stories right did they?…the US election, the U.K. election, the referendums on Scotland and the EU, the partial reporting of the “Arab Spring” and the subsequent Syrian war, the fact free emoting about “child refugees” and Calais……the blank where reporting on organised sexual abuse of white children in the Labour run Islamic khanates should be……

        The future of news reporting is going to have to include Breitbart and a Fox is in the BBC henhouse, meeja folk don’t like to talk about that!

           30 likes

      • Rick Bradford says:

        The BBC is used to having a monopoly; so it also wants a monopoly on fake news as well, which is understandable, because it does it as well as anybody.

           14 likes

      • Rob in Cheshire says:

        Pope Frank, with the deepest of respect, is talking out of his left wing Argie arse.

           5 likes

    • JimS says:

      We want to take people who look different to us and train them to think the same as us.

      In’t ‘diversity’ wonderful!

         21 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      Certainly changed the face of my TV – no BBC to be seen.

         7 likes

  5. Mr.Golightly says:

    The BBC reporting on the BBC’s own nefarious antics is always a rum business, and no less now as Cliff Richard lodges legal papers at the High Court, where he “is seeking “very substantial” compensation because he says the coverage invaded his privacy.” The invasive coverage being a hot tip that a bust was going down and the BBC needed to get the Paedocopter airborne asap for live exclusive breaking news.

    “The BBC has said it should not pay Sir Cliff Richard the damages he is seeking as a result of the coverage of a police raid on his home in 2014.”

    “Gavin Millar QC, who is heading the BBC’s legal team, said: “It is denied that the claimant is entitled to damages or compensation as alleged at all.”
    “It is admitted that the claimant suffered distress.”
    He added: “The BBC has already told the claimant it is very sorry that this was the case.”

    “On Wednesday, a BBC statement said: “As we have said on several occasions, we are very sorry that Sir Cliff Richard has suffered distress.
    “However, we have now submitted our response to this claim and will defend ourselves vigorously.”
    Reporting on police investigations into prominent figures was “squarely in the public interest”, the statement said.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38237545

    The BBC really are weasels. I hope Cliff Richard wins his case and exposes the BBC for the hypocrites they are, while also pocketing a tidy sum. Albeit license-payers’ money.

       41 likes

    • ToobiWan says:

      South Yorkshire Police again, Mr G. Rotherham, Saville, Hillsborough, Orgreave, etc., All SYP! They definitely have “form”. As to who pays, someone made the ‘phone call and whoever it was must be made to pay. I read it was the Manchester based journo, who had first been tipped off about the so called abuse, (you have suffered historic abuse, who do you tell? A journalist FFS!) He rang SYP saying that if they didn’t keep the BBC informed of their intentions/movements, he would break the story without them. The rest is history.

         18 likes

  6. taffman says:

    Yesterday in Parliament.
    “There’s grumpiness on the Labour benches at how it was handled – angry conversations taking place, sources suggest – a sense among some that the front bench allowed themselves to be hoodwinked by the government’s cunning plan.”
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38244953
    Are we winning ? 🙂

    Labour ‘Remoaners’ want to know the ‘cunning plan’ so they can inform their Euro pals before the negotiations start. We the British public saw right through that con. Just as Cameron told the EU leaders that he ‘wanted to remain in’ before he made any negotiations.
    😉
    ‘The player of the match’ in Parliament? – Jacob Rees-Mogg. He should be the Prime Minister.

       36 likes

  7. StewGreen says:

    Thu, will be women all over, cos it’s 100 Women day.
    5-Live will try to have 100 FEMALE guests*

    You know when you favour one flavour flavor of guest what does that do for the EQUALITY of other flavour ?

    * Anna Soubry and Diane Abbott
    50 times each probably.
    …. Yes BBC you are that predictable.

       20 likes

  8. Kennedy says:

    Another good one – Bill Cash

       21 likes

  9. AsISeeIt says:

    “Children are drowning in a sea of calories…”

    Man the life boats! Quick, run for the air raid shelters, viewers – a new battle in the BBC Sugar War has broken out this morning !

    Aunty/Nanny State will love this plea from a guest anti-sugar fanatic campaigner : “There’s too much voluntary about this, too much self-regulation”

    Ah, the BBC do love the scent of bureaucracy in the morning – it smells like victory.

       21 likes

  10. AsISeeIt says:

    The elfin – not in a pleasant way – she’s more of a thin-lipped hectoring elf, Yvette Cooper rocks up on BBC Breakfast for interview on that sticky wicket for Labour – immigration.

    Not to worry… let’s get all this unpleasantness out of the way and have a nice chat about Ed Balls doing Strictly. We’ve so much in common. Naga on the sofa has done Strictly and her house eunuch Charlie has got the hair for it – goodness me – even Carol the Scots weather matron has done Strictly.

       29 likes

  11. Dave666 says:

    BBc Breakfast. Wheel of news stops on Junk food and obesity yet again. Ban on junk food adverts on the internet. Obesity? With all these food bank users?
    Cyclists. Drone wobbles round on a bike to illustrate someone riding a bicycle in case you are unable to visualise it. At this point I switch off. I know it’s not all cyclists that undertake at lights when you are indicating you are turning left or just ignore the red lights full stop. However…

       19 likes

    • Cranmer says:

      Obesity now seems firmly on track to replace smoking as the number one social evil which requires huge amounts of government funding, charities and NGOs to tackle it.

