Tuesday 9 April 2013

Sinister pressure on the BBC

I don't read the Sun.  I'm proud to say that.  I regard the Sun as having done huge damage to our national culture.  However, yesterday a piece popped up in the news alerts which is worth careful reading.
We know that Iain Duncan Smith doesn't like criticism, and it's possible to read this as merely him jumping up and down in a temper.  But there's more behind it.  First, he "branded the BBC as ridiculous" for its coverage of welfare issues.  Then he "savaged" the Guardian for talking only about cuts, and called it a "campaign rag".  This is the quote:

'He also tore into Beeb coverage of welfare reform. He said: “It’s easier for  them to live with the Guardian than anybody else, that’s to say more money is good, less money is a cut.  The word ‘reform’ very rarely passes their lips but the word ‘cuts’ is always  in their broadcasts.  The phrase ‘bedroom tax’ is a misnomer, it’s a Labour Party name. They never talk about under-occupancy or a spare room subsidy. Evan Davis (presenter of Radio 4’s Today) keeps asking everybody all through the programme, ‘Should Iain Duncan Smith resign?’ What for? Because that’s what the Labour Party was asking for, so he had to  repeat it. It’s a joke.”'
Remember that this is a government minister commenting on the free, independent media they're supposedly keen on, and singling out a presenter who is doing his job.  But George Osborne also gets in on the act:
'Chancellor George Osborne joined in the assault on the BBC, claiming that ordinary working people’s opinions were being ignored because of “lazy journalism”. He accused the Beeb of relying on comments from pressure groups to fill news bulletins, and said: “I don’t think the voices of working people who pay their taxes for this system are heard often enough. They experience in their daily lives the abuse of that system and I don’t think that is often reported.”'

The Guardian is the only paper (with the occasional exception of the Independent) which prints the stuff which IDS and his bunch would like to hide.  And the BBC is vital as our only source of unbiassed reporting on TV and radio.  It may not seem unbiassed at times - that's inevitable - but as long as both right and left are complaining, they must be getting it broadly correct.  

Now read this from Tim Montgomerie on Conservative Home.  He's commenting on what IDS and Osborne have said, and it's really sinister.  
"The last week has shown what is possible when the Conservative Party gets its act together and acts in concert with the centre right press. The consistency of message may be a first sign that Lynton Crosby is delivering the kind of message discipline that he was recruited for."  
Even worse is the suggestion in some of the comments under the piece that the government could put pressure on the BBC by starting a review of the licence fee.

On a day when so many of us have had to switch off all radio and TV to escape wall-to-wall Thatcher (no comments about that, please), and in the wake of the trashing of the Leveson recommendations in the name of freedom of the press, we should remember that it's only a free press and a free BBC which give us the information with which to oppose government - any government.  Bloggers and campaign groups can't do it alone.  


20 comments:

  1. I don't think this piece is quite fair and I hope you'll publish this. For instance, Labour came up with a genuine bedroom tax to hound out the old, plus the cuts complained about are reductions in the rate of increases in welfare spending. That according to Daniel Hannan anyway.

    Labour's bedroom tax: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050800/Over-60-bedroom-blockers-taxed-homes.html

    Labour may not scrap the Tory bedroom tax says Labour MP: http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/7088-labour-might-not-scrap-bedroom-tax-as-duncan-smith-comes-under-pressure-to-back-up-p53-claim


    And when Labour tried to court the press, that wasn't sinister I suppose. I've certainly read no complaints about that on blogs. And when the tactic failed, Labour bosses famously declared they never read the papers and actually suddenly savaged the Sun onstage at Party Conference.

    My stance is I generally support reforms of the welfare system and there are bits I don't agree with, such as the bedroom tax. But I don't think hatchet jobs are the answer and I can see that IDS himself is simply frustrated with the liberal liberal press always sniping.

    Mick

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    1. Let's take the two articles you cite. The first, in the Daily Mail, was about a report from a think tank which was supported in principle by some Labour MPs but vehemently opposed by the Tories. Strange, that. The second is making a great deal out of the fact that Labour MPs can't, at the moment, be specific about what they would or would not do post the 2015 election. It doesn't add up to much, does it?
      Of course all parties court the press, they have to. But I don't ever remember a government actively trying to stop the expression of opposing points of view. The fact that you think the "liberal press" is always sniping shows your political stance, which you are perfectly entitled to. But there are other views, and the BBC in particular should be able to reflect them without being bullied.

