I thought Andrew Marr had been slightly chastened by the fallout from his disastrous ‘get Boris’ fiasco. (That, and perhaps the conspicuous dearth of A-list politicians whom the Beeb had managed to lure onto the Marr show.)
However, the perfect storm of Covid-19, the floods, and internal governmental political mini-eruptions (Sajid and Priti) have led to a kind of wartime spirit. We must come together.
Both today’s interviews of Rishi Sunak (on Sky and on the Marr show) were still angling for the same ‘gotcha’ - albeit a minor one - over whether the emergency means Sunak is going to ‘break fiscal rules’.
"Late night Nando’s, yes, and Skittles"— Sophy Ridge on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) March 8, 2020
Chancellor @RishiSunak says he has been fuelled over the last few weeks by lots of late night Nando’s.
Follow #Ridge live: https://t.co/LYNGMwp38s pic.twitter.com/LB95jWZHf1
Needless to say, despite how many times Sophy narrowed her eyes and/or Marr leant forward in his chair, the mild-mannered chancellor wouldn’t budge. “Wait for Wednesday” was the message.
I wonder if anyone can explain why the BBC keeps inviting John McDonnell onto their flagship programmes. They must be really desperate. Who still cares what he thinks?
I’m always torn between the overlap between the two main political Sunday morning shows. I wish they wouldn’t do that. So I’ve yet to catch up on some of the colourful Sky interviews I missed. Namely Layla Moran and Cherie Blair, who looked suspiciously like a Spitting Image of herself. (I hear that programme is coming back soon so perhaps it was a prototype)
Yes, I saw a bit of Marr and McDonnell...and had the same thoughts. Why? Maybe ex Trot-cum-Maoist Marr feels a certain affinity with Trot-cum-Maoist John McDonnell?
ReplyDeleteI noticed a more mature spirit in one of Sophie Ridge's interviews with a medical expert re coronvirus. "It's difficult, isn't it?" she said at one point. Yes, it is.
So is dealing with migration in the modern world.
So is dealing with people who couldn't be arsed to apply for citizenship (Windrush scandal).
So is maintaining an economy that pumps out wealth all around the country.
So is running the NHS effectively.
Yes, it's all difficult!
If only our self-regarding virtue-signalling interviewers dipped their toes in the waters of humility a little more often...and actually sought out constructive debate rather than tired old "gotcherism".
important clip of McDonnell claiming 700,000 homeless died on the street last year
ReplyDelete... Only out by magnitude 1,000
Then Marr next said
“John McDonell it’s been very good talking with you”
... without pausing to challenge that ridiculous statistic
Yup, just shows how pathetic Marr is, not picking that up.
ReplyDeleteWrong by a magnitude of 1000? I suspect even the figure of 700 is wrong for people dying on the streets, given there are only about 4000 rough sleepers at any one time. The 700 figure is probably the number of homeless people who died but I suspect the vast majority of those will have died in hospital or in hostels or in friends' houses or police cells - not on the streets.
"726 people are estimated to have died in England and Wales in 2018
Deletewho were either sleeping rough or in emergency accommodation at the time of their death or shortly before."
https://fullfact.org/health/deaths-homeless-john-mcdonnell/