         12 likes

      • GCooper says:

        There are some complex and fascinating reasons behind that – the main one (obscured by many in the medical profession but acknowledged by its brighter members) being that modern medicine has actually made comparatively poor progress in the treatment of major conditions with the ‘miracle cures’ of the early to mid 20th century (cf vaccinations, antibiotics etc) and so has been in danger of losing its privileged position in society.

        It has, instead, turned to nannying and finger-wagging and has repeatedly given advice which has turned out to have been completely wrong (carbohydrate consumption and the saturated fat scandal being just two examples) but, fortunately for them, ‘big government’ and ‘big media’ love that sort of hectoring ‘it’s all your own fault’ stuff and the far Left end of it, epitomised by the BBC, simply worships at the feet of the NHS and blends it with its habitual patrician attitude to ‘the little people’.

        And by that they don’t mean leprechauns.

           19 likes

        • BRISSLES says:

          Since the end of the War there has been an abundance of the dreaded sugar, and there was never the explosion of obesity that the last few years have seen. I don’t suppose that manufactured ready meals, take aways, lack of playing fields and a lack of cooking skills by Mums have anything to do with it ????? We’ve always had fizzy drinks, (remember 2d back on the bottle ?) chocolate and lots of sherbet things in the Tuck shop on the way to school, but we didn’t all turn into lardy arses !!!!

             22 likes

          • Lobster says:

            Not forgetting, of course, that we all walked or ran to and from school instead of being chauffered about in a bloody great people carrier or 4 x 4. Then, after school, we would be playing outside instead of being stuck in front a laptop.

               22 likes

  12. taffman says:

    What are the banks up to ……..?
    More doom and brexit gloom
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38245646
    Are we getting some French propaganda?
    Alternatively, how about this this ………
    “French banks are going to hike their charges once again”
    http://www.thelocal.fr/20161207/french-banks-are-going-to-raise-their-charges-once-again
    – what do our own financial experts make of it ?

       16 likes

    • seismicboy says:

      taffman, I also read the piece on Paris poaching financial services. You’re right it is French bluster.
      I couldn’t help noticing that
      1. The bbc have taken the story like mothers milk – totally unchallenged.
      2. None of the papers are running the story.
      3. None of the ‘large international banks’ have a name.

      It’s typical bbc, anti-Brexit mischief-making .

         27 likes

      • Beltane says:

        Too many people seem prepared to overlook the French definition of diplomacy: ‘Lying with style’, a stance adopted since Napoleonic times. He, it might also pay to remember, was the man who caused as much damage and loss of life (pro-rata) as did Hitler yet over a far longer period and who is now revered and entombed in a national shrine.

           18 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        seismic, I agree.

        It was not long ago that BBC Radio 4 was keen to tell me, several times, that hundreds of thousands of French people, especially high earners, had come to live in London and Gerard Depardieu had gone in the other direction to Russia, all because of lovely Lefty, President Oarlong.

        (It was before Beeboids had learned how to properly pronounce Hollande in French; they were still making do with a fake French accent recycled from ‘Allo,’Allo. There’s a thought. Does a fake French accent count as FakeNews?)

           15 likes

  13. Cranmer says:

    Luvviewatch: Actor Tim Roth displayed full-on luvvie status in a recent interview in ‘Radio Times’:

    1. Is playing serial killer Reginald Christie and is worried that ‘post-Brexit’ the death penalty may be re-introduced
    3. Is concerned about the ‘far right’ in Europe.
    4. Thinks the migrant crisis is caused by ‘our wars’.
    5. Thinks Thatcher wanted to destroy the arts.
    6. Lives in a mansion in Hollywood.

       51 likes

    • shelly says:

      Luvviewatch:
      Kiera Knightly reckons her 18 Month old Daughter put her hands over her eyes and uttered “F*ck” when Donald Trump was announced as Prez.
      La Knightly felt so proud, clearly the tot is way advanced and has strong political views. Or as is more likely, the baby in question was probably just copying what her precious Mama did.
      But still it hits a solid seven on the virtue signal-O-meter.

         48 likes

      • Dave S says:

        So lacking in self awareness these luvvies. She does not understand that an 18 month baby using 4 letter words is indefensible and shows a lack of parental care .
        That she should publicise this is shameful to her and her alone.

           39 likes

    • Andrew Caplan says:

      Part of the problem is that people listen and report it. I suppose that’s what we are doing now.

      Over the years there have been many quips about the way that people in the entertainment industry will do anything to draw attention to themselves. “She’ll go to the opening of an envelope”, “Every time the fridge door opens and the light goes on, she takes a bow and does 20 minutes”, that sort of thing.

      We should give credit where credit’s due but stop the celebrity worship, it makes them worse. The idiots who stand and scream outside award ceremonies and film premieres must share some of the blame.

      Tim Roth was good in Planet of the Apes, I’ll give him that.

         17 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Thank you Famous Actor.

      But no thanks.

         11 likes

  14. Sluff says:

    Apologies if covered somewhere above.

    Last night on Newsshite there was a jolly lightly-handled feature about the apparent rise in sales of Vinyl records, and their strengths and weaknesses. Our Evan had three guests, all pleasantly discussing the issue.
    How could such a nice topic (especially to oldies like me) be biased?

    At the very end, the very last contributor said that most vinyl was produced in France and the Czech Republic and that therefore, because of Brexit, prices of vinyl records would have to rise !!!!! Evan of course, left it unchallenged. And that was the end.

    You just cannot make it up.