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    2. With respect, are we talking about the same IDS that cannot control his temper, misrepresents facts, lies and cheats? The guy is a menace through and through. Listen to his interview with James O Brien on youtube or his spat with Owen Jones on Question Time. He is a disgrace and, worse, he is utterly incompetent, playing with our lives and our money! Who else in their right mind would devise something as insane as the bedroo...sorry under occupancy charge!

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  2. A few points. I do not read the Sun either. I find it, the Daily Mail and the Sun 'Mini-me' the Daily Star pretty much unreadable. I for one shed no crocodile tears when the News of the World was shut down by Murdoch.

    If Smith wants to be taken seriously, he needs to be able to take criticism. He seems to think his critics not just as wrong but dismisses their VERY right to be able to make their criticism heard in the first place. Little wonder he lost it when Owen Jones challenged him on Question Time a while back.

    Calling The Guardian a campaign rag is silly. Newspapers SHOULD be campaigning on serious issues. Welfare reform is a serious issue. Of course, when the Sun, The Daily Mail, The Daily Express and the Daily Star campaign hard and regularly about benefit thieves, "scroungers, the feckless, single mothers, the workshy", that's A-Okay I guess! The campaigning is the lesser problem for Smith. His real problem is he simply does not like the message emanating from said campaign.

    For the hapless Gideon Osborn to chip in and accuse the BBC of relying on comments from pressure groups to fill news bulletins is as stupid as it is ignorant. Does he not listen to watch or listen to BBC TV and Radio? How many time have odious groups such as the Taxpayers Alliance and Migration Watch been invited into BBC studios to preach, pontificate and lecture as though they are speaking for the entire nation? No doubt Osborne will welcome THESE pressure groups as they say things that comfortably fit in with his and his governments world view.

    For Tim Mongomerie to simply say that the majority view is not represented on welfare by the BBC is as spurious as it is dangerous. It is spurious because one has to look at where and how much of the public is being informed. It is the constant drip-drip-drip effect of exaggerations, half-truths (at best), hard core ideology and yes blatant lies that is hardening of people's attitudes and fostering the worst kind of "I'm all right Jack" mentality. What do Montgomerie, Smith and Osborne want? A BBC and press that presents things only from the governments view? What happens when the Tories are out of power in 2015? Will they be on the side of a Labour minister wishing the same?

    As for Thatcher. Well, I have had the TV and radio off for most of yesterday and today as well. The only thing I will say is that I hope her passing will not be used by Cameron, Osborne et al to garner sympathy for the Tories. I would not put it past them to be honest!

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    1. Sick of the Work Programme9 April 2013 at 04:59

      I agree that IDS has a fundamental problem with criticism, reflected in his 'how dare you!' attitude when someone disagrees with him. Although I prefer to read the Guardian and the Independent, I do however also regularly read the Daily Mail, Sun etc because I think it's important to keep an eye on what's being said and the way it is being presented.

      I do think that the tories will use Thatcher's death as an opportunity to put themselves into the limelight. Unfortunately it is also likely that they are viewing her death as a good way to divert attention away from important issues such as welfare reform.

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  3. The One True Elg9 April 2013 at 08:51

    Perhaps IDS and his Staff should actually get on BBC political programs to defend their reforms instead of whining the BBC doesn't naturally take their side of the argument?

    How many times have you heard any of the Newsnight presenters or Andrew Neil say ''But no-one from the Department of Work and Pensions was available...''?

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    1. Good point TOTE! Dunno if you listened to Chris Greyling on BBC R5L last year after a phone in on the WP? He simply ducked out of engaging with the callers or anyone who emailed and texted in with their views.

      He elected to have a pointless debate with his Labour shadow Stephen Timms instead.

      That is after stating that callers criticising the WP at 11.AM could do so simply because those who'd found employment via the WP were busy at work and thus did not have the time to do so! Such a dismissive and arrogant attitude was never able to be challenged by BBC listeners.

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  4. I'm fed up of people like IDS, Osborne and Harriet Harman claiming to be speaking on my behalf. I'm an ordinary working person and a taxpayer. I'm perfectly happy to for my tax payments to be spent on support for the disabled, elderly, poor and sick. I'm not happy for them to be spent on funding the lavish expense account lifestyles of politicians.

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  5. DD I totally agree with you.

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  6. I've noticed this kind of attitude before from Tories who are expecting all media channels to be dancing to their music. Tebbo used to get angry over some bbc news reports which tried so hard to follow his line of thinking but were defeated because it was like putting lipstick on a pig.

