tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post5315396497939557501..comments2024-01-01T17:21:52.555+00:00Comments on Is the BBC biased?: Post-MAY Bank Holiday Open ThreadCraighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-19497466875159100872019-05-14T09:22:28.775+01:002019-05-14T09:22:28.775+01:00MB, yes one might even speculate that SNP, Plaid C...MB, yes one might even speculate that SNP, Plaid Cymru, Lib Dems, Greens and Change UK voters, just don't know what they're voting for!Ozfanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17351381043702605990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-33813858041765612022019-05-14T09:05:11.491+01:002019-05-14T09:05:11.491+01:00Regarding this Angus Deaton guy, take a look at th...Regarding this Angus Deaton guy, take a look at this interview:<br /><br />https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/03/angus-deaton-qa/518880/<br /><br />This guy is supposed to be a Nobel Prize winner in economics but you read this and it sounds like some bloke, half pissed talking to you down the pub!...half-remembered stuff he read somewhere, crazy affirmations (poor people in Bangladesh are better off than poor people in the USA!), maudlin stuff about a black Congressman, advocating for no borders and free immigration because cities with huge migrant populations like migration (whodathought it), anecdotes used as proof,weird confessions ("I don’t even know what a robot is..." - really? - you're supposed to be a top economist and you don't know what a robot is?), lurv for St Obama thrown in.<br /><br />Crazy stuff! But the BBC expects us to take him seriously. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-18622636242382045722019-05-14T07:52:01.641+01:002019-05-14T07:52:01.641+01:00If you were an "independent, non-political an...If you were an "independent, non-political and much respected" think tank, like the IFS is allegedly, would you, in the middle of a national election campaign, publish a report on a contentious matter of political debate generally held to favour one of the two established main parties, or would you postpone publication until after the campaign is concluded? <br /><br />Well we know what the allegedly "independent" IFS has done - it has published its Corbynista-friendly report on "inequality" during the current election campaign, not caring if it's seen to be weighing in on Labour's side. <br /><br />The IFS can rely on the BBC to amplify its impact. <br />Radio 4 have it at the top - yes the top! - of the news today and lead on it in the Today programme. This despite it emerging in the interview with the report's author - the grand sounding Nobel Laureate Sir Angus Deaton - that inequality in the UK is chugging along at the same level it has been for decades (whereas the headline made it sound like we had reached some new crisis level). <br /><br />Take a look at Deaton's Twitter Account. It's seriously barmy:<br /><br />https://twitter.com/deatonangus?lang=en<br /><br />He fills it with Little Red Book Mao-style observations including this earth-shattering deduction:<br /><br />"Migrants who succeed in moving from poor countries to rich countries become better off than they were at home and their remittances help there families do better at home." No shit Sherlock! <br /><br />Deaton has some eccentric views: "Better health and better education could not be achieved by the amount of money being spent now nor could it be achieved with spending more." Really? Well that's not very BBC is it? So what could? "It is not about money, it is the chronic lack of state capacity to properly provide, run, monitor, and regulate public services." Really? What does that mean in any case? Corbynista nationalisation? He does not tell us.<br /><br />I was beginning to think he was a mad Maoist like Marr was...well he does seem interested in that area, though he criticises Mao for his "Great Leap Forward". <br /><br />He lays blame for inequality at the door of shareholders and executives taking too big a slice of the cake. Clearly such factors might be relevant. But Deaton is also a big fan of migration from poor countries to rich countries. Does he not realise how that contributes to our poor equality outcome? Importing maybe 200k people with low or no skills every year simply depresses wages at the low income level (as numerous studies have shown). But you are also importing cultural attitudes that keep people poor: orientation to extended families, informal intra community loans (something rarely discussed in the UK), oppression of women who remain economically inactive, welfare dependency