Hasbeen BBC, C5 and ITV reporter, now director of
@baby_pendo
making little trains, and co-host of a tasteless podcast. And yes, hearing the drums since 1976.
We’re one of the world’s richest nations and part of the G8. But our aircraft carriers don’t work, we can’t build a train line, our roads are full of potholes, we can’t pay our doctors and young people can’t afford homes. Where the fuck is all the money?
I mean, thanks for three decades of peerless easy radio but this is total shit. Losing a talent like this, after the Steve Wright disaster, surely means someone has seriously dropped the ball in
@BBCRadio2
@ArchRose90
@vivjones10
Maybe she’s just being courteous? I’ve been in public situations with people I don’t like but I don’t have a hissy fit about it.
@bojack90s
Akshata Murty is worth £27bn and went to all that trouble to avoid £20m tax. Thats the same as having £27,000 in the bank and dodging paying 20 quid. It’s greed.
Am I a horrible person for finding some of the Captain Sir Tom stuff a bit mawkish, and thinking the PM leading a ‘national clap’ is slightly distasteful?
I’ve given
@BBCRadio2
and Scott Mills a try. I really have. But it’s just… dull. No spark. Like vanilla radio blancmange. The sell seems to be ‘yeah Scott may be dull but plays great music!’ Thing is, I can get great music on Spotify; radio is about much more than the music.
@ArmendarizDis16
It was a single shot hunting rifle, not an automatic weapon. It’s only the second such incident in 7 years. Actually, it kind of proves European gun laws do work. At least better than the insane free-for-all in the US.
Yowza.
Tory Minister comes on to attack Labour's plans to build 100,000 Council Homes and walks straight into Andrew Neil's trap. Beautiful television.
@oflynnsocial
It’s called global warming for a reason. Britain, in northern latitudes, may not become intolerably hot but are you ready for the mass migration of millions displaced from more southern latitudes that do?
UK average salary in 2023 is £34.9k. Average salary in 2003 was £21k, which adjusted for inflation would be £36.5k now. Working is less worthwhile than it was two decades ago. Yet billionaire wealth has increased by 1000% since 1990. All I want for Christmas is a pitchfork.
BBC managers, just put this out: “The BBC employs many individuals with strident political views. Unless they are specifically employed to present or report on political programming these are irrelevant to their role with the BBC if expressed elsewhere.’
@PeterKGeoghegan
Having reported from Northern Ireland both during the troubles and since, I believe emphatically that the Good Friday Agreement has NOT failed and is arguably one of the very few real achievements any of our politicians have managed in the last quarter century.
@toryboypierce
I'm a commuter - and suffering due to decades of under-investment in the rail system. I say well done to the engineering unions for negotiating a decent rate for doing an important, tough job on a day when most would prefer to be at home.
@NadineDorries
This boils my piss. The Government of the day does not ‘own’ anything. It is a custodian. Channel 4’s output is wonderfully different to that of the big streamers. Nothing is holding it back. It is doing well. It isn’t broken. It doesn’t need ‘fixing.’
A short article about my career change. Working for the BBC was great but, for those facing an uncertain future there now, I promise it’s not the be-all and end-all…
Got a long drive. Thought I’d try
@BBCRadio2
again. But all I can hear is Scott Mills drivelling on about himself and his boring panto. Can’t he find anything else to talk about? This is utterly tedious. If you have no personality, that’s ok but at least play some music.
@Practical_Phil
@BBCRadio2
He is carrying on - albeit on another station. The issue for me is timing, coming so soon after the Steve Wright fiasco. To lose one enormously popular, multi-award winning broadcaster may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like management carelessness.
We need train drivers. We need bus drivers and HGV drivers. We need these workers to keep our society moving. So why is there a recruitment crisis? Maybe if MPs had to use public transport they’d start talking these industries up instead of decrying them.
Andrew is a brilliant journalist and this para struck me: “But it has been part of the genius of the current Tory Government that the quality of so many public services is now so low that it's not always immediately apparent which days are strike days and which days are not.”
@MrTimDunn
Sorry Tim but it’s a mess. It is less than the sum of its parts. It takes two fine symbols - the BR logo and the union flag - and combines them in a way that diminishes both. It’s like roast potatoes and ice cream - delicious individually but not together.
