General Election 2015

[Triggaaar]

The actual referendum was Cameron's doing though. If he was a stronger leader he wouldn't have acquiesced to the vote, and spent the time, effort and money on something much more worthwhile. He's supposed to run the UK, not dismantle it.

Firstly, we're supposed to be a democracy, so we shouldn't criticise our leaders for giving us the vote on something so important. We should also have the vote on whether we want to stay part of the EU. Secondly, the vote got people interested in politics for a change, which is no bad thing either.

 

[Brighton Mod]

You're inhabiting la-la-land. The press set the agenda in this country, and the vast majority are owned by tax exiles, and pursue such an agenda. It's a shame that you want to pursue such an agenda too, because I doubt you're doing too well. This is not a personal comment, merely a reflection of the fact that most aren't, as median wages have been falling for well over a decade.
The BBC is a great organisation, but it's hopelessly timid, and also falls into the tax exiles' agenda, and its political team are laden with Tories, neoliberals and cultural conservatives: Paxman, Robinson, Maitlis, Humphreys and, worst of all, Landale (sp)

So you highlight the presenters, but do they really set the agenda, clearly iSIS has gone away, there's not trouble in the Ukraine, Europe has no economic woes as Greece is asked to pay back money to the EU, Ebola has been cured (after having been reported to death} as these are no longer reported. Its the people behind the scenes that set the agenda, not the presenters. news reporting in this country is poor, relying on Westminster gossip, easy to gather, no named sources but taking up 15 minutes of a 30 minute news cast. The Milliband thing last week, what was that about, been, gone and what of it, a non story. We're fed what others want us to digest. We all need to look beyond what is laid before us

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Firstly, we're supposed to be a democracy, so we shouldn't criticise our leaders for giving us the vote on something so important. We should also have the vote on whether we want to stay part of the EU. Secondly, the vote got people interested in politics for a change, which is no bad thing either.

I think the country is better served by a government's full manifesto and not carving up government into smaller wasteful in-cohesive votes. Otherwise we might as well just install an administrative and body let everyone vote on each issue separately. The EU is covered already by manifesto, why bother with yet another vote? If the EU is such a big deal then vote UKIP.

 

[cunning fergus]

This is a reference to when he first joined the BBC in the 70s. He has said this not the case now.

Nice try. The BBC spend 86% of its recruitment on advertising jobs in the Guardian, which has a daily readership of circa 180k.

That's a tiny demographic they are appealing to isn't it?

The good news is that the BBC is a busted flush, and once the Govt decriminalise not paying the licence, a socially progressive policy I am sure you will agree, then it's game over.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...g-41-000-month-slice-deals-helped-broker.html

 

[Surf's Up]

According to the Observer looks like a possible night of the long knives coming up for Ed Miliband.

 

[Machiavelli]

So Mark Thompson director general of the BBC was making it up when he said that beeb was 'Massively biased towards the left' then??

1, what Thompson says might just be a reflection of what his political stance is, so no he wasn't making it up, but it doesn't really make his point terribly important
2, I was speaking specifically about the BBC's political output, and that point stands
3, as a public and publicly funded institution, it's quite easy to claim that the BBC is left-wing, as that's what public and publicly funded institutions are associated with. It just so happens that the BBC has enormous respect, as does the NHS, both nationally and globally. That ought to tell you something about left wing institutions but, never mind, carry on bigging up our banks and other financial industries
4, the BBC operates within a context, and that context is a neoliberal one. It doesn't offer a particularly oppositional -- or even different -- viewpoint to that neoliberal context so, basically, Thompson was wrong in his assertion.

 

[Machiavelli]

Nice try. The BBC spend 86% of its recruitment on advertising jobs in the Guardian, which has a daily readership of circa 180k.

That's a tiny demographic they are appealing to isn't it?

The good news is that the BBC is a busted flush, and once the Govt decriminalise not paying the licence, a socially progressive policy I am sure you will agree, then it's game over.

You're on your own with that one. And if you're so cunning fergus, why don't you set up a poll and ask whether the BBC is a busted flush?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Nice try. The BBC spend 86% of its recruitment on advertising jobs in the Guardian, which has a daily readership of circa 180k.

