Aug 2019
8:39am, 30 Aug 2019
8,449 posts
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larkim
I still don't buy the BBC bias bit. Their job, broadly, isn't to ignite the polemic, it's to report what is going on. Eveyone has their own blinkers on and assumes their side is being given a harder time than they deserve. For every left wing supporter who thinks the BBC is the mouthpiece of the establishment there is a right of centre individual who thinks the BBC is a liberal conspiracy. I find it quite amusing that Sky is being trumpeted as the saviour of good broadcast journalism after it's previous Murdoch days. The Comcast ownership does seem to have changed its outlook or perception though. |
Aug 2019
9:11am, 30 Aug 2019
23,878 posts
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Wriggling Snake
Agreed. The Beeb is not biased it just has a lot of trouble saying look this is wrong, especially in politics, possibly particularly in politics because it has to air both sides of any argument. Also agreed about Corbyn, a leaver, always has been, whereas the labour party should in the main be remain, internationalist group. |
Aug 2019
9:19am, 30 Aug 2019
140 posts
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TommyK
As much as it "gies me the boak" to agree with Boris Johnston & Jacob Rees-Mogg, I don't get the fuss over the suspension of parliament. Is perfectly reasonable that a new PM / Government wants to introduce their own legislative agenda and, to do that, they need a Queen's speech. To get there, they need to end the current parliamentary session and that's done by proroguing parliament (I think part of the outrage is generated by the word "proroguing" entering common usage - it makes it sound like something extraordinary has been done, when it's just normal parliamentary procedure). Could it have been done at a more appropriate time? Yes. Is it highly advantageous to the Government of the day? Yes ("Government plays rules to it's own advantage" shocker - read all about it!) They'd already intended to go in to recess for the self-congratulatory, back-slapping. conference season, so, in effect, Parliament will be in recess for an extra four days. What do the "Opposition" think they'd achieve in those four days that they couldn't have done in the last three years? Talk of coups and what not is just exaggeration. |
Aug 2019
9:21am, 30 Aug 2019
7,613 posts
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leaguefreak
Interesting you say that. The labour movement (not the modern party, I'm making no accusations there) was not always welcoming to anyone who may take the jobs from the lads. And I do mean lads. 40 years ago my dad used to collect union subs for his branch and I can tell you that the vibe passing through our kitchen was not that of an inclusive rainbow. I see those roots running deep among some labour leavers.
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Aug 2019
9:35am, 30 Aug 2019
141 posts
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TommyK
I'd spoil my ballet paper before voting for the C&UP, but, yesterday wasn't a particularly good day in Scottish Politics. bbc.co.uk Any Government should have an effective Opposition, and Ruth Davidson made a much better job of that than her predecessors, or, for that matter, the Labour benches (who've taken Scotland for granted for decades). |
Aug 2019
9:38am, 30 Aug 2019
15,065 posts
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Chrisull
BBC has shown a lot of bias in its use of language, particularly with regards to Brexit. Anyone should watch the Israel/Palestine coverage to see it is taken from a pro-Israeli slant , it's been similar with neo-nazis. I accept the use of terrorist is a politically charged word, but in which case don't use it, or use it for both sides. As a simple undergraduate thought experiment, sit down and watch the 10.00 news and write down any language that could be considered non-neutral or partisan (for example "Boris" instead of the prime minister")and tot it up. I've done it, it's quite telling. It's not surprising, you only have to dig into the background of the people who work currently there as journalists (Kamal Ahmed, Nick Robinson, Andrew Marr, Andrew Neil) and where they end up Robbie Gibbs - BBC to Brexiteer spin doctor https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/the-inside-track-on-the-man-putting-words-in-theresa-mays-mouth-a4100251.html. Guto Hari went from BBC to work with Boris Johnson. Craig Oliver was BBC Global news head and director of communications for David Cameron. Anyone vaguely on the left works for ITV, C4 or Sky - see Peston, Lewis Goodall, ex ITV Noreena Hertz, ex C4 Paul Mason. Faisal Islam is the only one who has moved the other way. And I'm someone who thinks on reflection Laura K is pretty balanced (and a lot of the left consider her to be hard right). The BBC is a government institution. The government has been run by right wing politicians since 2010, so it's hardly surprising. But don't tell me there is no bias. EVERYBODY has bias. |
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Aug 2019
9:41am, 30 Aug 2019
15,066 posts
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Chrisull
(Clarifications - neo-nazis vs islamic fundamentalists, also state institution rather than government institution)
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Aug 2019
9:44am, 30 Aug 2019
32,261 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Tommy, the reason it's unacceptable is because of the deliberate restriction of time for Parliament (not just the govt or even the small top end of govt of Johnson + ERG) to deal with the HUGE issue Brexit. They should have cancelled conference season and holidays and locked them all into Westminster until a proper solution could be reached.
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Aug 2019
9:52am, 30 Aug 2019
8,451 posts
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larkim
Agree with HG. It's a deliberate act that restricts options at a time critical time. With Parliament sitting, Parliament could have decided to not recess during conference season (I believe that was one of the potential plans). Without it sitting, it doesn't have that option. Yes, the loss is only 4 days of "standard" parliamentary time, but don't tell me that the Queen's speech couldn't be scheduled for end of November with a planned prorugation from the early part of November. 1.5 months of delay to Boris' election-footing legislative programme wouldn't have cost the country anything significant. |
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Aug 2019
9:54am, 30 Aug 2019
142 posts
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TommyK
I wouldn't disagree, Happy, that they should have cancelled conference season and holidays, but, the fact of the matter is, the Government has followed proper parliamentary procedure here, so, the manufactured outrage and talk of coups is overblown. I'm not defending their actions (I've signed the petition), I'm just pointing out that this Government hasn't actually done anything that doesn't happen with every Government. I think this proves that they're morally bankrupt, but, I think we all knew that anyway. |
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