It took my breath away to hear BBC Radio 4 attacking GB News because they do not observe the BBCâs view of â neutralityâ.
Why do the BBC think they reflect the range of  political views in the UK? How can they not see themselves as they are, a voice for the public sector establishment. They seem to be  pro Biden and anti Republican, pro Social and Liberal Democrat groupings and anti âpopulistâ parties that sometimes win elections. You see that in their choice of stories, choice of â expertsâ and line of questions. They are anti Brexit going on and on about trade with the EU as if that was the main point of it, anti lower taxes and a smaller state. Their chosen experts in economics slavishly follow the failed forecasts and models of the OBR and Bank. They find comfort in continuously getting it wrong together.
They seem to believe that every problem can be solved by government action, usually requiring more spending and higher taxes. Yesterday their US political correspondent had to tell us some are raising age issues about  Mr Biden, yet he told us as a fact that Biden is only two and half years older than Trump. He is 3 years seven months older than Trump. Why not tell the truth and let us decide if either or both are too old to undertake another 4 years in the top job?
They refuse to interview the Bank of England to hold  them accountable for inflation and the collapse of the bond market. They  tell us the Bank is independent and responsible for inflation so  why no tough interviews? They made a huge fuss about bond yields rising under Truss, but far less fuss now they have risen higher. They fail to interview the management and advisers to HS 2 to find out why it is so massively over budget and out of timetable. They do not cross examine top management of the NHS about the poor employee relations and productivity issues. They do not interview  the OBR to explain their hopeless record on forecasting the deficit.
They are the main cheerleaders for an extreme version of progress to net zero for the UK, so we have to rely on imports from countries still burning coal. They decline to examine the problems with carbon accounting or the way in which some of the net zero “solutions” actually increase world CO 2.
They do not regard ÂŁ24 bn of losses year to date by the Bank of England as news. They fail to report and discuss the government studies showing a collapse of public sector productivity this decade. They do not mention the loss of 800,000 self employed since February 2020. They fail to offer regular critical analyses of policy and politics in France or Germany, seeing the EU as a repository of international values they clearly like.
They rarely interview Conservative thinkers or explore popular Conservative ideas. They prefer to find caricature slots for them or to highlight it when someone makes a mistake in what they say.They read little and  talk to few sources outside a circle of similar thinking establishment figures. They promote every  kind of diversity save diversity of thought.
September 30, 2023
All of which is a correct analysis; so why hasn’t this Conservative government, which has a large majority, done anything about it?
The answer would seem to be that most Conservative MPs are far from being actually Conservative. Shortly they will be far from being MPs.
September 30, 2023
Mick, Politicians can’t be seen to meddle with (read reform) the Beeb, or the NHS, or the Universities, or….
Sir J mises another failing of the BBC. DIE overload. Take a look at the population distribution in an BBC show or programme and compare to the UK population distribution. You will generally see minorities substantially over-represented. It skews the perception of viewers.
September 30, 2023
Absolutely Mick. I cannot remember how many times over 14 years we were promised reform. A lot of hot air, loads of moaning by Tory PMs and they actually have done nothing, nor held the BBC to account for its repeated left wing, pro climate, pro EU stance. It should be sold off and privatised. I do not want to hear left wing woke crap day after day. I stopped watching it years ago and will not watch anything news or public affairs whatsoever. This is not a BBC issue but a resounding Tory failure, like Brexit, like economy, like taxation, like immigration. Tory failures.
September 30, 2023
Remember this is the same government that only last year was going to defund C4 ….nothing happened
October 2, 2023
Something I noticed with my mum in hospital for ages with cancer and other related stuff is that most nurses seem to be in favour of private care. Here’s the deal. Private care offers doctors and nurses to make more money / do something different a bit later on in their care.
But I think that most doctors and nurses go into health primarily to look after patients. But money also important. Nurses (and doctors) aren’t stupid. They realise that you have to have some private care, mixed with public (in particular for serious operations). This is quite different I think to the psychology of things 30 years ago. So there is some room to shake things up here. Problem is there are a some Tories that scare these nurses (and doctors) as if these Tories want to 100% replicate the US health service which most nurses (and doctors) here don’t want. But they do (most of them) want some kind of Conservative reform for sure. I believe at least.
And I think all of these reforms have to include initiatives to get people to eat more healthy, take more exercise and so on – which would save the NHS and the taxpayer zillions of pounds ..
September 30, 2023
@PeteB; Governments can and do meddle with the BBC, when it suits their purpose, the governments of Wilson, Thatcher did it, and Blair most certainly did it too. But the real problem here is not just the BBC but Ofcom.
That said, the comments from BBC presenters, and guests, about GBNews, were beyond belief given the relatively recent history of similar totally unacceptable comments made by (then) BBC presenters. If GBNews should be taken off-air for unscripted comments made during a live programme what should have happened to BBC Radio 2 when similarly misogynistic and sexist comments were not only left on some unsuspecting persons private answer-phone but the guilty parties had time to reflect on their actions before broadcasting a recording of theor offensive behavior?!
But Mr A. Neil, who works for a rival media company to GBN, let the cat out of the bag during his Newsnight tirade, the issue is not unwise words but the very existence of a rival broadcaster ‘upsetting the ecosystem’ of the establishment… I’m no sycophantic fan or GBN but I will defend their right to exist, the alternative (outside of war) sets a dangerous precedent.
September 30, 2023
The Ofcom threshold for investigating complaints appears to be extremely low, their most recent decision to investigate GBN for example came from “around 7,300 complaints”, according to the Ofcom press release, that is a very low threshold of the TVL fee paying population, never mind as a percentage of the total adult population.
The problem is, there’s no real-time measure of what is acceptable/popular in the UK, only what is not; other than perhaps on social media, but then disliking is frowned upon, if not banned!
September 30, 2023
It appears that the complaints were greatly boosted by a campaign via twitter orchestrated by a prominent “personality” with a good size following, and probably come from people who only viewed a selected clip via that route, rather than from genuine viewers of the programme.
September 30, 2023
Jerry, Agreed. Should have started my ote with Current politicians…
GB news offers a different political slant which makes it a target for the liberal masses.
September 30, 2023
Well Jerry, I am a fan of GBNews as prior to them starting I had no access to reliable news. I believe the BBC presenters actually detest Britain, they are also overpaid to push the lies of the blob.
Lastly, if I did not have GBNews I would get no news as I have stopped paying the SO-CALLED licence in the hope it helps destroy the BBC trash!
September 30, 2023
Before some BBC supporter gets their twist about not paying- I use the internet, which is great as one can comment and leave opinions!
October 1, 2023
@jerry; Oops, I called out the wrong person (correct BBC programme), apologizes.
September 30, 2023
@mickc +1 The Conservative Party to day is the BBC in action, Socialist extreme WEF acolytes, anti freedoms, anti-democracy.
