The art of conversation

  

John Simpson & KC

What better to kick off the weekend that reading John Simpson crossing verbal swords with a Corbynista. It began in March and continued last night and this morning:

John Simpson: I’ve warned for some years now that the concerted attacks on the BBC would end in its destruction.  Only a determined few want this to happen.  The rest are unthinkingly caught up in the mud-slinging, or feel powerless.  If you want the BBC to survive, now’s the time to speak up.

KC: It was only a determined few, but over the past couple of years the BBC News misrepresentation of Corbyn and Labour has expanded that number who have now joined the anti BBC brigade, me included.

John Simpson: You & Dominic Cummings both.

KC: Snide snipe John. You know as well as I do the change in BBC since Cameron exerted his power to change it.

John Simpson: Simply not true.  And it remains a fact that you have allied yourself with the BBC’s real enemies on the radical right.

KC: What isn't true John? Cameron putting his own man in as DG?

John Simpson: What, Tony Hall? I think you ought to do a bit of reading.

KC: Or have they allied themselves with me? I have been against BBC since they supported Blair in the Iraq war.

John Simpson: Another fantasy. Blair & Campbell couldn’t wait to attack the BBC after the Iraq invasion.

KC: Understandable that you will defend your employer, but realising you are of the privileged few is less defensible. Many are suffering while you sit comfortably on a cushy job and large pension.

John Simpson: Much easier to attack me personally than reflect on what I’ve said, eh? Listen. The BBC is under habitual attack from whatever govt is in power, because it insists on airing alternative views & criticisms of the govt. It’s far from perfect but its future is now under real threat.

KC: So kissing Tory arses is to avoid threat is it? Go watch Marr or Kuenssberg and see if you can find 'alternative views'. BBC surely needs public support to protect it so more diversity of opinion might help. By the way I am talking about BBC News here.

John Simpson: Sorry - I've tried to be patient with you & explain the way things really are. But you seem determined to be personally abusive. Bye-bye.