A classic example of BBC mock balance on the news tonight as James Cook devoted apparently equal time to Douglas Alexander and Mhairi Black in Renfrewshire East.
Of Mhairi we were told by Cook that her opponents say that her youth shows, and that she carries fighting talk too far. Well, of Douglas his opponents say that he is a war criminal, and that he stabbed his sister in the back. That was not mentioned.
Whereas the “equal time” allowed the SNP candidate included BBC commentary giving direct personal criticism of her, there was no critical note in the Alexander side of the coverage. An interesting example of how the state propaganda system works.
Good Daniel. I call them’troughers’ ie pigs at the trough but that’s probably an insult to pigs.
Finland has fired warning shots at a suspected foreign submarine off the coast of Helsinki in the early hours of Tuesday morning, amid growing military tensions with neighbouring Russia.
Carl Haglund, Finland’s defence minister, did not say whether Russia was involved, but the incident was reminiscent of a Swedish hunt for a foreign submarine in its waters last October that many thought to be Russian.
Mr Haglund told Finnish media that the target has likely left the area, adding that Finland has rarely used such warning charges.
“We strongly suspect that there has been underwater activity that does not belong there. Of course it is always serious if our territorial waters have been violated,” Mr Haglund told Finnish news agency STT.
“Good Daniel. I call them’troughers’ ie pigs at the trough but that’s probably an insult to pigs.”
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Wold you recommend to voters that they should elect their MP not on the basis of the candidates’ party but on the basis of whether the candidate is a proved trougher or not?
And what should one do if one (or more) of the candidates is a first timer and we are accordingly unable to say whether he/she would become a trougher or not, if elected?
I am of course assuming that by “trougher” you mean an MP who abuses the system of HoC allowances and perks rather than an MP who has outside earnings alongside his MP’s salary.
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I read somewhere that George Galloway’s outside earnings (mostly from TV and radio shows) are around £300.000 a year.
“Well, of Douglas his opponents say that he is a war criminal, and that he stabbed his sister in the back.”
OMG Craig I am so shocked right now!!! Was it over drugs?
If George Galloway earnings outside of being an MP are just £300 per annum (to however many decimal places you like) I wouldn’t worry about it.
/runs off
Jon
Might it not be more sensible (and polite) to let Mary reply?
Fred
27 Apr, 2015 – 11:59 pm
“I listen to the radio, I hear the SNP getting plenty of air time, more than enough considering that even if they take every seat they stand for they will still only represent a small percentage of the electorate.”
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Any airtime for the SNP is “more than enough” to you Fred.
Phil 9.25am ; “Talking of celebrity left gatekeepers, the twitter thing is reporting that Milliband has been seen leaving Russell Brand’s house”
Russell Brand Meets Ed Miliband TRAILER
Thanks Node. I put up a link earlier to a Guardian piece about it. Patrick Wintour no less. Weird. What do you make of it?
There is a thread on Medialens about the meeting.
Plus another there about Cameron dismissing Russell Brand as a joke so Brand must be seen as a threat to the Con message!
Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)
28 Apr, 2015 – 5:28 pm
“I am of course assuming that by “trougher” you mean an MP who abuses the system of HoC allowances and perks rather than an MP who has outside earnings alongside his MP’s salary.”
“I read somewhere that George Galloway’s outside earnings (mostly from TV and radio shows) are around £300.000 a year.”
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Habbabkuk, we all know what the word trougher means in relation to MPs, so, why the jibe about my mate George Galloway?
OT — but related to what I have been reporting about the USS Ronald Reagan — Forest fires heading for Chernobyl nuclear plant – Ukraine Interior Ministry:
Given the current anarchic situation in Ukraine, I wonder how able the Ukrainian authorities are to control this fire.
Mr Scorgie
Might it not be more sensible (and polite) to let Mary reply?
Jon
28 Apr, 2015 – 6:38 pm
“If George Galloway earnings outside of being an MP are just £300 per annum (to however many decimal places you like) I wouldn’t worry about it.”
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Well spotted Jon, I missed that.
‘la politesse’ – hilarious. Absolutely no irony!