September 30, 2023
+ 1 Ian
September 30, 2023
+1
September 30, 2023
Sunak is going to save us from the draconian traffic measures ie LTNs CAZs ULEZs, cycle lanes & 20mph areas âŠ..all created as a direct result of his net-zero policies which local government and mayors have to enforce by law and instruction
None of these traffic policies existed before 2010, these are tory initiatives
September 30, 2023
@glen cullen; I assume that was you use of the Royal “his”, given Sunak wasn’t even an MP until 2015! By which time ‘Call me Dave’ had not only allowed the LibDems free rein with their green-cr@p nonsense but had become even more of a believer himself in the CO2 lie.
The Conservatives should have allowed Labour to govern as a minority back in 2010, with a Tory landslide the following year, as happened in 1950-51, those 2010 tax cuts could have waited…
September 30, 2023
Also Smart/Variable Speed Motorways and 15min Cities
Also the creation of the Office of Budget Responsibility and the Climate Change Committee
October 1, 2023
@glen cullen; Smart/Variable Speed Motorways existed before 2010, at least on the M25, and I well remember the expansion in the use of concealed speed cameras back in the early 1990s (often with unnecessary and substantial reduction in the speed limit too), many sited not for safety but revenue collection reasons; the last truly Motorist-friendly Tory govt was probably 1970-73…
September 30, 2023
For these and other reasons I rarely ,if ever , listen to the BBC
September 30, 2023
Nothing about the draconian Energy Security Bill where we can be forced to have smart meters with police protection for the installers. 15k fine for not complying with insulation or a year in jail.
Energy companies to be able to switch off appliances etc.
Very 1984 from a so called Conservative government.
September 30, 2023
Talking about energy security on a quiet Saturday wind has flopped from 12gw to 1.7gw. We have 2 coal fired plants and one open cycle gas turbine running.
We are Importing 20ÂŁ of our energy.
What do we do in the winter when demand is 10 to 15gw more.
September 30, 2023
@Ian wragg; “What do we do in the winter when demand is 10 to 15gw more.”
Imitate brass monkeys?
Even assuming there will be enough electricity and gas to meet demand this winter the government is still going to have a massive political problem come early next year, given the high END-USER cost of energy in the UK, people and companies faced with defaulting on their energy bills in the run up to a general election is a gift the opposition.
A lot of talk about per-election tax cuts at the moment, but tax cuts do not necessarily pay the bills, unless the cuts are those indirect taxes, such as Council Tax, VED, VAT etc.
September 30, 2023
Nor me. The BBC is unfit for purpose as a national broadcaster. It’s prejudices and agenda are there for all who care to look closely. It actively uses non news programmes, such as drama and comedy, to push it’s agenda.
September 30, 2023
oh yes… but… why is nothing about this bias ever raised nationally? there are many who would agree with you, not only die-hard conservative supporters. Is ITV any less biased?
September 30, 2023
Andrea:
No, and Channel 4 is absolutely disgusting. Anti Tory, anti Police, every single night. I am forced to buy a TV licence, in order to watch any of the Channels, but I have to switch off the News every single day, due to the bias, and their opinions, which they state as âfactsâ.
I used to be very proud of our BBC, and Media in general, but not any more. Its a very sad state if affairs,
September 30, 2023
You are not forced to buy a TV licence. You are only forced to do it if you watch TV as it is broadcast or the BBC (including iPlayer) at any time.
https://www.defundbbc.uk/defund-the-bbc-in-5-steps/
If you don’t watch the BBC at all (I don’t) and restrict yourself to catch-up TV on other channels, no licence is required. But you’ll get an endless delivery of threatening letters from the BBC’s Telly Tax Enforcers.
September 30, 2023
Donna:
I know I am not âforcedâ in that sense, but I am 84, and although its unlikely I will go to jail, I feel that having to deal with endless threats will wear me down, and affect my health.
Over 75s were not charged for a TV license, until recently, when it was deemed I was not sufficiently needy – although I pay 20% tax on my savings, having left school at 15, and never been on benefits.
September 30, 2023
It might not be all bad inside. Probably a private room, 3 meals a day, a TV without buying a licence, central heating, you don’t go far to the library, no council tax, no couriers banging on your door to take neighbours parcels, no motorbike and cars revving and brakes squealing…
Whats not to like?
September 30, 2023
I donât. I filled out their form telling them I do not require a licence and that was it. Had to reconfirm after two years – which I resent.
Reply The BBC keep threatening people without licences and tvs
September 30, 2023
Correct Mike Wilson.
I am sent an online form every 2 years on which I confirm I have no TV and don’t watch live TV ( on computer ).
You can listen to ” live” Radio.
I don’t agree with some broadcast BBC as I dont agree with some Bitchute vids
but it’s interesting to analyse all sides.
September 30, 2023
@JR Reply; Threats, or just asking for re-confirmation, as Mike acknowledged?
Many media companies threaten their ex customers, demanding the return of life expired equipment such internet routers and set-top boxes, threatening exaggerated costs for non-compliance – why single out the BBC, actually the TVLA, the latter who earn their money from the sale of the TVL, reason enough for chancing their arm, by “threatening people”…
September 30, 2023
Some people who own no TV actually seem to pay up, i.e. to stop the persecution, as they see it. That behaviour by the BBC amounts to running a protection racket.
October 1, 2023
@Norman; Some people with no TV pay the TVL fee because they do listen to BBC radio services, which are also founded via the TVL fee. Some people with no TV pay the TVL fee because they do watch BBC TV, just not via a conventional TV set, or at the time of broadcast.
As for what “amounts to running a protection racket”, try not paying for the commercial broadcasters!
September 30, 2023
@Donna, I think you will find you have been misinformed. When you buy any device capable of viewing TV Broadcasts the seller has to inform the licencing authority. It is called a TV Licence, not a licence to watch the BBC â for that very reason.
September 30, 2023
So why does the BBC get all the tv license receipts? It’s a BBC tax, despite the pretence.
October 1, 2023
@John Hatfield; Because our politicians say so, it’s a *Reception* licence, not a subscription!
As for license receipts, in recent years the TVL fee has been top-sliced by the DCMS for other purposes.
September 30, 2023
They have given up sending me letters. The reason was I reported each letter as harrasment via a police website. On each letter I wrote down the reference number. I’m pretty certain the police informed the BBC because the letters have stopped completely
I’ve seen a video where a tv goon said, if you allow us in we can remove your address from the Database. So demand they remove your address under the right to be forgotten.
Now if they turn up, it gets very interesting
Town Police Clauses Act 1847 Section 28
Every person who wilfully and wantonly disturbs any inhabitant, by pulling or ringing any door bell, or knocking at any door, or who wilfully and unlawfully extinguishes the light of any lamp
2 weeks in jail.
No exemption for the BBC or Capita
The problem parliament won’t address is that why should we pay the BBC to watch ITV?
My prediction, they will move to a model of no consent. You have to pay the BBC.
All part of the great subjugation plan they are implementing.
I also notice that pensions debt isn’t talk about and that includes John.
September 30, 2023
They’ve moved to a model of no consent, starting in 2024, in Austria. Anyone with a device capable of watching TV will have to pay the TV tax. The public broadcaster (just as bad as the BBC) is jubilant. Queue flattering coverage day after day about the mainstream parties (and anti the right-wing FPĂ).
