Today's Andrew Marr show

This morning's Andrew Marr show was dominated by the Tata Steel crisis. Even the paper review was largely taken up with it.

The Daily Mail had a fascinating pair of articles yesterday under the overall headline Should we Save Our Steel? One article (by Alex Brummer) answered 'Yes', the other (by Dominic Sandbrook) answered 'No'. I was thinking of that genuinely two-sided, 'neutral' act by the Mail when Andrew Marr began today's show by saying:

Ours was a country that led the world with an industrial revolution led by coal and steel. Within weeks we could be out of both, almost completely. The cost of protecting British steel looks horrendous. The cost of doing nothing now looks even worse. 

So it looks as Andy Marr is on the Alex Brummer side of the argument there.

As indeed was everyone else. No contrarians were allowed on this issue. Something must be done.

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The paper review was a peculiar affair - especially for veteran BBC watchers. 

Alongside Allison Pearson of the Telegraph sat not one but two former BBC reporters; indeed, two former Newsnight reporters: Stephanie Flanders and Paul Mason. 

Stephanie now works for JP Morgan, Paul is helping the Corbynistas. 

Stephanie was 'outed' as pro-Remain (which we already knew), and Paul 'outed' himself (not for the first time) as being on the 'radical Left' (which everyone knew). We already 'knew' both of those things even while they were reporting for the BBC. We guessed from their reporting, and their writing (despite that 'impartiality' thing).

The press panel broke down on the EU issue as one pro-Leave (Allison Pearson), one pro-Remain (Stephanie Flanders) and one sitting-on-the-fence (Paul Mason). On the Tata Steel government intervention question it was unanimous: the government must intervene.

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Jeremy Irons came out as leaning towards Remain too during the programme. He's agonised over the issue for some time (as only an actor can) but is inclining towards voting 'Remain' because of fears of fragmentation in the wake of the migrant crisis and other such huge international issues. 

John McDonnell is aligned with Remain too (though how deeply is another matter); as is Sajid Javid (for still mysterious reasons - if you're not being cynical about his motives!) 

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John McDonnell got a gentler ride than Sajid Javid today. 

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Some people will have wanted Mr Javid to be pressed on the EU's role in the Tata crisis, or pressed on the effect of green legislation on the steel industry's fortunes. Both questions were raised, but not pressed. (Boxes duly ticked, so to speak).

Other people will have wanted Mr McDonnell to the pressed on matter of anti-Semitism from his wing of the Labour. Andrew Marr asked him a couple of questions about it but, again, didn't press the matter. (I couldn't help thinking that Nigel Farage would have been made to spend most of the interview on the issue if UKIP had been similarly infected). 

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Despite the presence of both Paul Mason and John McDonnell some of the krazy Korbynista krowd on Twitter still complained about the "Tory" Marr show. Nothing would satisfy such people, short of the entire politburo turning out.

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And there was some Gabriel Fauré to finish. Nice.