On each of the programmes I review in the course of a weekday, yesterday saw the 'election campaign's' first big day on the BBC (and wasn't it fun?). It was the day the Conservatives launched their plans for the NHS & the day Labour launched another of its dodgy dossiers, this time listing why the Conservatives' sums don't add up (though holes in Labours' sums appeared within 45 minutes). Guess which one led each programme's coverage. Yes, the Labour attack on the Tories, with the Conservatives' health plans limping along behind. And each time the BBC's economics editor Stephanie Flanders was on hand to award the prize for successful campaigning to Labour - as she did on her blog too http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/stephanieflanders/2010/01/the_thought_doesnt_count.html
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But it's true that there have been a number of not-quite-pledges in the rhetoric
of senior Tories over the past year - like the talk of tax cuts for married
couples, or reversing the 50p rate for top earners. Here and elsewhere, they
have wanted to gain credit for aspiration, without having to pay for it.
Yet, to coin a phrase, it's not the thought that counts.
The only message that Labour wanted to get across with this document is that you can't have your cake and cut it too. To the extent that the Conservatives are now
forced to clarify what they have and have not promised for a Tory first term, I
suspect Labour will consider this first big day of the 2010 campaign a success.
So Stephanie - whether on The World at One, on PM or on her blog - supported Labour's main charge of the day and claimed success for it as an electioneering point. Unlike her commentaries on Radio 4, however, blogs can be updated and Stephanie has judiciously balanced the above comments with warnings for Labour.
Stephanie is not as bad as our old Marxist friend James Naughty on the Toady Programe this morning.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much bile in this man it is a wonder he does not explode.
Yet still the Conservatives, when invited on this programme, give a robust defence in spite of being talked over and cut off, how different from the easy ride of the government agricultural minister who "was looking at the findings" after 12 years of twiddling their thumbs.
Cameron needs to use his muscle and stop this bbc stupidity and bias. If he doesn't he will lose my vote.
Also didn't Clegg get a good hearing from Soviet Jim - had to turn it off through oncoming nausea.
Yes, I see what you mean! Jim Tweedledum got out of the wrong side of his cot this morning, and hit Tim Montgomerie with his rattle straight away!
ReplyDeleteThe big stories in international finance are threats by big city players to leave the City of London, some to re-locate to , say, Geneva, outside the EU and the downgrading of UK Govt. securities. E.G. as of last week Turkish Govt. securities were rated more highly in the market than UK securities.
ReplyDeleteThis is big news, but doesn't seem to be reported on the BBC. Do the BBC "economic editors" understand what is happening in the real world and are being economical with the truth or are they just stupid ?