       50 likes

    • GCooper says:

      I’m just surprised to hear that they didn’t make an issue of the ‘blackness’ of vinyl.

         29 likes

    • Cranmer says:

      Suggestion for this website: a running feature of ‘Because of/Despite Brexit’ mentions on the BBC. Prizes for the most obscure ones!

         24 likes

      • shelly says:

        Your mention of Tim Roth fearing a return of the death penalty is a corker.
        What next rationing ? Work houses ? Children up chimneys ?

        In these uncertain post Brexit times poverty and desperation stalk the land, except unlike the bad old days people are now fatter than ever and obesity is rising, this is probably also caused by comfort eating due to Brexit fears.

           23 likes

        • Lobster says:

          But I suppose having the death penalty in Cuba, Venezuela and virtually the entire Islamic world isn’t a problem.

             15 likes

  15. G says:

    This man has headed the US for the past 8 years. His views are illogical on the facts. The Muslims handbook tells you all you need to know about Islam.
    https://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/12/obama-if-we-act-like-this-is-war-between-us-and-islam-were-going-to-lose-more-americans-to-terrorist-attacks

       9 likes

  16. G.W.F. says:

    BBC 100 women. They chose one woman who is a left activist in Sweden who faced off a far far far far right demonstration. Fair enough, it too some courage perhaps.

    But one might wonder whether the BBC would consider a woman – there must be one somewhere in Sweden – who is standing against the rapes of women in that country.

    Still, she has emerged as a patron saint of the far far left.
    If only she could bake cakes.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38067212

       22 likes

  17. Andrew Caplan says:

    This is well worth reading:

    Why we screenwriters want to work for Netflix more than the BBC

    Don’t agree with every word, he’s wrong about Sony Betamax, and he misses the important point that the BBC’s own agenda pollutes everything it does. The commenters get it though:

    “”You could try and cast an English actor in his thirties or forties.”

    This is rather tough for the Beeb. Because an ‘English actor in his thirties or forties’ is from a non-favoured demographic.

    Rather than being simply meritocratic, interested in making decent TV, the Beeb has more important social engineering imperatives, articulated via their urgent diversity quotas*. Added to this is the Beeb’s cult-Marx Narrative promulgating subject matter, story-lines and editorial oversight.

    They are wide open to being completely eclipsed. That’s a good thing.”

       32 likes

    • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

      Oh, totally wrong on Betamax AC.
      Sony Betamax was none of the things attributed to it…….
      However, in the case of VHS versus Betamax, it was ultimately the availability of the software that determined the success of the hardware. How so?…well…the video rental stores were flooded with VHS versions, and hence there was no point in having technically superior betamax, if all the best movies were there on the shelf in VHS.

         11 likes

      • Lobster says:

        Dysgwr – I agree with you about Betamax v VHS, but also nobody seems to remember the Philips V2000 system which I think was much better than either of them.

           3 likes

        • Sluff says:

          Wasnt the V2000 the first commercial system? I saw one in action showing a recording of the amazing 1981 last day Headingley Test highlights in a shop window later that afternoon.
          Always felt a bit sorry for Philips. Great innovators. Not so good at marketing.Compact cassette, laservision, then V2000. Now all gone..

             5 likes

      • jazznick1 says:

        The death of Betamax – despite having Sony as a maker – was due to the TV Rental shops of the time (DER/Radio Rentals) who adopted the VHS because the players were simpler to make and cheaper to repair than the more compact and technically advanced Betamax machines.
        Those shops were part of Thorn/EMI.

        Thorn/EMI favoured the VHS system and as they owned the Ferguson brand and had tied up with JVC (the original VHS designers) and Telefunken it seemed a natural thing to do.
        EMI film interests ensured that VHS’s flooded the market – they had longer running times due to the slow tape speed so used less tape.

           3 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      Andre,
      Thanks for the heads up. Netflix is excellent and at only 6 pounds per month represents good value. As Netflix and others increase their penetration of the UK the BBC will no doubt put out the begging bowl claiming that it is the essence of Britishness and must be funded so that it can compete on a level playing field. No mention of course that subscribers to Netflix are volunteers, not pressed men like those who pay for the hated corporation. Hopefully when the begging bowl is passed round we have a Tory government that doesn’t regard the BBC as a national treasure and legislates so that the BBC becomes a subscription only service and operates on a fully commercial basis with no government backing. Labour will of course give their propaganda arm whatever it needs to keep control of the media in the UK. What seems certain though is that as the popularity of Netflix et al rises more and more people will question why they are forced to pay for the BBC.

         14 likes

  18. Sluff says:

    Vocal minority virtue signalling alert!

    The bBBC gave airtime today to the proposition that cyclists should be able to undertake at junctions with a right of way and car users should give way to them when turning left.

    What a great way to cause more accidents and clog up our main roads even more.
    Cyclists in my town account for less than 0.3% of all journey distances, according to the government’s own figures.

       21 likes

    • Invicta 1066 says:

      The problem is cars and lorries overtaking cyclists just before junctions and turning left across them.
      How would you feel if a lorry overtook you in your car and then turned left across your lane?
      With pedestrians walking in a straight line across a road, from pavement to pavement should they have to look behind them and give way to a vehicle coming from behind? To use the car analogy, should you stop at every left turn and look behind and give way to an overtaking left turning car? I think not

         2 likes

  19. Mr.Golightly says:

    “There is a new buzz-word at the BBC. It’s been bandied about on countless programmes and dominates the pages of the Left-wing papers. The 17 million-plus Britons who voted to leave the EU are described as part of a ‘populist’ revolution.”

