I SMELL A RAT

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I have a theory. The BBC now knows it's being monitored over the proportion of posts on its live election blog given to each political party. Even its own figures, as revealed to Ryan, show that Labour is winning on this front, but the BBC says that it will all balance out in the end and all's for the best in this best of all possible worlds.
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My contention is that the BBC is boosting its tally of posts about the Conservative with trivialities.
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They can claim - and have claimed to Ryan - that they are being fair by pointing to the large number of posts about the Conservatives. My figures - though they only count posts that include either direct or indirect speech - also show lots of posts for the Conservatives. Neither set of figures, however, consider the value to the party of each post. (I didn't want to do that as that's where subjectivity comes in, and I like to avoid that at all costs when it comes to counting.)
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But what, say, if there are a large number of posts that quote Labour politicians on important subjects that Labour wants the public to hear, such as attacks on the Conservatives or education pledges? Conversely, what if there are a lot of posts that quote Conservative politicians on trivial subjects, like the weather, or football, or shoes? The latter might - or might not - personally put that politician in a good light but it's a poor substitute during an election for having the opportunity to get your political points put across to the voters. So the trivial posts are obviously of less value to political parties.
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Is that what's happening? There's only one way to find out (even if it makes for a long, long post)!
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Here are all the posts so far today that describe the sayings and the doings of Labour and the Conservatives, coloured accordingly, & with three labels attached to them -
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&&&&descriptive (eg some politician has arrived as a hospital, therefore neutral in value)
******significant
******trivial
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See if you agree with me about which I choose!
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2003: Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell tells Newsnight there is "now an engine for change" amongst the British people, with the prime ministerial debates acting as a catalyst. "The election has come alive because people want a different kind of politics. It is a big challenge for Labour and Tories but they must embrace the appetite for change", she says. SIGNIFICANT
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1905: Foreign Secretary David Miliband says he "deeply regrets" that because of the no-fly zone around England, he will be unable to go to the funeral on Sunday of the Polish president. He and Prince Charles had been due to represent the UK. "We will be thinking tomorrow both of the families of all those who lost their lives in the plane crash and of the people of Poland," he adds.
DESCRIPTIVE
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1657: Some cutting words from shadow chancellor George Osborne about the immediate aftermath of the first TV debate. He says: "The 'spin room' after the debate told you everything you need to know about Labour's negative campaign of fear. Realising that their candidate had lost, a trio of Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell and Unite Union fixer Charlie Whelan fanned out across the room like an ageing rock group getting together for an ill-advised come back tour. Not so much Spinal Tap as Spin on Tap. It wasn't pretty."
SIGNIFICANT (BORDERLINE GOSSIP!)
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1622: Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox says Labour have "no credibility" on the issue of armed forces welfare. The government has "chosen to copy Conservative proposals to repair the military covenant", he adds, calling this a "cynical ploy" to win votes. SIGNIFICANT
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1536: The prime minister is talking to delegates at the Open University, while Safe From Harm by Massive Attack plays over the public address system. DESCRIPTIVE
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1533: In Milton Keynes, Gordon Brown says this generation must be as bold as that after 1945 in creating effective global institutions. "Just think of what we can all achieve by working together," he concludes. SIGNIFICANT
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1523: It is significant that Gordon Brown attacks only the Conservatives following last week's debate, despite one poll putting his party behind the Lib Dems and his party briefing that the Lib Dems' policies will unravel. He neither praises nor denounces Nick Clegg. Critics might assume he is in denial but Labour's strategists are actually relaxed about the Lib Dems doing well enough to see off a Conservative challenge to many of their seats in southern England, which might help deprive the Conservatives of an overall majority, the BBC's Iain Watson says. SIGNIFICANT
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1506: The prime minister says the internet, free-of-charge to everyone, can empower people in the poorer countries of the world. SIGNIFICANT
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1445: In a question-and-answer session Mr Brown says the UN and other bodies need a "more comprehensive" approach to rebuilding countries after civil wars or natural disasters. SIGNIFICANT
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1433: The PM says finance needs global rules and that this is becoming more widely accepted. SIGNIFICANT
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1429: There must be an international effort to co-ordinate reconstruction and aid in the future, Mr Brown argues. He tells the audience in Milton Keynes that environmental organisations have to work along the same lines. SIGNIFICANT
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1425: The world has "so far failed" to do enough to stop the war in the Congo, the prime minister says. SIGNIFICANT
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1423: The Ethiopian famine of the 1980s expanded people's moral sense of having to deal with issues of poverty around the world, Mr Brown says. He adds that one in eight mothers in that country still die in childbirth, which he describes as "intolerable". SIGNIFICANT
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1417: Mr Brown says the Conservatives' policies are very similar to those they proposed at the 2001 and 2005 elections. SIGNIFICANT
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1414: The prime minister says he feels "energised" by the campaign, which is demonstrating the "choice" between the different parties' proposals. He accuses the Conservatives of making strategic mistakes, including over how to aid economic recovery. SIGNIFICANT