The unemployed, etc will be exempt of course.
October 1, 2023
@Aden; “My prediction, they will move to a model of no consent. You have to pay”
Well at least there would be a level playing field then, given that ITV (etc) have enjoyed just such a funding model since 1955, where even the blind pay for ITV. Ho-hum…
But I agree, all broadcasters must be forced to adopt a subscription model of funding, the technology (Monthly, PPV, even PAYG) is now well proven, and it should be on a per channel bases, why should someone have to fund Sky Entertainment channels when all they really want is access to the Sky Sports channels for example?
September 30, 2023
@Cheshire Girl You write “I used to be very proud of our BBC, and Media in general, but not any more. Its a very sad state if affairs,”
I used to be very proud of our MPs and Parliament in general, but not any more. That is an even sadders state of affairs.
@JR Perhaps bias is in the eye or ear of the beholder.
September 30, 2023
ITV isnât licence fee funded or is it? In my opinion these channels that self-fund from advertisers are freer than the BBC, they donât have to be fair and even handed just as GB News and TalkTV have stepped into the void for the centre right.
I donât think C4 see themselves as left wing. Iâd challenge them to show us any centre right programs they produce or news shows that are centre right.
September 30, 2023
As you say, the BBC is anti ” …..âpopulistâ parties that sometimes win elections”
“Populist” = “Democracy”.
Tells us what we need to know about the BBC
Also, as you imply, its diversity officers are failing to do their job properly. New employees seem to cover a range based on such matters as ethnicity and sex/gender but not based on political beliefs.
September 30, 2023
How to get a job at the BBC – Diversity in everything that is essentially superficial but it helps is you have zero grasp of science, logic or real economics. You âmustâ believe (or pretend to) that the net harm vaccines should be coerced into people (even those with zero need of them), must accept the CO2 climate emergency religion in full and want ever more legal and illegal immigration, a state monopoly NHS, ever more taxes and ever more state and state regulation.
September 30, 2023
We canât let tax rises go on for ever insists Jeremy Hunt front of the Times today.
Well the Tories – Osborne, Hammond, Javid, Sunak and Hunt have delivered vast tax rises over 13+ years and they are still going up even further even ratting on their IHT promise and the tripple lock. Worse still most of the money they have âstolenâ has largely been wasted on HS2, Covid incompetence, the net harm vaccines, lockdowns, the dire NHS, hotels for migrants, the net zero lunacy, IR35, road blocking, worthless degrees soft loans⊠much even spent doing positive harm as most of the above has done.
Still no sign of of any reductions in this vast waste, so how exactly are you going to start to cut taxes Jeremy?unless/until you stop the waste? I assume once again you will just promise to cut taxes and then lose the election anyway or just rat on the promise again in the very unlikely event that you win a majority. Cameron used the phrase âlow tax at heartâ he delivered the complete reverse as did Osborne, Hammond, Sunak & Hunt
September 30, 2023
Witness the absurd bias on any question last night especially on the nets zero alarmist lunacy from all the panelists including the Tory Minister – with just a tiny bit of sense from Alexander Downer.
So now Sunak claims he is focusing killing the war on motorists. Good at long last, but he and the Tory party have been driving all this road blocking just as much as Kahn and that idiot in Wales – ULEZ, pot hole, motorist cash cow, forcing EV purchases & mugging agenda. EV do not even save CO2 and most cannot afford them or have anywhere to park and charge them.
September 30, 2023
Absolutely correct Sir John. The BBC is blatantly biased and uses its protected status to proselytise on behalf of left-wing, Metropolitan issues and “values.”
The question is “Why hasn’t the Not-a-Conservative-Party done anything about it over the past 13 years of so-called Conservative Government?”
It hasn’t even had the guts to decriminalise the BBC’s Poll Tax so that the public could do it for them without fear of getting a criminal conviction!
September 30, 2023
All the government has to do is say right show us the centre right programming.
Show us the positive news from Brexit, the savings from taxes for a start. Tell us what financial savings from the fees and fines (prostitition and drugs taxes for a start, its billions, then we were fined for not reporting imports properly from China billions so how much were we paying for what was declared each year and what is that saving now.
This is why they want us back into a fixed circle conjoined so we can be charged and start to pay the bills again, they canât pay out âŹ12bn in a year to Poland without people to pay that.
How much are we saving from providing Student loans to all the EU students and paying for EU students to study in Scotland each year alone? I know that funding has gone to Turing but isnât that quid pro quo, an equal swap for swap of students?
September 30, 2023
Good morning.
I do not watch the BBC so I cannot comment on its output these days. Listening to those who do, all I can say, is I am missing nothing.
September 30, 2023
All one can do, as an individual, is not fund the BBC. I donât. Do you?
Mr. Redwood – do you have a TV licence? Iâd love to see you publicly saying that you refuse to buy a licence to fund the BBCâs bias – while publicly stating you reserve the right to watch live broadcasts by other broadcasters that you pay for.
I pay for Prime and Netflix yet am prohibited BY LAW! from watching live broadcasts from other broadcasters. This is an absurd and unfair law and should be repealed at once.
September 30, 2023
If you watch live tennis or any other live broadcast on Prime you need a licence.
That’s just wrong and needs to be changed asap.
September 30, 2023
+ 1
I do not fund the BBC and moreover have cancelled it (in the woke sense).
September 30, 2023
A brilliant article exposing the fascist instincts of the BBC junta
To see odious Gordon Brown demanding GBN be taken off-air was so concerning and disturbing that it sent shivers down my spine.
And now it does seem GBN has become captured by woke OFCOM. Some might say it was a mere of time before GBN was targeted by Hate not Hope or some other Labour subsidiary but to see the woke establishment target GBN signals the end of diverse thought in the UK
Many thanks for this Mr Redwood and anyone who exposes the rank, arrogant hypocrisy of the repugnant and extremist BBC
September 30, 2023
Brown destroyed private workers pensions, whilst taking care to protect his public worker pension.
September 30, 2023
+1 Dom.
I have absolutely no use for the BBC and if The Ministry of Truth succeed in shutting down or controlling GB News then I will have no need for a TV Licence.
September 30, 2023
Ronald Reagan:”If fascism ever comes to America,it will come in the name of liberalism.”
And what comes to America comes also to it’s grubby vassals.
September 30, 2023
All good reasons to scrap the BBC licence tax, so do it !
September 30, 2023
+1 and scrap the evil Ofcom propaganda enforcement outfit.
September 30, 2023
You’re making the mistake of thinking the Not-a-Conservative-Party has the necessary cojones to cancel OFCOM. It hasn’t and anyway, it doesn’t want to. It no more supports Free Speech and genuine diversity of opinion than Xi Jingping does.
September 30, 2023
Seems so, they certainly seem to want loads of Net Zero propaganda and all the Covid vaccine is âsafe and effectiveâ protect you granny lies.