Incidentally, most of Europe imposes a licence fee. In Switzerland, for example, it’s the equivalent of £292, or nearly twice that in the UK. Nothing against Swiss TV or radio but is it a worldwide brand that everyone has heard of and, largely, respects?
#fundthebbc
1990: 15 billionaires in UK.
2023: 177 billionaires in UK.
2000: globally, 470 billionaires, worth a total of just under $1tn.
2023: 2,500+ billionaires, collectively worth over $12tn.
2023: 66% of ALL new wealth ($26tn) created since pandemic began went to world's richest 1%.
I’m really sorry to hear about Huw’s troubles. In my time at the BBC he was never anything other than a brilliant journalist and presenter and a considerate and thoroughly decent colleague.
Trying to think of anything in the UK that’s definitely improved in the last decade. Public Transport? No. Healthcare? No. Personal freedom? No. Living standards? For most, no. Social care? No. Anything?
@kelvmackenzie
Balmy ideas would be lovely. Barmy, not so much. Of course barmy is what anyone is if they truly believe the Conservatives have anything left after 14 years. They’re stale and complacent. It seems to me their race is run. A period in opposition is healthy every now and then.
@AlStewartOBE
The obvious answer is to have a universal basic benefit that everyone gets - enough to pay for food and rent. Then anything you earn on top is a bonus.
@BBCNews
They don’t. When I was a BBC reporter I understood I could tweet about, say, football but not about anything remotely newsy or politically opinionated. But his BBC role has no intersection with news or politics and he can tweet what he likes.
@kelvmackenzie
I’m an atheist who thinks the monarchy is an outdated anachronism. I’d stand for the anthem but those lyrics don’t work for me. And he’s hired to coach football, not sing. Who honestly cares apart from a handful of right wing bed-wetters who want to take offence at anything?
My (grown up) children mock me for calling all fizzy drinks ‘pop’. Is that a regional thing (Midlands), a generational thing (mid 50s eg ‘old’) or just a me thing?
@muddyanod
@jf_ando
Just heard that UK Defence Secretary - in our big moment on the international stage – tell Ukraine that Britain is not ‘like Amazon’ when it comes to requesting weapons. We really are becoming a sad, petty little country, led by sad, petty little men aren’t we?
@LizWebsterSBF
@The_ChrisShaw
I agree, but the thorny truth is that most farmers voted to leave. They allowed greed to cloud their judgement, and can hardly be surprised if there is a little sympathy now as they – ironically – reap what they sowed.
I get Eurovision is popular, and I’ve no issue with it dominating BBC1 and BBC radio for the last month, but why is it being featured on
@BBCNews
virtually every day? It was news when Liverpool was announced as host city, and the result will (arguably) be news. That’s all.
@sophielouisecc
I’m struggling to see how a middle aged mum with kids who’s never been in trouble in her life decided to urge 300,000 people to set fire to a crowded hotel potentially trapping men, women and children. But here we are.
@MatthewStadlen
I’d give them 7/10. Lots to go obvs, but they’ve hit the ground jogging, at least. WFA and improving ties with the EU and China obvs priorities. And they handled the summer unrest very well and resolved the doctors’ and train drivers’ disputes. But there is much still to do.
@helensaxby11
@jennirsl
@sussex_police
At the time the offences were committed the culprit was male. The headline should read: “Man who carried out sex assaults on children now convicted.” That is accurate, and that he has now transitioned should be clarified in the second par.
@THEJamesWhale
@helen_spirit1
The one Brexit benefit I’ve seen is that without a supply of instant cheap labour workers can stand up for themselves. Remember if wages had kept up with house prices since 1970 the ave salary now would be £84k. Capitalism has redistributed wealth from workers to asset hoarders.
The Daily Express - which championed Brexit - is now aghast the EU is creating integrated transport plans for the, err, EU. Of course, if we were still in the EU the Express would accuse Brussels of trying to ‘dictate transport policy to the UK…’
@kelvmackenzie
Good for her. My takeaway from that is that all remuneration should be taxed. What are ‘dividends’ even for anyway? Are they for anything other than avoiding tax on income?
Lest we forget the nonsense that was spouted. It’s a tough call but I think my own favourite remains Davis’s ‘no downside… only a considerable upside.’ What’s yours?
Rishi Sunak just told BBC news he had to leave the D-day event early because his itinerary was planned ‘weeks ago.’ So it was never intended that our prime minister would stand shoulder to shoulder with Presidents Biden and Macron? I find that hard to believe. It’s pathetic.