That's a tiny demographic they are appealing to isn't it?

The good news is that the BBC is a busted flush, and once the Govt decriminalise not paying the licence, a socially progressive policy I am sure you will agree, then it's game over.

Nice try? I was responding to , and correcting, a post about a quote from the director general. Nothing more, nothing less. Please keep up.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You're on your own with that one. And if you're so cunning fergus, why don't you set up a poll and ask whether the BBC is a busted flush?

Quite. And he won't, as he knows what the result will be.

 

[Seagull on the wing]

This is a reference to when he first joined the BBC in the 70s. He has said this not the case now.[/QUOTE}
That's why Andrew Marr had a panel of three on his show this morning...A labour Baroness,a Telegraph reporter and that Labour DONOR AND SUPPORTER Mrs S.Hancock. Very impartial...

 

[Beach Hut]

If labour win the next election I will happily subject myself to a £14 1901 lunch!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This is a reference to when he first joined the BBC in the 70s. He has said this not the case now.

That's why Andrew Marr had a panel of three on his show this morning...A labour Baroness,a Telegraph reporter and that Labour DONOR AND SUPPORTER Mrs S.Hancock. Very impartial

Damn. You've got me. How can I possibly challenge such hard facts?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If labour win the next election I will happily subject myself to a £14 1901 lunch!

I will add this to my UK victory lap next May! We can also hopefully raise a glass of bubbly to another season of Championship football.

 

[Machiavelli]

This is a reference to when he first joined the BBC in the 70s. He has said this not the case now.[/QUOTE}
That's why Andrew Marr had a panel of three on his show this morning...A labour Baroness,a Telegraph reporter and that Labour DONOR AND SUPPORTER Mrs S.Hancock. Very impartial...

Might be because they want an inside view on the Labour leadership. Or do you think that Tories or Kippers could provide better insight on this topic, which just so happens to be the most newsworthy?
PS does this mean that if Marr ever has more than one of the following -- a Tory, a Kipper, a Blairite, a Lib Dem -- on, that you'll claim that the BBC has transmogrified into a right-wing institution?

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I will add this to my UK victory lap next May! We can also hopefully raise a glass of bubbly to another season of Championship football.

The way things are going, you should find a bookies to take the bet of this as a double. If both come in you can pay for your flights, top notch food and buy a round in Craft for everyone on NSC

 

[cunning fergus]

You're on your own with that one. And if you're so cunning fergus, why don't you set up a poll and ask whether the BBC is a busted flush?

No I'm not, the criminal justice system currently processes about 150,000 people a year for non payment of the licence fee, many of whom are just unable to pay the fee.

The state should not criminalise people on that basis, and MPs are rightly seeking to decriminalise this "crime" in recognition of these facts, and to take the pressure of the courts.

This is socially progressive, and the good news is that the BBC will have to change in order to deal with this reality.

Then we will see how many people want to pay for Auntie...............I won't.

 

[melias shoes]

1, what Thompson says might just be a reflection of what his political stance is, so no he wasn't making it up, but it doesn't really make his point terribly important
2, I was speaking specifically about the BBC's political output, and that point stands
3, as a public and publicly funded institution, it's quite easy to claim that the BBC is left-wing, as that's what public and publicly funded institutions are associated with. It just so happens that the BBC has enormous respect, as does the NHS, both nationally and globally. That ought to tell you something about left wing institutions but, never mind, carry on bigging up our banks and other financial industries
4, the BBC operates within a context, and that context is a neoliberal one. It doesn't offer a particularly oppositional -- or even different -- viewpoint to that neoliberal context so, basically, Thompson was wrong in his assertion.

Bigging up the banks? I thought we was on about the BBC.

 

[zxtwinturbo]

Ed Milliband leading this great nation? Ha ha ha ha.

ONCE great nation

 

[wellquickwoody]

I reckon Gordon will come to the rescue again. He has saved the UK from Cameron's incompetence and weak leadership once this year; he'll do the same in 2015.

Will he screw the economy for a second time too?