September 30, 2023
Mike, the Today programe had an audience of 5.75 milllion, as reported in May. I don’t know about the demographics. My hunch is that they include quite a few older people, who tend to be those that vote. I imagine that’s why Ministers want to get the message out to them.
However, the programme has lost three-quarters of a million listeners since the previous May. A lot of them may have gone to GB News.
September 30, 2023
With the passing of the atrocious Online Safety Bill OFCOM is gaining massive new powers.
“Ofcom will have powers to take action against companies which do not follow their new duties. Companies will be fined up to ÂŁ18 million or 10 percent of their annual global turnover, whichever is greater.”
Welcome to 1984 folks. You ain’t seen nothing yet as to how bad censorship is going to get.
September 30, 2023
@Christine +1 Who define what is right and what is wrong in a free democratic society – Oh I forgot the UK is none of these things.
September 30, 2023
+1 Lifelogic
September 30, 2023
LL, OA,DOM, ++++++ , excellent, but action is awaiting
September 30, 2023
The BBCâs love of the overarching, prosperity destroying Net Zero policy aligns with the. views of most conservative and other MPs including Mr Sunak, despite his announced tinkering with one or two aspects of it. Thatâs the main reason why the license fee will not be scrapped.
October 5, 2023
Problem is what they will replace it with – general taxation – no opt out.
September 30, 2023
In the 1950s some referred to the BBC as the âBroken Biscuit Companyâ as a friendly joke, yet that it what it now resembles: a mish-mash of unwanted unpleasant odd damaged fragments remaining from an expensive process, suited mainly for disposal.
September 30, 2023
Tory ministers will do nothing about the BBC as long as e.g. it guarantees them a platform on the Today programme, to spread the government message every morning on whatever the current thing might be. Also, it will give them endless airtime should they want to declare an emergency, so as to keep the public in line. As we saw with the Great Pan(dem)ic.
September 30, 2023
How many people listen to the Today program? Not the swing voters in the red wall seats, I assume.
Itâs an echo chamber. Preaching to the choir. Maybe it makes them feel important.
September 30, 2023
Correct.
September 30, 2023
I never willingly listen to BBC radio or watch BBC news. I never watch any live BBC tv. Looking at todayâs BBC1 schedule – no sport apart from Football Focus (which now has a politically acceptable presenter), although theyâd cover any menâs England losses with glee. Strictly Come Dancing (what does that ridiculous title even mean?) rolled out yet again for several hours, a middle class safe comedian shouting and playing with mobile phones.
BBC4 on a Friday evening can be ok sometimes if you like music.
Why has no one in the government addressed this? The BBC has been dumbing down and pursuing a very narrow left-wing woke agenda for years now (Ballâs childrenâs show on Radio2 is a prime exampleâŠTerry Wogan must be turning in his grave) – the whole organisation is an insult to licence tax payers. Hopefully Sunak has it on his list of vote winners for the next 12 months.
September 30, 2023
If only we had a Conservative government with a large majority able to do something about itâŠ
Oh wait.
September 30, 2023
@Richard Holloway +1
Dead and buried and a dream lost to the UK after 13 years of incompetence
September 30, 2023
An excoriating summary of the BBC Sir John.
I would also say, the BBC lies by omission. Never mentioned are the very high levels of harms and deaths caused by the Covid19 jabs. Never mentioned are the excess deaths since the roll out of the jabs. Never mentioned or interviewed are the leading experts in cardiology and oncology calling for the complete suspension of all mRNA technology.
Never interviewed are leading scientists who give hard evidence of the great CC and NZ fraud.
September 30, 2023
Do you have any links. I wonât have the vaccine again as the last one had my heart racing for a few months afterwards.
September 30, 2023
Mike Wilson
See the article by Prof Angus Dalgliesh (oncologist) in the The Conservative Woman yesterday. Also look up Dr Asseem Mulhotra (cardiologist), saying exactly the same thing, that all mRNA ‘vaccines’ should be stopped immediately.
I hope you submitted a Yellow Card Report.
September 30, 2023
@ BOF Thank you.
September 30, 2023
âThe BBC fails to represent a wide range of political views and news.â
Rather too polite, they are wrong on almost all issues and endlessly push lies, propaganda and very selective news. This especially on Climate, Covid, the net harm vaccines, immigration, the globalist agenda, size of the state, tax levels, ever more regulationâŠ
September 30, 2023
My solution is to allocate very little of my time to absorbing BBC content, thereby leaving me more time to try and put in place solutions to what I perceive as the current critical societal problems, namely a) reducing the trade deficit by increasing the number of net exporting businesses and b) helping people deal with the cost of living by increasing the pool of higher paid/interesting jobs.
Your comments re the BBC raise the issue of the need to a) examine how top level decision making in the UK has changed over the last 70 years, and b) assess whether it needs changing in order to produce better outcomes for the UK and, if so, how. In relation to this, the November 2021 Oxford speech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG_a0P2qybE) by Kate Bingham (the former head of the Vaccine Task Force) is fascinating.
September 30, 2023
The BBC doesn’t let MP’s interview their party’s own ministers.
Reply No, they just have an endless supply of interviewers putting the public sector view to Ministers.
September 30, 2023
Does GB News claim âthe BBC is committed to achieving due impartiality in all its output.â
September 30, 2023
I first realised how biased the BBC is in the lead up to and during the Brexit referendum when the BBC’s ‘Reality Check team’ gathered doomsayers galore. The bias continued post-Brexit and I’m sure we all remember the ‘despite Brexit’ phrase that preceded the odd smattering of positive news about leaving the EU. I contacted the BBC on numerous occasions, during this time, highlighting the many examples of biased reporting.
The Reality Check team which has been rebranded as ‘BBC VERIFY’ is described as “fact checking …. in pursuit of truth”. The ‘truth’ as decided by whom?
September 30, 2023
Wow ! That really is a hard-hitting piece but fully justified.
The Liberal/Labour Luvvies at the BBC will hear no criticism of policies that they support.
They are no more than the broadcasting arm of the Guardian.
September 30, 2023
Wow! – That was my reaction to this piece too Chris.
Give ’em Both barrels Sir John, no holding back. I like it! đ
September 30, 2023
Chris, people really need to start gathering evidence of these things. The left claim the BBC was pro-Brexit and gave brexiteers far too much air time, it was said as recently as on Good Morning Britain this week, I only saw it through a clip because I donât actually watch much BBC or general tv anymore. In fact if it wasnât for watching free view and Netflix, prime and apple on my tv I probably wouldnât need a licence.
September 30, 2023
The Biased Brodcasting Company should be renamed WOKE. Wireless Of the Kensington Elite
September 30, 2023
The BBC is the voice of the Guardian. As a matter of policy they express propoganda that holds the intelligence of people in utter contempt. That they are allowed to continue with their left wing nonesense only reflects the weakness of the Westminster political class. They should have been cast to commercial survival among the rest of the media. Do you intend leading the charge to remove this affront to democracy at conference or does conference lack the cohones.
