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Another apology for the slimline blogging of the last few days. I've have very little time to do much this week. Normal service should resume from tomorrow night. Just time now for a slimline post on an old theme:
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No.2 on Today's speed-dial was pressed this morning:
Former Tory MP Michael Portillo and director of think tank Demos Richard Reeves examine how the two main parties should react to Nick Clegg's surging popularity.
If it's not the IPPR, it's probably Demos.
Showing posts with label think tanks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label think tanks. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
BIAS IN TRIPLICATE
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From this morning's Today:
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0853
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats want to replace the regional development agencies. In north-east England, the RDA has been more popular than some of its counterparts elsewhere. Professor John Tomaney, director for the Centre for urban and regional development at Newcastle University, and Ed Cox, director of the northern office of the think tank The Institute for Public Policy Research, analyses the dangers of similar products. http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8631000/8631670.stm
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It usually is the IPPR, the IPPR it usually is!
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As ever James Naughtie merely named the organisation as a think tank, without adding any labels - such as 'left-leaning' or 'Labour-aligned'.
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Ed Cox from the IPPR was clearly on the side of Labour's RDAs, presenting the case against as essentially being an argument put forward by London and the South East, which see "easy pickings" as far as savings are concerned, and adding "Well, the National Audit Office, which is an independent organisation, has recently reviewed the role of RDAs and has concluded that they are good value for money, that every pound they spend that three additional pounds are brought in." He was, prior to becoming director of IPPR North, policy advisor to Hazel Blears.
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His other guest, Prof Tomaney, was also on the side of Labour's RDAs and enthusiastically so. Indeed, he is one of the leading advocates for them. Here are some facts about Prof Tomaney that James Naughtie chose not to mention:
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- He wrote a report with former Labour MP David Marquand called 'Democratising England' for the 'Campaign for English Regions', which he chaired.
- He wrote 'Empowering the English Regions', with Michelle Mitchell of left-wing pressure group Charter 88 (now Unlock Democracy).
- He wrote a report with John Adams of the IPPR (oh yes!!!!) called 'Restoring the Balance', backing Labour's white paper on regional government.
- He has just been appointed a research fellow at The Smith Institute, the controversial 'charity' named after the late Labour leader John Smith and said to be extremely close to Gordon Brown.
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This level of (hidden) bias is completely unacceptable.
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And there's more too.
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Prof Tomaney and Mr Cox weren't the only supporters of Labour's RDAs. Another famous Labour supporter came out in support - James Naughtie. Though one question essayed a devil's advocacy of the anti-RDA Case, the whole package was full of these sort of helpful questions, which leave no doubt as to his true feelings:
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"What is it that the RDA has done here leaves it with, as far as I can judge anyway - and people generally agree with this -, a fairly good reputation in the region?"
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"And I suppose we've gone through a period of profound industrial change in the North East, from shipbuilding and steel and mining to something quite different. I mean I was in Sunderland the other day and the difference is palpable, and looking what Nissan are doing there and so on, I mean, it's a place that's had to undergo a quite often very, very painful transition, so a body like that in those circumstances is probably appreciated." ("Absolutely", replied Prof Tomaney.)
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"And the question Ed Cox would be if it were properly directed people might say it was money well spent . I mean it could be well spent or badly spent."
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He also swung his devil's advocate question from "the critics" in general to "the Conservatives", giving Mr Cox his chance to present it as a case of South East English Conservatives looking for spending cuts and seeing the opportunity to "salami-slice" the money going to the Great Northern Peoples' Assembly.
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So another Labour love-in on Today, and during a general election too.
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Have they no shame?
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From this morning's Today:
*
0853
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats want to replace the regional development agencies. In north-east England, the RDA has been more popular than some of its counterparts elsewhere. Professor John Tomaney, director for the Centre for urban and regional development at Newcastle University, and Ed Cox, director of the northern office of the think tank The Institute for Public Policy Research, analyses the dangers of similar products. http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8631000/8631670.stm
*
It usually is the IPPR, the IPPR it usually is!
*
As ever James Naughtie merely named the organisation as a think tank, without adding any labels - such as 'left-leaning' or 'Labour-aligned'.
*
Ed Cox from the IPPR was clearly on the side of Labour's RDAs, presenting the case against as essentially being an argument put forward by London and the South East, which see "easy pickings" as far as savings are concerned, and adding "Well, the National Audit Office, which is an independent organisation, has recently reviewed the role of RDAs and has concluded that they are good value for money, that every pound they spend that three additional pounds are brought in." He was, prior to becoming director of IPPR North, policy advisor to Hazel Blears.
*
His other guest, Prof Tomaney, was also on the side of Labour's RDAs and enthusiastically so. Indeed, he is one of the leading advocates for them. Here are some facts about Prof Tomaney that James Naughtie chose not to mention:
*
- He wrote a report with former Labour MP David Marquand called 'Democratising England' for the 'Campaign for English Regions', which he chaired.
- He wrote 'Empowering the English Regions', with Michelle Mitchell of left-wing pressure group Charter 88 (now Unlock Democracy).
- He wrote a report with John Adams of the IPPR (oh yes!!!!) called 'Restoring the Balance', backing Labour's white paper on regional government.
- He has just been appointed a research fellow at The Smith Institute, the controversial 'charity' named after the late Labour leader John Smith and said to be extremely close to Gordon Brown.
