ANOTHER DATE WITH THE LEFT

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Was today's panel on 'Dateline: London' any more balanced than last week's?
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Well, in place of Johann Hari of 'The Independent' we had the ubiquitous Steve Richards of 'The Independent'. (Have the programme's producers never heard of 'The Times'?). Mark that up as one for the Left.

Then there was this week's Eurobabe, Agnes Poirier of La vie, who also writes regularly for 'The Guardian'. Mark that up as two for the Left.
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Then there was one of the programme's most regular of regulars, Abdul Bari Atwan of al Quds, a left-wing Palestinian known for his shocking anti-Israeli comments. (He was treated with the utmost respect, as usual, by Gavin Esler - despite, as the fourth guest showed, talking utter nonsense about Pakistan's Taleban). Mark that up as three for the Left.
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Finally, that fourth guest, was Shahed Sadullah of Pakistan's The Daily Jang. I have always assumed (from all his other appearances) that he too was a man of the liberal Left, but he talked such good sense throughout the whole programme that he surely can't be!! So mark that up as three and a half for the Left!!
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Finally, throw in Gavin Esler - and that's four and a half for the Left!!!
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As for the show's discussion of MPs and their expenses, it was typical of what I've seen and heard in recent days. Poor bloody MPs! "They are really angry", said Gavin to Steve Richards, the Political Class's apologist-in-chief. "They have good cause to be angry", opined Steve, who (as he always does) stuck up for MPs with a vengeance, damning our 'hysteria' over the issue and sharply criticising Sir Thomas Legg (or as Richards sniffily - and unpleasantly - called him "someone called Sir Thomas Legg", and later "this figure".) When he mentioned how MPs outside London might not even get second home allowance, Gavin Esler joined him in commiserating with them: "And that is a financial burden. There's no question that's a financial pain." When Richards derisively brought up the popular idea that MPs should be housed in a "dormitory" or "youth hostel", Esler laughed and joined him in the derision: "..which some people would like, wearing hair-shirts and a prison uniform." Delightfully, Mr Sadullah said that Pakistan's MPs are housed in a hostel - and that it's a good idea! That put a cat among the pigeons! It is a good idea. Gavin Esler should keep his opinions to himself.
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Incidentally, the lovely Agnes was in full agreement with Steve and Gavin: "It's gone too far now", she said, talking of "the tyranny of transparency" and going on to drivel "It's very dangerous for democracy. There is something slightly fascistic to go after them again." She also asked a rhetorical question, "Why should you not get a kit-kat on the taxpayers?". The answer, Agnes, is that you should pay for it out of your already more than adequate wages, that's why. Journalists, like politicians, seem to have a much more 'flexible' attitude to the morality of claiming expenses than most people who work in the private sector.
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Returning to the theme of this morning's post, 'Dateline' also touched on the report from the Cambridge Primary Review, with Steve Richards describing it as "good" and Gavin Esler trotting out the case against early testing again, asserting: "Steve, I mean, some surveys have said that, of the developed countries, British children are among the unhappiest, or the unhappiest, and there is a problem." (He's certainly putting those surveys to some use!). Esler ended by saying, "We'll leave it there. I'm glad I don't have to do any more exams." As I've said before, if he wants to give his opinions, let him resign and go onto the programme as a guest. Given the sort of guests the producers usually invite onto it, I don't doubt he'd be a regular!