I’ve mentally flagged up a few topics to blog, mainly gleaned from other blogs rather than from the BBC for the simple reason that the BBC has barely reported them.
The first is Naz Shah, who has been on our screens news recently, in particular starring in Channel 5’s little tribute to Jo Cox - a day in the life of three MPs. “Behind Closed Doors”.
Incidentally I was describing this programme to someone who hadn’t seen it, and I clearly remembered Jacob Rees Mogg dealing with a hostile Bremoaner who sat herself down in his surgery to stare daggers at him because, post Brexit, she and her daughters would no longer enjoy the right to freely travel to and fro, and to work in Europe should they so wish.
I also remembered Naz Shah dealing with various difficulties experienced by some of her constituents - but for the life of me the third participant eluded me. I had to consult the notes. It was, of course, Nick Clegg. I can’t quite remember what problems he tackled - must look it up sometime.
In view of Naz Shah's alleged enlightenment about (her own) antisemintism, the BBC’s lack of interest and complete lack of curiosity about Naz Shah’s questionable decision to attend an event with known antisemites was disappointing. After all, it was featured online, quite prominently.
The BBC reported Jeremy Corbyn’s speech being disrupted by Peter Tatchell but they didn’t report Jeremy Corbyn attending a ‘book-reading’ event with a renowned anti-Zionist activist and author, Hatem Bazian. The pair look remarkably friendly here.
If Naz Shah and Jeremy Corbyn continually claim that they are not antisemitic, what is their explanation for hanging out with and obviously enjoying the company of those that are?
You’d think it might occur to someone at the BBC to at least ask the question. After all the BBC spends so much air time speculating on the motives and misdemeanours of other politicians, it seems odd of the BBC not to at least seek Laura Kuenssberg’s opinion on the matter.
On the next topic the BBC fared better. Geert Wilders’s conviction (without punishment) by Dutch courts, for incitement. His crime was to ask the Dutch whether they want “fewer Moroccans” and then promise to ‘deal’ with it.
The BBC did publish this news, and, what’s more, included the video of part of Wilders’s response, and I must say I hadn’t really expected them to bother.
I was just saying to Craig that there’s so much anti-BBC feeling everywhere you look, particularly online, that this blog will soon be as otiose as UKip.