@20S0mething
@robinince
So what you’ll get then is full fat Conservative forever. To win a majority - esp with FPTP - you need a broad church. To get in power Labour needs to reach left-centre ground. That may be right of where you are personally, but it’s better than where we all are now isn’t it?
If I was interested in the traitors, I would watch the show. I don’t, because I’m not. Please
@BBCRadio2
can we just play music and stop banging on about it. For the majority of listeners who weren’t viewers it is utterly tedious.
@confidencenac
So… because she’s a well-known and outspoken senior opposition member who’s often asked for her views, whereas he’s an anonymous journeyman backbencher, the rules should be different? This takes double standards to preposterous levels even for you!
@Liberalsnowfl19
@Practical_Phil
@BBCRadio2
I’ve tried listening to Scott Mills. I’m sure he’s a nice guy and he’s competent enough but he’s just dull. No wit when talking to guests. It’s that undefinable edge that some have. Sadly, he doesn’t.
@implausibleblog
@Paul68958640
Come on. To evade the strict rules on impartiality governing news channels in the UK GB News claims not to be a news channel. So you can hardly be surprised that the Chancellor feels no obligation to appear. This is the lane you’ve chosen. Own it.
@BBCNews
“A slap in the face for right wing opinion formers who don’t believe in free speech and don’t want any other view permitted.’ Fixed it for you.
@beanbaby111
@woodwindmark
@BusterPell
@AnAndrewBrown
@frdragonspouse
@RMTunion
He’s on £84k. Fun fact: if wages had kept pace with house prices since 1970 then the *average* UK salary now would also be £84k. Instead we’ve got a gig economy and average earnings of £35k. Free-market capitalism values work far less than simply holding property/assets.
@HelenBarbaraSmi
@Peston
So… you’re saying you voted leave and, because of the opposition of the media, judiciary, academia , HoC and HoL, Brexit didn’t happen? As an unapologetic remainer that’s wonderful news - the last six years must’ve been just a bad dream.
Your regular reminder that if you have political views but think the BBC isn’t impartial you’re like the football fan who accuses the ref of bias when he awards a penalty against your side, but don’t mind winning a dubious one at the other end…
Are we going to wake up to the possibility that while private enterprise is great for making cars or running a restaurant, the overriding drive for profit/share dividends by capitalism makes it unsuitable for essential infrastructure such as water supply?
@DCBMEP
‘Back on track?’ On track to where? From where I’m sitting the once fiscally respected, globally-minded and law-upholding Conservative Party was careering towards a far-right, ultra libertarian cliff and no one is at the wheel!
@UKSpunkyMonkey
@gordoncraig11
@NadineDorries
That left wing narrative that’s led to (checks notes)… the Conservatives wholly or jointly in power for the last 12 years? So what you want is a totally supine media that only ever supports what you want? Do you think that’s what freedom of speech means?
Bravo everyone involved in the coverage of today’s events. Not a shot, remark, montage or, indeed, foot wrong. Remarkable.
@BBCevents
@BBCNews
@thehuwedwards
I encountered James Brokenshire on numerous occasions as BBC crime reporter and he was unfailingly decent, courteous and a genuinely nice man. Moving to hear his wife on
@BBCRadio2
speaking to
@theJeremyVine
just now.
Omg. The way he keeps reeling off names as if it’s some kind of gotcha. This is pathetic ‘journalism’ - I almost feel I should apologise on behalf of my former profession!
Keir Starmer explains to Harry Cole how law works, after he tries the ‘you represented unsavoury characters’ nonsense.
“Lawyers represent clients. Doctors treat patients. The fact a doctor treats a patient doesn’t mean the doctor agrees with what the patient’s beliefs are.”
New Home Secretary
@patel4witham
previously blocked her own constituency Police Federation because she didn't like what they said about police cutbacks.
New Home Sec. Our Statement: “We hope Priti Patel picks up the more constructive relationship we had with her predecessor Sajid Javid rather than accusing us of scaremongering and crying wolf"
I’m no cheerleader for the PM but bravo for holding his nerve on new Covid restrictions. I don’t really understand new measures in Scotland and Wales now so many are vaccinated. Or what’s the point of vaccination? Are we expected to cycle in and out of lockdowns indefinitely?