    Excellent article by Douglas Murray in today’s DM.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4011874/POPULISM-s-BBC-s-new-buzzword-used-sneer-uneducated-17-million-voted-Brexit.html

       23 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      Mr.Golightly

      Yes indeed. I am awaiting complaints from Tell Mama, the Moslem Council, Anna Soubry, and finally Treezer will respond and set up an inquiry into making populism into a form of hate speech.

         22 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      Excellent article.
      Thankyou

         4 likes

  20. Thoughtful says:

    https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/andy-burnham/news/81532/andy-burnham-blasts-labour-support

    No coverage at all about this important speech by the future mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham – unsurprising as he attacks two things close to the BBC heart Labour and uncontrolled immigration!

    Andy Burnham has delivered a scathing verdict on Labour’s support for free movement, saying it is “inherently discriminatory” and “undermining the cohesion” of the UK.

    It’s worth a read, because eventually this is likely to blow up into a news story the BBC is no longer able to ignore – but will report in a biased manner.

       25 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      Thoughtful,
      Burnham is still unable to go the full way and denounce mass immigration without reservation though is he. He and many other Labour politicians are running scared of UKIP and they have only themselves to blame. It has been plain to everyone that Labour has for years preferred POCs ( people of colour) to the white working class but with the help of the BBC they have been able to pull the wool over the voters eyes. But the referendum has stripped that wool away and now those Labour MPs with large white representation in their constituencies are deserting the sinking ship. I hope that UKIP under Mr Nuttal are able to ram home their advantage and take at least 30 seats off Labour, hopefully many more.

         15 likes

  21. scribblingscribe says:

    Help

    A few weeks ago a commons select committee asked the bbc for examples of any programs that were positive about Brexit. Surprisingly, the BBC was unable to do so.

    Has anyone a link to that exchange?

       27 likes

  22. gaxvil says:

    I gather from the BBC that a vote against from Scotland, “would be explosive and trigger calls for a second independence vote”.
    Everybody hates us, nobody loves us, I reckon I’ll be eating some worms.

       14 likes

  23. Beltane says:

    Among the many appalling chunters to fall from Ken Clarke’s over-fed and watered lips was his definition of the referendum as ‘an opinion poll’ a derision for which, if there is any justice in the world, he should be made to pay heavily.

       42 likes

    • shelly says:

      The disgusting old trougher will probably end up in the Lords, then Lord help us all.

         16 likes

    • ID says:

      I’ve no idea why the media thinks Clarke has any appeal as a “font of wisdom” on things EU. He always seems to suggest that he has achieved great things in the past and that his sage advice was listened to with great reverence. But what is his “claim to fame” really? People may remember him as a political dwarf in a Thatcher government but no one can recall what he actually did. The fact that he was very wrong about the euro and still has not admittted it defines him perfectly. After a flurry of appearances recently, he seemed to have been consigned to his well deserved political grave. But then he popped up again on C4 with Farage. Clarke looked flushed and angry – a clear sign that someone had dared to contradict him.

         28 likes

      • Nibor says:

        Ken Clarke is a liar and anti democrat . I remember him trying to get the Maastricht Treaty through without the nod from Parliament . When he was forced to go to parliament he had the audacity to say that he was not trying to stop a debate about the EU (it was the EC then ) and he welcomes a debate .
        Deceitful b@${^\€ .

           22 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Ken Clarke had ten minutes of fame sorting out the horrendous mess that John Major and Norman Lamont managed to create around something or other. Now, what was it? Ummmh. Ah yes, the UK’s membership of the EU. Well, well, the EU and the UK’s membership in 1992-1997. A mess.

        Clarke had a favourable economic wind behind him and a monkey could have probably made favourable progress with the UK economy as Chancellor after Black Wednesday. He will probably be gone at the next Election.

        Old Ken is still lurking around, hoping that he might get the other five to make up the full fifteen minutes of fame. He should have left politics in 1997 and done something useful like making programmes on jazz music for BBC Radio.

           12 likes

        • gaxvil says:

          He presided over the introduction of NHS Trusts and the internal market – we know how well that goes.

             10 likes

    • Doublethinker says:

      He is obviously not going to stand at the next election. Soubry et all should be sacked and kicked out of the Tory party if they continue with their attempts to undermine the referendum result.

         16 likes

    • Rob in Cheshire says:

      I don’t think many lamp posts would bear his weight.

         4 likes

  24. gaxvil says:

    Like it or not, soon to come, from America, an avalanche of common sense.
    The lefties, elites and PC slime-balls will have their work cut out as they try to resist the cultural, political and existential cloud.
    Madonna et al will have their work cut out.

       19 likes

  25. StewGreen says:

    R4 8pm The Prison Problem
    The Briefing Room
    What are the policies and political decisions which led to the current crisis in prisons?

       9 likes

  26. Sluff says:

    I totally agree with the bBBC view that anger-filled populism esposing traditional views is a danger and should be prevented.
    I look forward to them cancelling ‘East Enders’ with immediate effect.

       22 likes

  27. gaxvil says:

    So Michael-large carbon footprint-Moore has called for people to disrupt Trump’s inauguration. Not sure how this fits in with Clinton’s calls for a ‘smooth transition of power’ or ‘when they go low we go high’.
    But then integrity and respect for democracy is not something we expect from the Left.

