Douglas Alexander rejects "A politics of grudge and grievance." Judge for yourselves from this clip who is engaged in such a policy, entirely representative of the entire programme, where all the panellists, including the Chairman, David Dimbleby, were ranged against Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, who acquitted herself with dignity in spite of the contemptible and bullying tone of the programme..
Lord Ashdown was the epitome of grandiose and vacuous British imperial pomposity, and was therefore given extended licence to pontificate by Dimbleby. It is deeply ironic, yet highly significant that the only member of the panel who was seen to extend reasonable courtesy to the lone representative - yes, I repeat, the lone representative of Scotland's interests, was Kelvin McKenzie.
For the benefit of Douglas Alexander, I repeat and endorse Joan McAlpine's comments - the behaviour of the three opposition parties, on full display at the Commons debate on the referendum, was a shameful example of Parliamentary bullying, and their opposition to the Scottish Government being allowed to carry out its mandate to call a referendum and hear the voice of the Scottish people is an attack on Scotland's interests and does betray a lack of concern for Scotland.
To my surprise, Michael Moore was the only member of the combined Tory, LibDem and Labour parties to come out of that debate with some credibility. I actually think he was embarrassed by the behaviour of his allies in their mob tactics against the Scottish nationalist group.
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Question Time was utterly appalling - the producers like having someone like Melanie Phillips or, in this case, Kelvin MacKenzie on the show to provide a bit of "spice", but they needn't have bothered on this occasion as the four arch-unionists on the panel (including the chairman) provided the panto villain element by themselves. Indeed, MacKenzie came out of the programme looking like the second most reasonable person on the panel, which is an astonishing outcome in itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely, Doug, as the full clips will shortly show. The superficiality of the predictable, hackneyed questions from the panel, and their misty-eyed sentimentality about the corrupt, incompetemt conspiracy of power, greed, privilege and influence that is now the UK was nauseating.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, it was quite obvious how the independence section was going to go from the outset when the audience question to prompt the discussion used the tired "divorce" metaphor. I wish we could get away from this negative language of "divorce", "separation" and "break-up".
ReplyDeleteWhat will be particularly interesting is the first QT to be held in Scotland, now that the independence cat has been let out of the bag and has seemingly been accepted by the BBC (and Dimbelby) as being of enough interest to those outside of Scotland to allow discussion to flow.
Mr Alexander's frenzied badgering of Miss Sturgeon - our Deputy First Minister no less - simply proved the acute observation of Ms Joan McAlpine of the makeshift self-interest of the Scottish unionist tripartate. Did I detect booing from the audience for the impudent Mr Alexander.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it was a London member of the audience who asked the panel what exactly were the reasons why Scotland should stay in the union as she consideed "stronger together" somewhat flimsy! Paddy Ashdown after further flimsy decided that Scottish armed forces would be needed should the UK come under attack - that's a reason??
Perhaps not PC - but I must compliment Miss Sturgeon on her consistently elegant turnout wherever she appears.
I think the London audience were supporting Alexander. Londoners are used the be the centre of the universe, and they don't like it when they're not.
ReplyDeleteI watched QT last night and that it just par for the course of the BBC who generally have 3-4 unionist speakers against 1 SNP supporter.
ReplyDeleteThis program tonight should be worth recording regarding bias.
Newswatch
So Dimbleby is a member of the Bullingdon Club, like Cameron, Osborne and Boris.
ReplyDeleteWhy am I not surprised by the way Nicola was treated?
Dimbleby was born in Surrey[1] and educated at two independent schools, the then Glengorse School in Battle, East Sussex,[2] and Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey (where he was a contemporary of Adam Raphael). After learning French in Paris and Italian in Perugia, he read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Christ Church, Oxford and graduated with a third-class honours degree. While at Oxford he was President of the Christ Church JCR, a member of the Bullingdon Club - a socially exclusive student dining and binge drinking society - and editor of the student magazine, Isis.
So Dimbleby is a member of the Bullingdon Club, like Cameron, Osborne and Boris.
His father, Richard, was the hushed, respectful voice of the Establishment on the BBC - but nice man, nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteDavid Dimbleby was probably watching 'The Dambusters' this afternoon - stiff upper lip, etc. But they were brave men, and risked their lives in a just war.