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  7. When it comes to disabled people who have a permanent disability. Its not going to get better. Why does IDS insist that they attend an assessment every 3 months or so? What part of 'permanent' does he not understand?
    IDS shows no respect and a real lack of understanding of this issue. He fails in his duty of care. If they just paid what pay out to contractors (like ALTOS) and DWP decision makers time directly to permanently disabled. That would help improve the quality of their lives.
    IDS,the welfare state is for caring for people in their hour of need and NOT lining the pockets of your rich buddies be it ALTOS,A4e,Poundland or any other contractors bosses pockets.The money you pay A4e could , if paid directly to Jobseekers, would be of more use to them in finding a job and getting them back on their feet. It would be a more efficient and value for money as there is no syphon of profits to shareholders of private shareholders.

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  8. "He accused the Beeb of relying on comments from pressure groups to fill news bulletins, and said: “I don’t think the voices of working people who pay their taxes for this system are heard often enough. They experience in their daily lives the abuse of that system and I don’t think that is often reported.”'"

    Gideon should be careful about what he wishes for... It's becoming more and more evident that "the voices of working people" aren't happy and they are becoming louder as the cuts affect them more and more. Even if it's not on a personal level, they will know at least one person who is affected. Well, outside of the top 1% but they're hardly "working people" now, are they? Those are the voices that Gideon wants to hear and he's angry that the rest of the country wants to speak up about how unhappy it is. Silly little man should never have been allowed to walk away from those towels... Bet he didn't fold them properly either.

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  9. The quote 'message discipline' sounds very Orwellian.

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  10. Just finished up with the WP,curious meeting to say the least,I was advised that my time with the WP will be over in a few months and I will more than likely be assigned to a Community Action Programme.I will be required to work 30 hours a week for the £71 pw JSA plus travel until I find permanent employment(the only benefit I claim) the Adviser was unsure whom I would do this for.I asked if it would be administered by the WP?...more than likely and the DWP would pay them £200 pw,why not pay me £200 pw and let me do something for the Taxpayer? We have Admin costs,the Adviser was not totally sure,but believed if I am on this programme ,after 6 Months they will be able to claim an outcome payment..Please tell me the Adviser was misinformed this is either wrong info or a last ditch effort to divert money to the WP.

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    1. Ballymoney and Moyle "Want your grass cut" A4E has started an over 50 programme that will last up to 6 months to help those over 50 gain work experience

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    2. Following the Ballymoney story produces a reference to a programme by the name of "Step Ahead 50+". This leads us to a DfEL document www.delni.gov.uk/stw-operational-guidelines-memo-21-12.pdf - In it, the word "employment" is regularly used, and it indicates that each "employee" will be paid NMW for their work.

      Putting aside the A4e involvement for a moment, anything that pays a real wage is a good thing (up to a point) - Would I go grass cutting ? If I'm being paid a decent wage, yes. Would I go grass cutting for £71 ? Only for ten hours a week.

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    3. I would gladly work for NMW,even at 30 hours a week it would pay just over £180 which is still a lot better than JSA. As the WP has offered very little help,what I find odd is the constant question "Why can't you find a job and what should you do differently" to which I reply what tailored support is available? I am obviously doing something wrong,you are the Professional what do you recommend..We have no funding,I understand this,but what do you recommend?...Change the subject.

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    4. I do garden maintenance which includes grass cutting, and because of the WP I am being forced out of a job, even though A4E are encouraging me to be self employed as a gardener. In the area I live in there are now 10 gardeners/grass cutters. This in a place with a population of 3K, and most people don't have the money to pay to have their gardens done, although I see there is no charge for what A4E are offering. A surprising number of them have been encouraged to do this by the WP, although very few of them actually have the skills to know anything about turf maintenance. Certainly these people won't have a clue and are likely to end up trashing gardens.

      And, I can tell you that if you work for a gardening contractor then you get paid NMW, so about £6-7/hr. If you are self employed you charge £10-12, in some cases you have a fixed rate regardless of the size of the lawn. Nobody cuts grass for £71/week unless they are working P/T.


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  11. I have been reading this website with a great deal of interest. I too am conscripted (app word!) to the Work Programme. And I am not sure about only seeing an adviser once a month, three times a week is more likely depending on the (useless) adviser!
    Also you forget that the MORNING STAR (MorningStarOnline.co.UK) is also strongly opposed to the WP, in fact more so than the Guardian. I'm surprised it hasn't had a mention?

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    1. How often you see an adviser tends to depend on how long you've been on the WP. In the early stages it is more frequent. As for the Morning Star, I agree with you.

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