and modern slavery. Mass migration also increases the tax burden on the rest of society (the German state is forking out about 30 billion Euros a year to deal with 2015 migrant wave) making middle and low income tax payers poorer. <br />Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-28689663843689582352019-05-13T23:21:25.012+01:002019-05-13T23:21:25.012+01:00Wow! You Gov EU elections poll has Labour collapsi...Wow! You Gov EU elections poll has Labour collapsing on 16% now. Brexit Party leading on 34%. <br /><br />Brilliant result. <br /><br />https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2019/05/13/european-parliament-voting-intention-brex-34-lab-1<br /><br />Interesting that on Newsnight Christopher Blunt was calling for an electoral pact between the Conservatives and the Brexit Party in a General Election. Would make huge sense but I think should be linked not just to Brexit but also PR. We need to break the two party system. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-79120583410146605182019-05-13T21:36:02.923+01:002019-05-13T21:36:02.923+01:00You read it here first...
The BBC are focussing o...You read it here first...<br /><br />The BBC are focussing on what they an "infamous purge" in the USA 70 years ago. Expect this story to be given more than the normal boost. The reason? The BBC know - but they don't report it - that the Trump administration is now in a position to go after the Clinton-Obama-CIA-FBI-DoJ mafia that tried, using illegal and unconstitutional measures, to destroy Trump's candidacy, inauguration and presidency. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-87389141874399806922019-05-13T21:26:04.588+01:002019-05-13T21:26:04.588+01:00If that doesn't work, they'll try some oth...If that doesn't work, they'll try some other matrix. While it is fair enough to describe Change UK as an "anti-Brexit party" that attracts Remain voters, the picture is more complex with the other parties. Some Scottish and Welsh nationalists will want to be outside the EU. Also Plaid is a bit of a protest vote for anti-Labour Mafia people in Wales. There are a lot of anarcho types who vote Green who want nothing to do with the EU. The Lib Dems have traditional support in areas that are strongly Leave (e.g. the West Country). If these "anti-Brexit" parties can muster say 32% I would estimate at least 4% will be from people still committed to Leave. I don't think the Brexit Party or UKIP will attract any people committed to Remain. So it's a false comparison. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-74525035840121058652019-05-13T20:12:37.070+01:002019-05-13T20:12:37.070+01:00The BBC are doing a poll watch for the EU election...The BBC are doing a poll watch for the EU elections.<br /><br />And they have been ‘very BBC’ with their analysis and said the pro- Brexit camp is slightly ahead. <br /><br />Here is an example <br /> It will be interesting to add together the votes for anti-Brexit parties - SNP, Plaid Cymru, Lib Dems, Greens and Change UK - and compare the result with the combined score of UKIP and the Brexit Party.<br />By this measure, the polls suggest it's pretty close between these two groups, with the pro-Brexit group slightly ahead on average.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07341313534441507081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-81428386140680148922019-05-13T13:42:35.332+01:002019-05-13T13:42:35.332+01:00Danny Baker: Does the BBC regard the 'jokes&#...Danny Baker: Does the BBC regard the 'jokes' of people like Frankie Boyle etc as less offensive than the Danny Baker joke? If so upon what criteria is this determined?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-72852871209693847622019-05-13T10:12:17.504+01:002019-05-13T10:12:17.504+01:00Never trusted Staines. Just a gossip journalist ha...Never trusted Staines. Just a gossip journalist happy in the Westminster Bubble s far as I am concerned. On the (tiny) libertarian wing of the Conservative Party. The website's not what it was but is still worth an occasional peek. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-67300085962322720632019-05-13T09:09:25.687+01:002019-05-13T09:09:25.687+01:00Guido takes an uneasy stance over the rise and ris...Guido takes an uneasy stance over the rise and rise of the Brexit Party and Nigel Farage. He has to date apparently supported the delivery of Brexit:<br /><br />https://order-order.com/2019/05/13/richs-monday-morning-view-294/#disqus_thread<br /><br />Why this disingenuous cartoon? Comments suggest that to portray Farage in this way is inaccurate.Arthur Trofhttp://otboae.