       31 likes

  28. Thoughtful says:

    Just complained to the BBC about the use of the fictitious left wing conspiracy theory “White Privilege” which went unchallenged on a program about Australian art (how can they manage to get bias into everything?

    They were quick enough to jump all over the pizzagate theory, but as this is left wing crap, they allow it to pass as though its fact.

       23 likes

  29. GCooper says:

    Is it actually possible to turn on BBC Radio 4 at the moment and not hear something about ‘racism’? The latest example was at 11.45 a.m. today. when it was broadcasting some atrocious Australian woman emoting about ‘racism’ in Oz. The station seems to care about nothing else.

    Every day this week I have run up against this obsessive behaviour. It’s like living in 17th Century Germany at the height of ‘witch craze’. The controller of Radio 4 really does need to get medical help before the condition gets quite out of hand.

       38 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      The bbc hive mind does have serious psychological problems that’s a fact.

         20 likes

    • Grant says:

      GC,

      It is strange that the BBC and Lefties never talk about racism in Russia, China etc. It seems to me that the least racist countries are UK, USA, Canada, NZ, Oz. Is there a common thread there ?

      I chat on various African websites and many black Africans say they want to come to the UK because the British are not racist. ( other reasons they do not always talk about ! ). I ask “why do you not go to Russia ? “. The answer is always the same ” Russians are racist and hate black people “.

      Now, why does the BBC not do a documentary about racism in all countries of the world ? I think we all know the answer !!!

         22 likes

    • Invicta 1066 says:

      A couple of weeks ago I tuned into a R4 programme about spiders and arachnophobia. It went along quite well for a time with a lady detailing her problem with spiders and ‘treatment’ There was something about spiders that was quite interesting. Then; guess what? The last part of the programme was about slavery in the West Indies and the revolt by black slaves using a particular spider as a symbol for their rebellion!
      Well what else would expect from the BBC theses days?
      What is a rational fear of bias from the BBC termed

         14 likes

  30. G.W.F. says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38211701

    White men only complains the BBC about the Brexist judges.
    Not enough effniks and wimmin in the Law says the BBC.
    This random shot of law students in City Univ suggests that Diversity is alive and well in our multiculty universities.
    So why are they not getting the top posts in English law?
    A large number are over here on generous grants from their respective governments to study courses in International Law ( a euphemism for sharia) or gender studies and law, family law ( sharia again) and so on.

    A well researched study – not my anecdotal evidence here – might well indicate why effniks and wimmin are not getting to the top posts.

    169810.jpg

       13 likes

  31. gaxvil says:

    You have to wonder just what the BBC wants? Nice, soft job for life, good pension taken as read. But their undisguised joy when events go contrary to the wellbeing of the average Briton. The fact that they do their damnedest to conflate anti British stories and downplay or ignore the positive ones should be a cause of great concern to everyone. That no one in any position to address this seems at all concerned, quite the opposite in fact, is quite frankly obscene.

       25 likes

  32. ObiWan says:

    I see the BBC are crying into their skinny lattes again this morning. This time Trump has re-triggered them by appointing a ‘climate denier’ to head the EPA:

    Trump picks climate sceptic Pruitt for environment chief

    US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen an outspoken critic of President Obama’s climate change policies to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, 48, is seen as an ally of the fossil fuel industry. He has been a key player in legal challenges against EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. Democrats and environmentalists in the US have expressed dismay, calling Mr Pruitt a climate change denier.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38247085

    I’m loving this. The more the BBC cry and whinge, the better it gets. The next four years are going to be GREAT!

       43 likes

  33. Thoughtful says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38245902

    Boris Johnson accuses Saudi Arabia of ‘playing proxy wars’

    The drip drip drip continues, but yet people still refuse to accept the truth – rather like the Matrix.

    Now we see the government slapping Johnson down, saying it isn’t British policy. Not that they fail to deny what he said was the truth.

    Then again, we wouldn’t want to upset the gravy train would we?

       21 likes

  34. gaxvil says:

    Even more Ho,ho,ho’s – the recount in the southern states demanded by the Left is producing a HIGHER numbers for …………….. Trump.

       30 likes

  35. Demon says:

    Header says it all. Her smugness takes a severe battering.

       19 likes

    • Grant says:

      What a horrible bitch !

         13 likes

      • gaxvil says:

        Again, the Left comes over as the nasty child you would not want your kids to play with.

           15 likes

      • Grant says:

        This woman is mentally ill !

           10 likes

        • Demon says:

          Shame really, as apart from that nasty, vindictive look in her eyes (a requirement for all Left-wing fascists) she would be quite good-looking (which is in itself an unusual thing for lefty women).

             13 likes

          • Grant says:

            Demon,

            Yes, she is pure hate all the way through. Tucker is so reasonable he just makes her more angry. Suddenly I feel that Diane Abbott is not so bad after all !

               11 likes

            • Al Shubtill says:

              I love that final line from the Tuck:

              “You’ve got the hand gestures down but the argument leaves something to be desired.”

                 10 likes

    • chrisH says:

      Hitler 1938 and Donald Trump 2016….discuss both as being “Man Of the Year” in Time Magazine.
      As for Barak Obama and HIS Man of the Year Time Cover-now freely available in most school receptions like a latter day Hitler poster-was it 2008 and 2009?…well, not a peep from the Left that might compare his eco nazi, one world sucking up to Islam with Adolfs parallel cases seventy years previous.