*
This level of (hidden) bias is completely unacceptable.
*
And there's more too.
*
Prof Tomaney and Mr Cox weren't the only supporters of Labour's RDAs. Another famous Labour supporter came out in support - James Naughtie. Though one question essayed a devil's advocacy of the anti-RDA Case, the whole package was full of these sort of helpful questions, which leave no doubt as to his true feelings:
*
"What is it that the RDA has done here leaves it with, as far as I can judge anyway - and people generally agree with this -, a fairly good reputation in the region?"
*
"And I suppose we've gone through a period of profound industrial change in the North East, from shipbuilding and steel and mining to something quite different. I mean I was in Sunderland the other day and the difference is palpable, and looking what Nissan are doing there and so on, I mean, it's a place that's had to undergo a quite often very, very painful transition, so a body like that in those circumstances is probably appreciated." ("Absolutely", replied Prof Tomaney.)
*
"And the question Ed Cox would be if it were properly directed people might say it was money well spent . I mean it could be well spent or badly spent."
*
He also swung his devil's advocate question from "the critics" in general to "the Conservatives", giving Mr Cox his chance to present it as a case of South East English Conservatives looking for spending cuts and seeing the opportunity to "salami-slice" the money going to the Great Northern Peoples' Assembly.
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So another Labour love-in on Today, and during a general election too.
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Have they no shame?
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Monday, 19 April 2010
I'M I.P.P.P.R.
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It usually is the IPPR.
The nearest thing I've got to a catchphrase here is "If it's not the IPPR, it's probably Demos". (Nothing to worry Bruce Forsyth, I admit). Of course, it usually is the IPPR - the Labour-aligned Institute for Public Policy Research. (That could become a new catchphrase! In the style of Brucie: It usually is the IPPR, the IPPR it usually is!)
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Well, following yesterday's distasteful hatchet job on UKIP by Jon Manel, which name-checked the IPPR and used one of its former member as UKIP-basher-in-chief, this morning's Today, just before 7.00am (as David Vance points out at Biased BBC), based a story on a report on immigration by....the IPPR. That showed something or other that the BBC wants us to hear about immigration - and the BNP. Justin Webb twice called their research "interesting". He talked to co-author Laura Chappell of the IPPR (pictured).
It usually is the IPPR.
Monday, 5 April 2010
SWEET SIXTEEN, BUT READY TO VOTE?
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As well as trying (but failing) but set up George Osborne for a fall, The World at One today discussed a proposal to lower the voting age to 16, as put forward by a think tank.
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Which think tank? The Centre for Policy Studies? Don't be silly! The IPPR? Surprisingly not. If not the IPPR, Demos then? Yes, Demos! If it's not the respected think tank the IPPR on the BBC, it's almost certainly bound to be the respected think tank Demos.
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Richard Reeves, its Blairite director, was then interviewed along with Prof JonathanTonge, who Jack Straw recently appointed to chair the Youth Citizenship Commision. At least this was a balanced discussion, with both sides of the argument getting the chance to propound their positions without undue influence. I was with Prof Tonge on the issue.
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As well as trying (but failing) but set up George Osborne for a fall, The World at One today discussed a proposal to lower the voting age to 16, as put forward by a think tank.
*
Which think tank? The Centre for Policy Studies? Don't be silly! The IPPR? Surprisingly not. If not the IPPR, Demos then? Yes, Demos! If it's not the respected think tank the IPPR on the BBC, it's almost certainly bound to be the respected think tank Demos.
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Richard Reeves, its Blairite director, was then interviewed along with Prof JonathanTonge, who Jack Straw recently appointed to chair the Youth Citizenship Commision. At least this was a balanced discussion, with both sides of the argument getting the chance to propound their positions without undue influence. I was with Prof Tonge on the issue.
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Wednesday, 24 February 2010
EYE PEA PEA AAARGH!!
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Continuing this sequence of uncharacteristically short posts, I forgot to note that yesterday's Today featured someone from a think tank. It's a running 'joke' on this blog that whenever this happens 'it's always the IPPR!' Well, it was the IPPR (Ed Cox from the IPPR North to be precise)! For those unfamiliar with it, the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) is a left-of-centre think tank, close to the Labour Party, and it's the BBC's think tank of choice.
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(P.S. The reason for the short posts isn't because of a new leaf being turned on my part but purely the result of having got my first laptop and being flummoxed by the absence of a mouse. As I like to colour-coordinate and put things in bold and italics, this is slowing me down to a snail's pace. And I keep deleting things by mistake and having to retype them! I will buy a mouse!!)
*
Continuing this sequence of uncharacteristically short posts, I forgot to note that yesterday's Today featured someone from a think tank. It's a running 'joke' on this blog that whenever this happens 'it's always the IPPR!' Well, it was the IPPR (Ed Cox from the IPPR North to be precise)! For those unfamiliar with it, the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) is a left-of-centre think tank, close to the Labour Party, and it's the BBC's think tank of choice.
*
(P.S. The reason for the short posts isn't because of a new leaf being turned on my part but purely the result of having got my first laptop and being flummoxed by the absence of a mouse. As I like to colour-coordinate and put things in bold and italics, this is slowing me down to a snail's pace. And I keep deleting things by mistake and having to retype them! I will buy a mouse!!)
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