September 30, 2023
@agricola +1
September 30, 2023
Agricola, ++++++
September 30, 2023
If it wasn’t for the BBC, how would we know it was all goodness and light in the EU?
September 30, 2023
Dave,
Well someone has to sell intellectual snake oil, with the added advantage that it identifies the enemy.
September 30, 2023
I am one of the many people who no longer listen to the Today programme, though I did so daily when in the U.K. when I could for decades. The BBCâs Nick Robinson thinks people like me are ânews deniersâ who donât want to hear the news. On the contrary Mr R, I certainly follow the news and feel no less well informed than I was. But I prefer other sources and do not like the hectoring tome of the Today programme, itâs frequently biased and tendentious approach and itâs selected choice of topics. I would also like to have proper scrutiny and debate. Sir John mentions above many areas which are simply exempt from BBC scrutiny. GB News presenters are clearly (mostly) right-of centre in their leanings, but you get better discussion there as opposing points of view are frequently on offer. Same with Times radio, talk TV etc.
September 30, 2023
GB News give air time to a lot of left-wing and ‘eco’ view points in the “interest of balance” (which I think means keeping Ofcom of their backs). I watched a particularly nutty JSO woman recently and there was no doubting her religious fervour. That ‘Oil’ is evil incarnate could not be questioned in her view and Heretics must be punished – presumably by boiling them in their own sweat!
These people are quite willing to appear on GBN for the free publicity and franky I welcome that. I think it’s good for their beliefs to be exposed to the full light of day. Viewers can then make their own minds up. I’m sure most folk will see that their ideas don’t stand up well to close scrutiny.
By comparison, the BBC has effectively banned (censored) anyone they deem to be a ‘Climate Denier’ which included Nigel Lawson, who in my view was far saner than the people from JSO and such like.
September 30, 2023
I watch GBNews but recently have noticed and mentioned to them they give too much time to the political Left in their choice of guests and the time given over. It is said to meet balance but it is over balance.
They are I think being forced to do this by Ofcom who I am sure are threatening they must comply.
September 30, 2023
Thanks for this. I’ll try to share your remarks.
September 30, 2023
I listened to Michelle Hussain interviewing Mark Harper on the Today programme this morning, who was brought on to talk about the government’s increasing support for motorists. However, all Hussain wanted to talk about was HS2 and wasted most of the interview trying to get the Minister to address press speculation on whether HS2 would reach Manchester. She tried multiple different ways of asking the same question when it was obvious that the minister was not going to comment on speculation. The end result was that the topic he had been engaged to discuss was barely touched upon.
Yet another example of a BBC presenter deliberately trying to paint the government in a bad light rather than devoting time to discuss policies which will undoubtedly find favour with drivers.
September 30, 2023
The BBC cannot claim the moral high ground over GB News. Laurence Fox made a rude comment about Ava Evans and was suspended by GB News who went on to suspend other presenters who backed Fox. On Radio 4, Jo Brand joked about throwing battery acid at politicians instead of milkshakes, shortly after Nigel Farage had been assaulted with a milkshake, and the BBC imposed no sanction on Brand.
September 30, 2023
Pud, +++++
Quite right, the vitriol of the left is unrelenting and regular.
The original meaning (Iâm old enough to recall ) of âvitriolâ is exactly what the vile Jo Brand advised us to throw at Nigel, viz. Sulphuric Acid
September 30, 2023
Boom!!! At last a true & honest review of BBCs bias! Brilliantly complied with all the Corporations failings, one by one of many! Thank you John.
September 30, 2023
The dogs have been unleashed by the establishment and the BBC are at the head of the pack as usual, going for the throat of anyone or any organisation that “Dares to speak any truth!”
We can’t expect anything better of the BBC which surrendered its morals to the left and subsequently to WEF values decades ago.
The dogs of course ignore violations by any of their own, when they go beyond the mark of decency, as they so often do without any witch hint against them.
GB News has already taken far too many hits from the screaming dogs, losing good presenters and being confined by a woke regulator.
We need GB News to remain free to report stories in the way they should be reported, with honesty — We can no longer expect the BBC or any other mass media to tell us what is going on behind the scenes. The theatre created by HMG is there to confuse and hide intentions – That is why we badly need GB News unleashed and free.
September 30, 2023
BH, ++++
So thoroughly and existentially relevant.
GB News without Mark Steyn, Dan W, Calvin R, and Laurence Fox is a neutered medium.
There are other strong and courageous voices to be heard on the Channel, but fewer, and for how long ??
I appreciate those who are still there but I do feel punitive towards the channel, but not anywhere close to my revulsion at the Conservative Party.
September 30, 2023
I used to enjoy watching Mark Steyn, always found him quite amusing. However, Laurence Fox is generally far less amusing and frequently just angry. Any good points he might try to make are often lost in the ‘noise’.
I was appalled when Russel Brand and Jonathan Ross made their disgusting phone call to Andrew Sachs and frankly both of them should have received the boot and never employed by the broadcast media again. Suprisingly, Ross was retained by the BBC though….
Fox’s conduct wasn’t much better and frankly GBN is well shot of him. If others supported him, then I don’t have too much sympathy for them. There are plenty of perfectly good presenters still on the GBN payroll and I’m sure that they can articulate reasonable points of view without ever needing to emulate Brand’s behaviour.
September 30, 2023
As an ex BBC employee, amongst other departments, working for the World Service , I am horrified at what it has become. It is time they were inpartial, not the Left Wing Islington Broadcasting Corporation. Accurate reporting would also help.
September 30, 2023
Much of the comment seems to be criticism of the recent biased BBC. Actually the leftie, diversity obsessed, gender muddled, EU ar.. licking has been going on well before the Tories got back in power.
September 30, 2023
They are the Ministry of Truth.
September 30, 2023
Well said , and we could all probably add many more to your list , like their obsession with a bit of cake, but utter disinterest with Sue Gray, we still don’t know when Starmer first contacted her, which highlights one of their biases, where they keep one news story alive, while they disappear other stories without trace. The Laurence Fox story they have kept going for 3 or 4 days, the important speech by Suella Braverman in the US got second billing in the news, and then disappeared.
What I don’t understand is why you Tory MPs put up with it , Labour MPs are allowed to spiel off to their hearts content , a Tory MP will have the BBC interviewer in their face and interrupting within seconds , he will not be allowed to make any sort of argument , as such you should be making it clear to the audience that you are facing a hostile and partisan organisation.
September 30, 2023
Why doesnât the government abolish the absurd licence tax? I have to pay it even if I donât watch the Brussels Broadcasting Corporationâs biased nonsense, and prefer to watch other channels. Why doesnât the government do something about it?
September 30, 2023
Moving forward the government doesnât have to abolish it James, all it needs to do is not allow transmission of any BBC programming to peopleâs homes, tvs, radios and devises if your postcode doesnât pay for a licence. You have to enter the code off your licence to allow the channel that year. There must be a technological way to do that after all if you donât pay for Netflix you canât it for free.