         4 likes

      • Demon says:

        F D Roosevelt got it three times. Stalin, Truman, Johnson, Clinton, Obama (the Nobel Peace Laureat) all twice. Krushchev, Kennedy, Hitler, Merkel, Carter, King Faisal, Aquino, Ayatollah Khomeini only once each. These are just some of the socialists with the award.

        However, Churchill and Reagan twice each, Martin Luther King, the Queen, Wałęsa and Giuliani help to balance it slightly. Amazing that Merkel got it but not Thatcher – that tells you about the relevance of it.

           3 likes

  36. Tabs says:

    Religious leaders push for Muslim alternative to Peppa Pig
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-38218118

    Usual BBC reporting of how the Western world needs to do more to allow further enrichment.

    Anyway, its a big leap from the Quran saying “don’t eat pork” to don’t watch cartoons with pig in them.

       20 likes

    • Demon says:

      I often travel to Vienna as my father came from there. My favourite Viennese dish is Schnitzel made from Pork. Although the correct meat for a Wiener Schnitzel is Veal, Pork is much cheaper and, to me, tastes a lot better. Plus I’m not over sure about the ethical nature of veal. However, this year I struggled to find a restaurant selling Pork Schnitzels – I did eventually but I wonder if they have reduced the amount of Pork on their menus to accommodate the invaders of which there are many.

         20 likes

      • G says:

        We, in the West, are so accommodating aren’t we? – for the moment. What goes up must come down………..

           10 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      Tha-tha-that’s all folks.

         6 likes

    • Roland Deschain says:

      They never give up, do they? Mind you, if they weren’t constantly encouraged by the likes of the BBC it would be a help.

         11 likes

  37. Grant says:

    BBC Website ” Jewish MP fears over far right “. The rise all over Europe. Now , if I were a Jew, who would I fear most , the “far right ” or Islam ? Maybe the BBC could answer that one !

       33 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      This should get a Ho, ho, ho really but Oye, oye, oye seems apt.

         10 likes

    • Andrew Caplan says:

      My family’s name, going back a while, used to be Kaplan. Brought up Christian, but if I feel the need to change the name to something less Jewish out of safety concerns, it won’t have anything to do with the so-called far-right.

      How many genuine far-right thugs in the UK give a stuff about Jews anyway? They have more obvious targets, Hassidim etc apart.

         15 likes

      • Grant says:

        Andrew,

        So true. The threat to Jews in the UK comes from Islam and the Left and the
        institutionally anti-semitic BBC.

           18 likes

        • Andrew Caplan says:

          If I find any history of Islam in my family, the compensation is that I’ll be able to tell one of my favourite Ronnie Corbett jokes:

          I’m one third Catholic, one third Jewish, and one third Muslim. Five times a day I kneel down, face Mecca, and sing Oy Vey Maria.

          No great comedians left.

             18 likes

          • Al Shubtill says:

            Ronnie Corbett had some great gags.

            “I had lunch with my agent the other day, I’m Scottish and he’s Jewish; in the end the waiter paid.”

               6 likes

            • Grant says:

              Al,

              Ha ! My late uncle , who was a very honest and successful businessman, and Scottish, had one fault. He was anti-semitic in the sort of “throwaway way ” they do it in Glasgow and that part of Scotland. He paid a genealogist to research the family tree. Lo and behold, Uncle Hugh was about 1 sixteenth Jewish. Mind you, he was very generous ! Although, not to me !

                 1 likes

  38. G says:

    Judge for yourself whether the Muslim Brotherhood should have a foothold in the UK. Personally, I think there is enough for MI5 to do without adding to their problems with another patently obnoxious, backward thinking extremist Islamic group on their hands. See what the Government thinks about the Brotherhood:

    Click to access Muslim_Brotherhood_Review_Main_Findings.pdf

    And, ‘Call Me Dave’ and his views:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35121792
    No wonder then that ‘Call Me Dave’ after having screwed up the UK Referendum Act, is no longer with us……….

       14 likes

    • Grant says:

      G,

      It is funny, Cameron came and went as if nothing happened. What a totally vacuous meaningless creep.

         10 likes

  39. scribblingscribe says:

    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/shopkeeper-at-centre-of-racism-row-over-british-themed-wares-tk6c2gt7m

    The journey began by the BBC/Guardian/Soft left is over …

    Chris Ostwalk set up a shop called “Really British” in Muswell Hill, not realising this is in direct contravention of Guardian guidelines on shops, wording and attitude.

    The Times says he ‘has been branded “racist” and pro-Brexit,’ – since when was being pro Brexit a crime?

    Locals have taken to their resident association’s Facebook page — Muswell Hill and Friends – to criticise the shopkeeper. Others have stormed out of his shop.

    They’ve won.

       19 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      Muslim Hill did you say? Mosques are racist.

         9 likes

      • gaxvil says:

        It effs me off that our once great manufacturing nation is just incapable of producing planes, ships, cars, motorbikes, consumer electronics ets., etc., etc.. – I guess that would be racist?

           8 likes

    • Cranmer says:

      I used to live in Muswell Hill. It’s about as north-London-Liberal as it is possible to get, and is particularly popular with leftie luvvies priced out of nearby Hampstead. It’s also, by London standards, very white and British so it’s possible there was a bit of white-guilt going on. Bear in mind this a part of the world where people can be publicly accused of being National Front members simply for using a union flag to mark a picnic spot in a park so that friends could locate them. (I worked in the park and the complainers demanded the flag be taken down. Fortunately my boss refused and told them where to get off).