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-49128277203629125842019-05-13T01:43:48.419+01:002019-05-13T01:43:48.419+01:00While I am very happy to see The Brexit Party spre...While I am very happy to see The Brexit Party spread angst and terror across the PC landscape - striking fear into the hearts of Traitor Remainers, Conservatives, Labour, Civil Service, BBC, ITV, Sky, Mirror Group, all the bien pensant political commentators, Church of England etc etc...we do I think have to accept there are some problems... <br /><br />1. I am not convinced Farage really wants to be Prime Minister. He's a great disruptor but I am not sure he really wants to lead the UK. <br /><br />2. Which brings me on to the second point, even if hypothetically he does want to lead the UK, where does he want to lead it to? I think all his instincts are libertarian but because of the reality of British politics he has had to trim, trim and trim again. It's not great to have a PM who doesn't really believe in the policies they are implementing (as we know with May). <br /><br />3. I would contrast Farage with Trump. Trump was a disruptor but he was also a guy with a very well thought out master plan as to how to lead the USA. Few in the UK media acknowledge that. I see no evidence that Farage thinks ahead like that. <br /><br />4. Ultimately I think the idea of an undemocratic party (which The Brexit Party is - it is a private company run by Farage and his mates) doesn't sit well with democracy. <br /><br />I will be v. happy if Farage can prove me wrong and create a credible national party ready to fight a General Election and take power. <br /><br />I think there is a "natural" populist agenda to be discovered and presented to the people: abolish the licence fee, reindustrialise the country, a written constitution embedding free speech and popular referenda, abolition of the House of Lords and replacement with a democratically elected second chamber (but maybe with non-voting expert members from professions, trade unions, sport and so on), supporting traditional family values, decreasing welfare dependency, opposition to Sharia law and an end to the policy of mass immigration. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-87068481974950350112019-05-12T21:53:48.141+01:002019-05-12T21:53:48.141+01:00Indeed, it's already started. The BBC and MSM ...Indeed, it's already started. The BBC and MSM have miscalculated. By using Farage to destroy UKIP, they have given people the green light to express support for him. The disgraceful (but thankfully inept) attempted takedown of Our Nige on the Marr Show was meant to be the opening shot in an anti-Brext Party campaign I think. I am sure they (and the Hate, No Hopers) have got 50 researchers investigating every single MEP candidate (in particular every single tweet), every donation and every contact between anybody associated with the Brexit Party and any Russian (anyone will do). Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-14619004502261264822019-05-12T21:48:09.398+01:002019-05-12T21:48:09.398+01:00Yes, a good point, well made. Yes, a good point, well made. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-64699850197960505692019-05-12T20:52:37.028+01:002019-05-12T20:52:37.028+01:00I get that feeling too. The Marr interview gives a...I get that feeling too. The Marr interview gives an insight into current BBC thinking. They will try and take him down. Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07341313534441507081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-7480138473611005842019-05-12T20:28:12.520+01:002019-05-12T20:28:12.520+01:00I don’t normally believe this kind of stuff, consp...I don’t normally believe this kind of stuff, conspiracies etc - but I’ve a feeling there’s going to be some kind of high profile news story in the new couple of weeks that will try to bring down the Brexit Party. Attack “inspired” by them etc etc. They are currently doing to well in the Polls.Clockworkorangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07538039281226245073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-37114546511690398982019-05-12T20:02:56.689+01:002019-05-12T20:02:56.689+01:00H/t PierrePendre on ConWoman comments who said;