September 30, 2023
Sir John
I think nowadays it goes without saying the BBC, is a left wing proper-gander outlet that decries anyone or any entity that doesn’t fall in with its Socialist group think and presentations. The BBC abhors free speech, and free thought so much so it deliberately lines up 3 extreme Socialist for each and every free thinker when it comes to current affairs and their so-called version of the news.
However, just look at the Conservative Party they have also become left wing radicles. In the last week they have said the best Candidate in Chelmsford is one that doesn’t believe in Democracy, doesn’t believe in having a Democratic Government in the UK, and that he will campaign to bring the UK under the direct rule of the unelected, unaccountable Bureaucrats of Europe once he is elected. Then to add salt to the wound the Chairman of the Conservative Party hit the MsM yesterday saying that the Conservative Party must discriminate in it selection of Candidates. The Conservative Party must no longer look for the best Candidate for the job, but search to be inclusive ahead of ability.
Sir John, is the BBC any different to what the Conservative Party has morphed into?
September 30, 2023
The BBC is not politically neutral, presenters represent their own and the BBCâS political agenda. Several years ago I resolved to switch off my television every time that Laura Kuensburg presented a âStoryâ. Why do we need Presenters anyway ? And why does the BBC calll them âStoriesâ ? If i am going to listen to political views, I would prefer to hear them from a relevant and elected political person directly, I do not need or want a third party to turn it into a story for me, it is not entertainment, and neither should it be. Elected politicians and political parties should make their opinions more accessible through all forms of public media and take back control. I wiill decide for myself who to believe.
September 30, 2023
BBC Newa continues to model itself on newpaper journalism, complete with its own “angle” on stories.
There is a large gap in the market for a news outlet that can tell the truth and report on facts without asserting its own opinion and values. The BBC gets noweher near to this.
What is worse is that some of the BBC’s coverage is extreme and far-Left. I think the BBC, above all other organisations, bears most responsibility for us having a socialist government (labelled as a Conservative one).
September 30, 2023
Well said. What can be done? Firstly we need more of this, and a recognition that the BBC and its many establishment supporters and similar thinkers including MPs are determined to destroy freedom of expression, except theirs from where judgments must be based. Ofcom is not independent nor supporting freedom of expression.
There has been, in my view, an attempt from the start of GBNews to destroy it with the use of any method. Clearly it is on the increase and may well succeed. If it does this country is lost to a dangerous power hungry elite membered dictatorship.
Members of government must find courage in the defence of freedom and speak out strongly and mean it. We’ve had one on one subject, we need more.
September 30, 2023
Prangwizard, +++++ trenchant and accurate, very well expressed
September 30, 2023
I completely agree Sir J, very persuasively put!
However I doubt the forthcoming BBC Charter Mid-Term Teview will produce any tangible change to their biased way of presenting / reporting …. As they take their Charter remit from the Government, this is your opportunity to make those improvements and exert more control.
September 30, 2023
It’s populism wot done it for us – misinformation and disinformation – it’s the name of the game now for ‘disreputables’ both sides of the Atlantic and it all adds up to Trump and brexit.
At least the EU is doing something by bringing in laws for it’s own use now where a regulator can straightaway challenge politicians lies, outright lies, and off the wall statistics that politicians very often peddle and call them out – The nearest UK has to thIs is the BBC – The BBC acts as our watchdog but unfortunately not very successfully as we now know from the lies we were told in 2016. It’s up to government to put the checks and balances in place – but will they do it – will turkeys vote for Christmas?
September 30, 2023
I suppose you mean lies like these:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524967/hm_treasury_analysis_the_immediate_economic_impact_of_leaving_the_eu_web.pdf
“The analysis in this document comes to a clear central conclusion: a vote to leave would represent an immediate and profound shock to our economy. That shock would push our economy into a recession and lead to an increase in unemployment of around 500,000, GDP would be 3.6% smaller, average real wages would be lower, inflation higher, sterling weaker, house prices would be hit and public borrowing would rise compared with a vote to remain.”
September 30, 2023
Denis exactly, this document with foreword by George Osborne issued just four weeks before the referendum in the midst of the frenzy that was building is a perfect example of why we need policing and truth regulation in these matters of political discourse.
September 30, 2023
Summed it up for me a few years ago when it was asserted that the current science on climate change is “settled” and they would not countenance any argument against it.
September 30, 2023
Donât buy a licence. The only way to get rid of it is to defund it.
September 30, 2023
For some time I have considered the BBC a defunct broadcaster and I only switch over to it now to watch the weather forecast . One of its news presenters appears without being properly dressed and looks as if he is appearing in part of his pyjama shirt !. Its left of centre political stance is very obvious and the criticisms Sir John has made I fully endorse . The licence fee charge is beyond a joke and should be stopped immediately . With Paxman in charge of University Challenge I was a fan but , today , it is beyond comprehension because the foreign questioner rattles on too quickly in front of his computer screen . Get rid of the BBC !!!.
September 30, 2023
The MSM news are attacking GB News because it has become the most loved news brand in the country. All the news moguls who run the MSM have realised they only cater to 30% of the country and that their audience could very well vanish. They are told this by companies who pay for adverts.
I have noticed on GB news more and more main stream advertisers. GB News is an enemy of MSM profits.
September 30, 2023
Javelin on target +++++
September 30, 2023
The only cure for the BBC is to stop the BBC tax, they are politically far left so why not ask their friends to support the millions payed to management and Lineker.
I stopped using them some years ago.
September 30, 2023
The question in the House to the Culture Secretary should be, “How and why are they getting away with being anti-British”? They practice and, for their own ends, persue the democratic ‘freedom of speech’ while insisting on denying it to others. This is more ‘Beijing Bull Corporation’ than should be OUR National broadcaster. It is time they are denied their own intepretation and FORCED to adopt genuine democratic broadcasting principles or be (closed?). Etc ed What hold have they over the governments?
September 30, 2023
The BBC will continue with its (âtruth & justiceâ) Pravda role as it represents the views of not only Parliament as a whole but of the majority party.
There will be no discussion as to how Net Zero is economic suicide and mass immigration is cultural and national suicide.
The BBC will continue to gaslight us with false tales of non-existent runaway climate change caused by anthropogenic emissions of CO2. Just check the effect of âClimate Impact Driversâ table 12.12 on p1873 of the IPCC WG1 to ascertain the BBCâs fraudulent worsening weather claims.
I am quite happy for the BBCâs presenters, including those who cover news and current affairs, to be allowed to make their views known and even to campaign for their political beliefs.
Itâs the pretence that the BBC is impartial that is so damaging to the people of this country and our image abroad. Far better for it to adopt formally its Pravda role.
September 30, 2023
I’ve not seen any BBC “news” output for 3-4 years at least, perhaps longer.
I gave up the TV licence roughly that long ago, as a matter of principle. I still find it highly irritating that I can’t watch live programming of non-BBC media.
When I speak to friends, many of them are afraid to ditch the licence because they are afraid that their children will watch some live show on the internet without their knowledge. There are no prarental controls to prevent people watching shows that are not “harmful”, anything categorised as unharmful that happens to be live could actually be illegal for a household without a TV licence, so of course parents worry that their children will not understand or will not follow the rules.