      That said…I’ve just had a look at the local Facebook page which claims it’s a publicity stunt cooked up with the shop and the Daily Mail…

         19 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        No publicity like (bad) publicity, Cranmer.

        Think I know the area fairly well, too, and if I recall correctly, it is a very calm and quiet hotbed of all sorts of fairly extreme political and religious views. Extreme Left, Far Left, Hard Left, Marxist, Leninist & Maoist views would not be blinked at in Muswell Hill and catered for in the local bookshops. On the other hand, the 1980s saw a fair number of inhabitants going around in clothing and expressing political views that would make Nigel Farage blanche and get you thrown out of UKIP today.

        Madness used to exhibit a fondness for things ‘British’ and in one song refer to driving up Muswell Hill in a Morris Minor.

        Can’t get more British than that!

           11 likes

    • Umbongo says:

      I actually do live in Muswell Hill. One of my neighbours has already commented (behind a paywall on the Times website) about the SJWs who infest the area. On that point, nothing beat walking along Muswell Hill Broadway on 24 June: I was the only one with a smile on my face! Even so, as far as Muswell Hill is concerned – as everywhere else – the SJWs make up in noise, in-yer-face activism, verbal thuggery and, most effectively, the unwavering support from the lügenpresse (the BBC, the Guardian and the local paper – the Hampstead & Highgate Express) what they lack in numbers.

         15 likes

  40. G says:

    First heard on the BBC? No fear of that happening!
    http://newobserveronline.com/invader-rape-rampage-unabated/

       6 likes

  41. G.W.F. says:

    Treezer appeases the Saudis and tells Boris off for daring to speak the truth about their proxy wars.
    This woman is not fit to represent the British Government.
    Is there not one Tory MP who will denounce her?
    From Guido

    ‘Theresa May’s spokesman has issued a public slap down of Boris Johnson after he was caught on tape by the Guardian criticising Saudi Arabia. It’s a shame that the Guardian and the BBC think calling out a warmongering human rights abusing dictatorship is a “gaffe“. Now Downing Street has shot him down for telling the truth: “Those are the Foreign Secretary’s views. They’re not the government’s views”. Which is about a brutal a dressing down as a Number 10 spokesman can give’.

    http://order-order.com/2016/12/08/blue-blue-may-attacks-boris-telling-truth-saudis/

       14 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      Let us hope that Trump orders her to resign

         13 likes

      • Emmanuel Goldstein says:

        Just as May has sorted out Brexit with her very witty answer “Brexit means Brexit” she can sort this out with another witty reply, “Islam means Islam”
        In fact, she can carry on it’s this meaningless type of reply with everything.
        Grammar Schools means Grammar Schools.
        Tax credits mean Tax credits.
        Eggs is eggs.

        Just because it makes no sense it shouldn’t mean it can’t be the usual answer.
        How about “soft Brexit means soft Brexit”

        You can use it everywhere.
        It suits May because he never does anything. She disappeared during the pre referendum days and was a ‘reluctant remainer’ so, both sides covered there.
        What was her nickname? Submarine wasn’t it.

           13 likes

      • Thoughtful says:

        Saudi Arabia has an awful lot of money it is ready to give to politicians in return for the promotion of Islam and the greediest and most willing recipients are the Tories. Labour are just plain stupid and would promote Islam for next to nothing anyway.

        May is gearing up to allow Sharia Law in Britain at Saudi behest, people are just too unwilling to accept realty though.

           11 likes

  42. scribblingscribe says:

    World At One, today.

    BBC continues its full onslaught on Boris Johnson, this time for telling the truth about Saudi Arabia and Iran holding proxy wars around the world, with millions of innocent people suffering.

    Struggling Laura Kuenssberg is too young to recall Labour’s Robin Cook telling the truth to the Israelis during a visit to Israel. That intervention was praised by the BBC who defended him for daring to say the truth. But then he was Labour and hadn’t fought the BBC over Brexit. So Laura gushed and gushed how this had never happened before and was so terrible she had to go and have a long lie down.

    Oddly, the BBC couldn’t find anyone who agreed with Boris for saying the truth. No one? NO ONE? Come on, please.

    This is the same BBC/Guardian, that always demands of tory politicians that they have a moralistic view on foreign pilcy.

    The BBC forgot to debate the overwhelmingly important point: that Boris is right and we need to do something about Iran and Saudi Arabia causing wars becuase of the Islamic differences. The US state department agree, and everyone outside the BBC news rooms agree.

       30 likes

    • G.W.F. says:

      ‘BBC continues its full onslaught on Boris Johnson, this time for telling the truth about Saudi Arabia and Iran holding proxy wars around the world, with millions of innocent people suffering.’

      Both BBC and the Appeasing PM join forces protecting the Saudis from the truth.
      I see this as further evidence that Treezer is the BBC plant in No 10.

         23 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Yes, GWF, to the point of complete hilarity with Martha Kearney desperate to get Boris sacked before the end of WatO (BBC Radio4 1pm)and contributor after contributor pointing out that …

        … Boris was quite right in what he said but maybe just a little bit undiplomatic perhaps and possibly slightly outside normal diplomatic methods and channels.

        I thought I could hear buttons popping as Martha started to burst when one contributor said in effect, it was in accord with the new line that the Obama administration was taking on Saudi Arabia.