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1410: Back at the Open University in Milton Keynes Gordon Brown is giving a speech. He says a "global society" is emerging and that there is "an evolution of our moral" sense" taking place. SIGNIFICANT
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1403: The Tory leader, an Aston Villa fan, discusses his team's prospects with a Liverpool supporter. They avoid the subject of the 2010/11 Uefa Champions League. TRIVIAL
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1400: Speaking to his constituents, Mr Cameron says: "It's my wife's birthday tomorrow and if I don't get her a present, I'm toast." He then buys a copy of The Big Issue. Samantha will be pleased. TRIVIAL
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1357: Some young boys are telling the Tory leader about their toys. A "turkey has run away from the farm", apparently. TRIVIAL
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1355: David Cameron is back in his constituency of Witney, Oxfordshire, talking to mothers and babies. He remarks upon the pleasant spring weather the country is enjoying. TRIVIAL
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1334: Gordon Brown is due to arrive at the Open University HQ in Milton Keynes quite soon to give a speech. DESCRIPTIVE
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1310: On the Trident debate Foreign Secretary David Miliband says the Lib Dems' position of getting rid of Trident whatever other countries do is "not sensible". "I don't think you can decide your national security on the basis of cost. The first responsibility of the government is to defend the country," he says. SIGNIFICANT
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1151: Mr Brown focuses his speech to activists on the differences between Labour and the Conservatives. No mention of the Liberal Democrats at all although he might have been alluding to them by saying "we, we are the greatest force for fairness". SIGNIFICANT
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1148: The PM promises to protect spending on schools, the NHS and police. The Conservatives would not, he adds. Before 1997, patients were waiting for operations for up to two years, Mr Brown says. SIGNIFICANT
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1146: Mr Brown says people want to know about job security and standards of living. He promises he will not put the economic recovery at risk, but claims the Conservatives would withdraw "the support we need". SIGNIFICANT
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1144: The prime minister is addressing activists in a rather attractive back garden. He jokes that he is "normally the warm-up speaker" for wife Sarah these days. TRIVIAL
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1133: Gordon Brown is in Bedford, shaking hands with Labour supporters. DESCRIPTIVE
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1009: Tory MP Douglas Carswell blogs on a shortage of election posters in his Harwich and Clacton constituency. His team just "can't get them out and up fast enough", he reports. TRIVIAL
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0957: PM's wife Sarah Brown has blogged on her trip to Brighton with Labour-supporting comedian and multi-marathon runner Eddie Izzard. Mrs Brown describes him as "incredibly clever and serious about the issues that really matter to him; Europe, the NHS, and international development". She also reveals that when her husband got off the bus, the students gathered for the event let out a surprised cheer. The pre-visit publicity had only stated that a "member of the cabinet" would accompany Mr Izzard. TRIVIAL
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0941: Mr Cameron, wearing a dark blue - or is it black? - jumper, concludes his speech and shakes hands with the crowd. One man pipes up: "Gordon Brown was never elected." The Tory leader replies: "I know. That's why he's not enjoying it very much." He remarks that it's a "lovely sunny day" in Gloucester. Ignoring a question about the improvement in the Lib Dems' fortunes suggested by a poll in The Sun, Mr Cameron gets back on the battlebus and the gathered masses of Gloucester disperse and return to their normal lives. SIGNIFICANT
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0936: The Tory leader tells his Gloucester audience the cost of politics must fall. He again says a hung Parliament would be bad for the UK. The Tories will have to win the election "house-by-house, town by town", Mr Cameron exclaims. SIGNIFICANT
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0933: Mr Cameron says the Tories must tackle the "broken society" and reform politics. He attacks the PM and says a hung Parliament would mean politicians "haggling, not deciding". SIGNIFICANT
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0931: David Cameron's battlebus pulls into Gloucester, to applause from supporters. He says the St John Ambulance on hand is useful "in case we keel over". The Tory leader leaps on to his soapbox. DESCRIPTIVE
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0917: Tory leader David Cameron is expected to stand on his soapbox in a little while as he addresses the people of Gloucester. The crowds are gathering and the "DC10" campaign balloons are on display. This brings back memories of predecessor John Major, who famously used his soapbox in 1992. BBC political Paul Rowley, who followed the then PM on his travels around the UK, informs us that it was in fact a "document box", with no soap involved. DESCRIPTIVE
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0845: Gordon Brown is expected to tell supporters later that the election race is "wide open" following the first TV debate. Labour are promising a "weekend campaign blitz". SIGNIFICANT
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0836: On the TV debate, Labour's Bob Ainsworth says Gordon Brown did best on substance and that, as the campaign progresses, "silly" Lib Dem policies will come under more scrutiny. SIGNIFICANT
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0831: Nick Harvey, for the Lib Dems, says he hopes that, before the Trident nuclear deterrent expires, multi-lateral talks on disarmament will have made substantial progress. Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth says the Lib Dems' policy is "ridiculous". SIGNIFICANT
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0824: Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth says the government has a "political" plan to deal with Afghanistan and realises the Karzai regime is far from perfect. But a collapsed Afghanistan would represent a threat to the UK's security, he adds. SIGNIFICANT
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The totals here are:
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LABOUR
Significant posts - 20
Descriptive posts - 4
Trivial posts - 2
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CONSERVATIVES
Significant posts - 5
Descriptive posts - 2
Trivial posts - 5
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As you can see, the Labour count is already heavy today - even without considering the value of each post. Taking the value of each post into consideration seems to very clearly show bias against the Conservatives. I will have to investigate further.
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