Last time I looked, the output had already shifted into the territory the author describes – and their “complaints” (aka “first line of defence”) team was such that there was no point in contacting them.
If anything, the BBC is now a public disservice organisation, by presenting a skewed world view – while being able to present it as balanced – they are indoctrinating the minds of the people. After 13 years, the so-called Conservative party can add a failure to reform the BBC among its many failings in government.
September 30, 2023
P.S. Back when I read their guff, they started a so-called “Analysis” feature which proved to be nothing more than mere opinion.
Other outlets at least have the decency to call such scribblings “opinion”. Even the English language foreign media have the decency to do that.
September 30, 2023
Sir John
How lovely it would be if the UK had a Parliament, that Defended Democracy, stood up for Freedoms, Free Speech and the right to take an alternative position.
All utterance emanating from Parliament, are not about good Government, but how to control, cancel and criminalise those that do not toe the line of the personal beliefs of the Uni-Party that dominates the House of Commons. The majority of these MP’s while they maybe paid and empowered by their constituents, they refuse to work for them all equally â they are the countries traitors.
The majority of MP’s in the House of Commons come over as Dictators that wish to manipulate anything that doesn’t fall into the exact personal image of the way they want to life in the UK to be. They want all alternative views just cancelled and removed from society. The BBC is the voice of the Worlds Dictators. 100% a political proper-gander Bureau, sanctioned in the task by a Parliament dominated by the same beliefs. In that context it is hard to suggest it is just the BBC at fault, when they are reflecting the same image as our fraudulent Parliament and Government.
What a good Parliament and Government should do is step back, create frameworks that release people to excel and reach their full potential. The problems and woes this Country are piling up are all due to a failed Parliament and Government, they misguidedly think they are the ones that ‘hands on’ can solve situations, they can’t, they never have had that ability, they don’t even between them have the experience, they fail every time and make things worse. How can you solve tomorrow problems when you deny an alternative view?
We need a new ‘Magna Carta’ to protect the people from an over zealous Political class and their ‘Blob’ associates. English Law as a framework, not Napoleonic diktats, but that’s been denied for so long it is difficult for those with closed minds to understand the difference.
Sir John, I feel genuinely sad for you and the hand full of other real Conservatives, you have had the aspiration of a free people living in a free Conservative Country ripped from under you.
September 30, 2023
Spot on John. Couldn’t have put it better myself.
September 30, 2023
Perhaps John you could dedicate one dayâs blog per week to giving positive news about the UK. All the regular news doom mongering is one reason people switch off, as well as the dark there needs to be balance.
I have had need of hospital services recently I was thinking after reading all the comments about the NHS being on its knees, forever waiting lists, Iâd be waiting months, I have private medical my GP said no need the local hospital is efficient and quick, I thought heâd want to refer me private to save a slot for other NHS patients but when I was chatting with everyone in the room they were all amazed their appointments had come through so quickly and conveniently on a weekend, the results were back within four days! I was nearly late because it took me fifteen minutes driving around two car parks to find a space! BUT they were efficient, friendly, and fast. There are some simple changes in hospitals that could help such as signposting, everyone was lost wandering around corridors all the reception areas were closed at weekend and the signage is poor, some A4 paper signs would suffice when only a couple of departments are open. You never see the BBC saying anything positive about successful NHS Trusts are there none in the whole Country? I donât believe it, every organisation has some bad egg departments and its those that the BBC need to discover and highlight the best and worst and why the best are the best.
Light, as well as all the dark. That is the bit that is missed on purpose to elect their union favourites.
September 30, 2023
Perhaps you could suggest some positive events occurring in modern day UK politics?
I struggle to find any.
October 1, 2023
There was one…..that Speaker finally vacated the Throne, err …chair.
October 1, 2023
Thats why a once per week column is required. This government has spent money like a spendthrift labour government and no-oneâs happy. These organisations given all the extra money arenât answerable for their failures. They give two extra bank holidays but who really pays for that, thereâs plenty they do wrong and expect industry, the NHS, the Schools to recover from two days closure with no consequences, there are always consequences. But they HAVE been spending a lot of money, often on projects the left and nationalised employers demands.
1. We survived global government closing down the Country from March 2020 for months on end, it is amazing that so many businesses actually did survive that! People were crying out that furlough wasnât enough, testing areas werenât enough, home testing wasnât enough, there wasnât enough PPE that the hospitals and care homes needed (more was ordered as demanded, big stocks), the NHS demanded ventilators then decided they didnât want ventilators after all.
2. A tax break on national insurance was introduced increasing the amount people could earn from ÂŁ9500 to ÂŁ12,570 pa before they pay their national insurance contribution. The people earning under ÂŁ35,000 all benefitted from that although you wouldnât know it. Itâs the upper middle and high taxpayers paying the cost of frozen tax codes.
3. The UK government is giving the publicly run largest company in the UK the NHS more money than ever since Theresa May gave them a massive spending boost, the NHS is answerable to all of us in how that is spent but they got the money they required. 40% of the NHS budget goes on staff. The left say more businesses need to be controlled by the State but where is that actually getting us, they are no more answerable to us, do you ever see the top execs from the NHS being interviewed and asked difficult questions? The two day Tube strikes coming, thatâs what you get with nationalisation, services removed and no rebate or recourse.
4. Children are now getting free compulsory education or training up to age 18 from 16, is this positive or not?
5. Employers have been forced to pay an extra 3% from ÂŁ6240 on top of the 13.8% national insurance they pay, into peopleâs personal pension accounts is this a good thing or not?
6. From April 2024: Working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week. From September 2024: 15 hours of free childcare expanded to working parents of children aged nine months to two years. Is this a good thing or not? https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-provision-children-under-5
7. Crossrail has been subsidised, overspending, all paid for, why wasnât it driverless? The users then get their services cut, pay us more you hostages. These arenât Tory decisions but they arenât thanked either for following on with lefty projects. They spent this money in London instead of in Manchester but the Londoners donât thank you for it. Nobody is saying these are good things, no one can think of anything good.
8. This government has put a green levy on us all to put into green projects, we are paying standing charges and those of us with gas and electricity are paying double standing charges, what is it being spent on? Isnât this seen as any benefit by anybody, if not why do it? If someone doesnât start telling us whatâs good about this green tax then STOP. Whatâs this rubbish about carbon offsets and having to pay the ÂŁ300m to the EU because theyâre saying that our carbon efficiency now isnât in line with European efficiency, yet before Sunak made the announcements we were 30% better so what has changed.
Itâs just all bull. This country canât store wind energy, so if we sell it to the EU weâre going to get taxed millions on it. So find a way to reroute it or store it for the use of UK energy heavy industry like the steel works, car works something is going very wrong, we are subsidising the creating of this energy and we canât use it. Someone in the UK thinks these green spending activities are a good idea, who, why, whatâs the benefit? John needs to get his colleagues to justify all these things theyâre spending taxes on, that are demanded by just about every green person in the UK.