Speaking of politeness, he accused me yesterday on the last thread (eh Clegg hoist on his petard one) of being impolite for posting off topic too much on a new thread. How’s that for irony?
Of course, my posts concerned Janner and pedophilia, and our troll seems to be most disturbed by that subject.
Since Mary’s internet searching skills appear to have temporarily deserted her
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/150330/galloway_george.htm
Well if MPs are troughers then this must be one of the larger porkers.
The sharp eyed may not the reference in Galloway’s register entry to a charity he founded Viva Palestina
http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-commission-appoints-interim-manager-viva-palestina/governance/article/1316525
Perhaps those he gave might wish to see what they gave was properly accounted for?
““I’m surprised to see fellow-poet Benjamin Zephaniah on…..”
Irresistible! LOL, some peoples self-image, says it all!!”
Well everybody’s seen the Toytown Idiot’s attempt at versification. As I said: don’t give up the day job. 🙂
Scrap ‘stupid’ Trident and ‘nineteenth century’ navy, says Green Party defence spokesman
Rebecca Johnson, the party’s Hampstead and Kilburn candidate, also claims most countries think Nato is a ‘security problem’ during BBC defence debate:
I don’t know if she’s right about navies and fighter jets, but I certainly think she’s right about NATO and nuclear weapons.
In they come, two by two….
I can’t open RD’s links at the moment. I assume GG’s register declares income exceeding £300!
Most probably, what really hacks off the trolls are GG’s political views – pro Palestine, anti war, anti Trident from memory.
And Galloway made a real fool of neocon Senator Norm Coleman.
“Well everybody’s seen the Toytown Idiot’s attempt at versification. As I said: don’t give up the day job.”
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
http://johngossip.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-sycophant.html
Just because you mention Ted Hughes and Shelley it doesn’t stop it from being doggerel.
“I can’t open RD’s links at the moment. I assume GG’s register declares income exceeding £300!”
Presumably your Habbabreak software works on all embarrassing truths!
The racists are calling the racists racist.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage-claims-snp-racist-5598071
“GG’s political views – pro Palestine”
Didn’t stop him praising Assad after he criticised him for bombing the Palestinian refugee camp in Latakia.
Compare and contrast: Mr Galloway making a fool of US Senator Coleman and Mr Galloway making a fool of himself on Question Time and when dressed up as a pussy cat on some UK reality TV show.
But all this is a distraction – why isn’t Mary giving us her recommendations on voting/not voting for troughers at the General Election (cf my post at 17h28)??
Most unusual for her to fall so silent! 🙂
“Most probably, what really hacks off the trolls are GG’s political views – pro Palestine, anti war, anti Trident from memory.”
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Not at all, Mary. He’s entitled to his views and the UK is a wonderfully free country.
No, what hacks us – and you – off are troughers!
Since outside earnings seem to be a theme above, is anyone aware of whether any parties have mentions of the topic in their manifesto? Seems like something the Greens would have something to say about – and most of the others would probably be rather quiet here.
If I were king for a day (not a monarchist, but still) I would pass a law preventing anyone from taking secondary jobs during the time they are an MP. Including George Galloway. And including that poor fella Mr Heseltine, who as a professional person of his level and accomplishments could not be expected to live on £67K per year (it’s a hard life).
I’d also set up a committee of interests for MPs leaving the Commons too, and would ensure that they cannot step into a role as a result of being an elected representative for, hmm, five years should do it. The committee would be staffed by a rotating cross-party selection of voters, not politicians, a bit like jury service.
I think that would change the nature of being an MP to such a degree I’d happily sweeten it with an extra £10K per annum pay rise. That’s not very palatable during austerity admittedly, but it could be sold to the electorate as saving money (and reducing corruption) in the long run.
So far the UK 2015 General Election has all been the usual bum fluff stuff, to give the allusion that we live in a ‘democracy’.
But the interview today of Cameron on (BBC) Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour was interesting. They actually asked him some ‘hard questions’ (*sharp intake of breath*). Fortunately for the tories, most people don’t listen to Radio 4.
Anyone in the UK can listen to it again on the BBC site, but for those outside the UK, who can’t ‘listen again’, any links?