‘...H/t PierrePendre on ConWoman comments who said;<br /><br />‘The question Marr needed to ask is how come a party conjured from a hat yesterday by Nigel could seize people's imagination and poll better than the two main parties of government combined. But then he would have received an answer composed of facts and truths that the BBC does not want to hear under any circumstances.’<br /><br />Which for me sums it up nicely.Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07341313534441507081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-11430064667343873132019-05-12T16:12:11.390+01:002019-05-12T16:12:11.390+01:00To be pernickety - people of the age not to gave g...To be pernickety - people of the age not to gave gained GCSEs are not yet ready to 'just die off. Thos who failed to gain GCEs or O Levels perhaps.Arthur Trofhttp://otboae.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-77493223125005896002019-05-12T13:34:34.868+01:002019-05-12T13:34:34.868+01:00You should have read the hate mail on the Guardian...You should have read the hate mail on the Guardian website comments section after the Brexit victory in the Referendum. Leave voters were subject to such vitriol: aged, dementia sufferers, malodorous, stupid, obese,unemployed, unemployable, welfare-dependent, idnorant, uneducated, should not be allowed to vote, should just die off (or be helped to), should have benefits withdrawn, should starve, racists, fascists, etc etc. <br /><br />The Guardian was happy to let these hate comments stand. Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-92090088443353814012019-05-12T13:25:54.772+01:002019-05-12T13:25:54.772+01:00The left-liberal MSM use a PC thoughtchecker which...The left-liberal MSM use a PC thoughtchecker which is why their analysis is so garbled. <br /><br />Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-22690795421614484352019-05-12T13:21:36.771+01:002019-05-12T13:21:36.771+01:00We are starting to hear more clearly after Esler&#...We are starting to hear more clearly after Esler's debacle what Remainers really think:<br /><br />https://twitter.com/SirSocks/status/1126548579571642368<br /><br />... Referendum result being a win for people without GCSEs. Precisely the attitude that created British populism in the first place. ...Arthur Trofhttp://otboae.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-69454043971914398822019-05-12T12:46:56.721+01:002019-05-12T12:46:56.721+01:00I meant: "we're"! Does anybody know...I meant: "we're"! Does anybody know if Blogger has its own spell-checker or if it uses the checker of the Windows/Apple/Android device being used? I ask because mine has suddenly become an officious meddler, which is constantly making unnecessary, & usually inaccurate, corrections! Furthermore, if I mistype one letter, it takes a wild guess & comes up with nonsense like "planet Sarah" (MB!)<br /><br />One of these days, I shall find out how to turn it off!Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02650372666915304667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-6380243564944082812019-05-12T12:37:02.616+01:002019-05-12T12:37:02.616+01:00You're right, they really don't get it! F...You're right, they really don't get it! For what it's worth, here's one habitual Tory voter who is looking forward to voting BP in both the Euro-elections & the next general election (If We're allowed to have one!)Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02650372666915304667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-6503837822816037632019-05-12T12:32:21.217+01:002019-05-12T12:32:21.217+01:00Yes, more Blair, Soubry, Campbell, Adonis please.....Yes, more Blair, Soubry, Campbell, Adonis please...ideally, we need to get BP over the 50% mark! Bring on Mandelson...that might just swing it. <br />Monkey Brainsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-63559474037581907212019-05-12T11:54:49.113+01:002019-05-12T11:54:49.113+01:00Tories everywhere today on MSM and Twittersphere s...Tories everywhere today on MSM and Twittersphere saying the Euro vote is just a protest vote. It doesn’t count.<br /><br />Blair has been on too, but that a good thing, he just adds to the Brexit party vote.<br /><br />They still don’t get it. (to quote J H-B)<br /><br />It is incredible that they could be so completely out of touch in their Westminster bubble. They don’t deserve to survive. <br /><br />Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07341313534441507081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-90289518230149619292019-05-12T07:38:28.643+01:002019-05-12T07:38:28.643+01:00I think you're right re: BBC stupidity - it...I think you're right re: BBC stupidity - it'll be fun watching them trying to put the cork back in the bottle!<br /><br />The big danger for BP supporters is likely to be complacency: "We're going to win by a landslide, so there's no need to turn out to vote, is there?" Oh yes, there is!Sisyphushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02650372666915304667noreply@blogger.com