           13 likes

  43. tomo says:

    Since it’s in Northern Ireland perhaps David could give us a bit of extra insight beyond that offered by the excellent BBC piece (yeah – you read that right….!)

    Careful with coffee & tea while watching THIS (non BBC server….)

    £1 billion pounds down the Green toilet in Northern Ireland – unlikely to make it across the Irish Sea and attract any interest at Portland Place is it?

       8 likes

  44. StewGreen says:

    2 top Remainers have defected
    Niall Ferguson and Grant Schaaps.
    http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/12/defence-niall-ferguson/

       12 likes

    • Grant says:

      Stew,

      I get the feeling that, if there is a second referendum, our majority will be even larger. The Remainers are desperate and on the run. Total losers, living in the past. The world is moving on without these parasites.

         25 likes

      • G says:

        Grant, just take a look at the rest of Europe: swamped with so-called, “Refugees” and crimeridden. Anyone with any objectivity such as Brexiteers, will understand that as soon as the “Refugees” get their EU passport, they’ll be on their way to the UK IF we remain. Let’s get out and the sooner the better. No better place to witness the downfall of the European Project with, again, the Channel in between.

           17 likes

    • Fol-de-rol says:

      After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’

         11 likes

  45. Beltane says:

    My sons tell me I worry too much. Both ignore the news and are probably all the better for it, but it doesn’t stop me worrying. Currently the big worry is last night’s ITV news which, to all intents and purposes might just have well been produced in Salford or W1.
    Ever since Tom Bradby and Lloyd Grosman soundalike – yet worse – Robert Peston joined forces, ITV has become indistinguishable from BBC and last night’s interviews by Peston of ‘uncertain’ and ‘concerned’ Brexiteers from the north east, inferring that things would be different after another referendum, illustrates the point to perfection. His full dosser mode appearance might have been designed to put the lower classes at their ease but it did nothing for his ‘status’ as Political Editor.
    How rewarding, and relaxing, it would be if only the major alternative source of news were different, unbiased and (old fashioned concept, I know) fair.

       24 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      @Grant @ Beltane
      The Remainers & LeftMob have lost it. As in lost the plot and live in this Islington bubbleworld where sending a tweet is a bigger newsstory than girls being multiplebly abused by the Pak/Bangla gangs.

         15 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Beltane: “His full dosser mode appearance might have been designed to put the lower classes at their ease but it did nothing for his ‘status’ as Political Editor.”

      Well, that’s Muswell Hill for you.

      😉 Topical.

         7 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      Not worrying but being outraged – I guess equally bad.
      Never far from my thoughts I’m afraid and again a ‘bad’ thought is the effort, pain and sacrifice that British boys and girls have gone thru’ in past conflicts. The knowing, you’re not coming back from this one and I simply wonder, as I look around, how utterly pointless.

         13 likes

  46. nogginator says:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-38234583
    BBC – Police: ‘Unforgivable’ we didn’t believe abused Keighley girl,
    … a terrible child abuse/gang rape case.
    I may be wrong, please check … I m shocked, shocked I tell you because something appears to be omitted from this BBC report, it is exactly this type of deliberate omission of facts, of evidence by the BBC, the MSM, the Police that is a massive contributing factor in this abhorrent crime perpetuating in the past … and today.
    It seems that life, young child life is cheap
    … THIS ought to be front page EVERY DAY until it is eradicated
    … EVERY F-CKING DAY!

    From a genuine news source
    The twelve Muslims:- Yasser Kabir, Faisal Khan, Israr Ali, Sufyan Ziarab, Tauqeer Hussain, Khalid Raja Mahmood, Saqib Younis, Hussain Sardar,Bilal Ziarab, Nasir Khan, Mohammed Akram and Zain Ali who were all sentenced at Bradford Crown Court.

    “Earlier this year, 12 men were jailed for more than 140 years between them for their part in the abuse. On one occasion, the girl was gang-raped by five of the men who “lined her up” and took it turns to abuse her. The drug dealer, described as the “evil mastermind” of the group, Arif Choudhury, is thought to have fled to Bangladesh.
    Yesterday, a serious case review found that multiple opportunities were missed by the authorities to protect the girl from this abuse.
    The report, which gives the girl the name of ‘Autumn’, describes “confusion and disagreement” between the various agencies and a “consistent failure” to assess her circumstances properly”.

       35 likes

    • G says:

      Nogginator, all part of the conspiracy to airbrush out the facts of what Muslims are getting up to in the UK. Exactly the same in Europe, particularly Germany. In my book they are all equally guilty by association with all other the other co-conspirators. Sick.

         17 likes

    • Dysgwr_Cymraeg says:

      Yes Noggin…..makes you sick dont it..
      They actually do ID the convicted men, with photos, but it’s hidden away on tne last link at the bottom of the page…..crafty scheming bastards.

         14 likes

      • Al Shubtill says:

        If it were announced that (for 3 days) the police would not be arresting anyone who took the law into their own hands to deal with these Muslim rape gangs; I believe that the problem would be solved permanently and possibly in a lot less than 3 days.

           6 likes

  47. StewGreen says:

    Cliff is claiming £1.5m for his Summer Horrorday – Times

       12 likes

    • gaxvil says:

      Any sane company will have to consider security when choosing a base.
      So Europe on past record and present condition? Don’t think so.

         9 likes

  48. gaxvil says:

    ‘ The BBC – Muswell Hills Most Trusted Broadcaster ‘
    I hear the BBC Foreign Service is soon to start broadcasting in Elite.

       7 likes