October 1, 2023
But aren’t health issues 7 days a week? Why does the NHS shut up, and send patients home on Friday afternoons?
Answer: because it still tries to run as a 5 day operation (sorry).
September 30, 2023
Why are the BBC weather allowed to show symbols more âredâ than there corresponding temperature 10-20-30 years ago without any recourse from the Culture Media & Sports committee âŠ.this blatantly distorts a bias towards climate change
September 30, 2023
That Glen must be the policy of the Left Wing MET office not the Biased Broadcasting Company as the colour change is also on GBNews, i do wonder how they get away with their brain washing, their forecasts are now inaccurate, with green propaganda dropped into the forecast.
I always thought they were there to give facts not opinions. I noe use a Swedish web site as they are much more accurate
September 30, 2023
Dear John, in complete and irrefutable disproof of this nonsense I present to you: Laura Kuenssberg, CCHQ’s very own apparatchik inside the BBC. Never known a Tory lie she didn’t swallow wholesale. Surprised she didn’t get a gong in Johnson’s resignation dishonours list.
September 30, 2023
You clearly haven’t watched Laura’s 3 episodes of ‘State of Chaos’ !!
Laura won’t be getting Christmas cards from a helluva lot of Tories.
October 1, 2023
âState of Chaosâ: well the various interviewees describe the state of chaos that 13.5 years of Conservative government have brought. Difficult to pretend as you do that all that was said was because of the interviewer.
For once, try to be levelled headed, do you think LK is more or less biased in her questioning as the Richard Tice, Dan Wootton, Laurence Fox, JRM, E.McVey, Ph.Davies, M.Daubney in theirs?
September 30, 2023
Are you in full possession of your faculties?
Anyone who cites Kuenssberg as pro-Tory must have dropped in from a neighbouring planet.
September 30, 2023
Dear Sir John, Thank you this great critique.
The BBC are fierce partisans of “received opinion”, which they mistakenly take to be neutral, impartial and inclusive. Anything else is treated as hostile, so left socialists also sometimes complain legitimately against BBC bias.
“Received opinion” is the current prevailing views of our old friend “civil society” which now consists mainly of leaders and would-be leaders in the public sector, big charities, the Arts and the Church of England. In my lifetime, it has never been to the right of, say, Jo Grimond. Over the past 20 years, particularly since the financial crash, it has moved strongly to the left and is increasingly influenced by aggressive campaigners and social media surges.
Far from being inclusive, the BBC’s attitude makes it a hostile environment for large swathes of forced licence fee payers and, at least in the case of Brexit, a demonstratble majority. So long live alternatives such as GB News, warts and all.
September 30, 2023
Bravo Sir John, you really are spot on. Time and time again we listen to Radio 4 and witness their total absence of balance, preferring bias and spin rather than the truth. It is essential GB News continue broadcasting as we need balance and diverse opinion. However, the debased, cheap and unacceptable comments witnessed this week by one of their presenters has no place in broadcasting.
September 30, 2023
Time and time again we listen to Radio 4 and witness their total absence of balance, preferring bias and spin rather than the truth. It is essential GB News continue broadcasting as we need balance and diverse opinion. However, the debased, cheap and unacceptable comments witnessed this week by one of their presenters has no place in broadcasting.
September 30, 2023
MS, , I agree with your final sentence, and so does Laurence Fox.
He has aired his apology and also the context and, as we all know, there have been many outrageous comments by left wing commentators and comedians (Pud has identified Jo Brand) with no other context than hatred of the right of centre.
Laurence was sincere in his explanation, not the guff of Boris apologising to Liverpool.
Brickbats for crassness but also respect and appreciation for the rarity of sincerity and integrity.
September 30, 2023
Why do the people still watch and or listen to the Main Stream Media? Remember “News” is not what happens, it is what a small group of people DECIDE is news.
Do your own research.
September 30, 2023
PC, (in the nicest way) +++ neat and true, thank you.
September 30, 2023
PC, (in the nicest way) +++ neat and true, well expressed, thank you
September 30, 2023
The BBC gets ever worse, not better. Now their overpaid so-called ‘talent’ presenters are to be officially allowed to promote the policies of their political party or demonise the elected government’s policies so long as they keep to telling us who to vote for without actually saying the words, ‘Vote Labour’ or ‘Vote Green’.
Indeed in foreign reporting where it gets away without even a facade of impartiality it is even worse. Anybody just listening to the BBC would think Brazil under Bolsonaro had the worst Covid death rate in the world and that was because he was a right-wing populist who downplayed Covid. The BBC just did not even deign to mention that one of Brazil’s neighbours, Peru actually had by far the worst Covid death rate in the world but then Peru had a left-wing government complete with the lockdowns they approved so much of. Perhaps it was the Amazon and its rainforest that interacted with Covid to make matters worse rather than politicians or their policies! Certainly the Amazonian areas suffered worst. The BBC never even considered that possibility.
So the BBC is both very costly (GB News is run on a shoestring by comparison) and in the age of many channels, the Internet and satellite television from all around the world, completely unnecessary as well as very biased.
So don’t waste time in fruitless efforts to remove BBC biases or improve its quality. Just end the license fee now and let it go bankrupt forthwith. That would be great for license fee payers and no loss to anyone except its very overpaid staff and contracted associates!
September 30, 2023
New book on display in cafe bookshop this am —
Technofeudalism by Yanis Varoufakis.
Traditional capitalism replaced by technofeudalism run by big tech and central banks .
Asks what we can do re threats to democracy ,environment,world peace,and our freedoms.
I n t e r e s t i n g ……………….
October 1, 2023
The worst crime of bias committed by the BBC was it’s founding of the Trusted News Initiative. This spread the censorship of disagreement over Climate policy, Covid treatment and any other government matter to other state and corporate broadcast media. It is pure Orwellian evil.
October 1, 2023
Stred, ++++, yes, not mistaken, not misguided, simply knowingly evil.
October 2, 2023
The BBC licence should be taken away from them and then they would see how many people would sign up to their left wing rhetoric. At least with GB News and Talk TV you get other views to the arguments and news items even if certain interviewers do not agree. They are given the opportunity to say their piece. The BBC just ignores what it does not want to air.
October 2, 2023
A historian could have a field day with the BBC GCSE revision notes e.g. medieval doctors had to train in France or Italy because Britain had didn’t have ‘main universities’ so only the wealthy could be doctors because of the travel…despite Oxford being one of the earliest universities. The cost of study was prohibitive for most, not the travel. (No mention that Ireland had its entire own medical training system for a few centuries prior, including laws for medical malpractice).
They also say plague has only two forms, and omit Septicemic plague altogether. (See BBC Medieval medicine – medicine stands still 7 and compare it to the Mayo Clinic, or even Wikipedia) But the several pages on Middle Eastern medicine can certainly make up for not getting facts right I am sure…(not sure those are right either to be honest)
What exactly is going on with education these days? I find myself wanting to red-pen the inaccuracies. We certainly aren’t getting value for money.