To think BBC news is lost to us now - bloody Farage on this morning

[pinotnow]

Why is he being platformed yet again to repeat the surely libellous and undoubtedly inflammatory language about KS and JP spouting from Elon Musk. Saying it's free speech?! Just irresponsible and vile. Even the way he refers to the PM as Starmer is just so rude and disrespectful.

I'm a massive supporter of the BBC and the licence fee but the news branch has clearly been infested with Tory supporters in high places and it's just not what it was now.

It's reputation and standing is being shredded😓.

In a democracy he is allowed air time like the other parties.

@1dayatatime The Tories were in power from 2010 to 2024. They are plainly responsible for not doing enough and for letting this situation develop. As you know quite well. I won't respond to you again because you do not debate honestly.

I think the main stream media should report opinions from all viewpoints that are not criminal or illegal. It doesn't mean I agree with them but they should not be censored. It is well established by many communications and media studies that the current main stream media including the BBC has a strong left-wing bias. Therefore, it does not upset me if the BBC allows people with other opinions to present their opinions. Even if I don't agree with them.

But a Labour MP sounded the alarm on this in 2003 and was shut down. That was the Blair government.

Anne Cryer. She had to have police protection.

Those on here who accused Farage of bending Musk's ear in favour of Tommy Robinson, must be feeling a little foolish now.
For anyone who doesn't know, Musk has said Farage isn't fit to lead the Reform Party. He's obviously miffed that Farage said he would never allow TR to be a part of Reform.

Musk isn't the only one from another country putting in his oar and doing down UK and its politics with their busybody opinions and agendas. They do it because they can and the polite tolerant mainly English British put up with it instead of telling them to put a sock in it and go and sort out their own country.

Most people are not interested in politics and are busy working and spending time with their families.
At most, they may look at the headlines in a paper, on TV or on social media.

Schools, parents and society should foster a healthy questioning cynicism about what appears on tv, online and in print. We should all understand who owns the media and that they may just be airing what they want us to see, not what we need to know.

Many people are easily led by media owners who capitalise on gullibility and ignorance.

It’s a bit off topic, but I don’t think Musk will serve Farage well. Farage wants to replace the Tories, not be seen as the far right. Musk is supporting the AFD in Germany, championing Tommy Robinson, etc.

I think it’s more likely that Farage will be harmed by his association with Elon Musk rather than receive $100m.

I wouldn’t let my husband buy a Tesla last year because I thought it would be embarrassing to be seen in. Farage needs to be careful.

Getting back to the central topic of the thread, it would have been a better interview if Laura had asked Farage whether he supported a new inquiry when the last one cost £200m. If so, why are the current recommendations insufficient, etc. Instead, she was obsessed with his relationship with Elon Musk which may be ephemeral and less important than it seems. As a voter, I would be more interested in what Farage would do about real problems in our country.

The BBC is supposed to be politically neutral. Sadly, it’s not - it currently tends to report only what it's editors/controllers deem newsworthy, and frankly seems to display a distinctly left leaning approach IMHO. Free speech is a thing - even if you despise and disagree with the person or message they have a right to express it. The national broadcaster has an obligation to cover the full breadth of the political establishment - that includes Nigel Farage whether you like him and his policies or not.

Farage is the leader of a party that gained a significant portion of the vote at the last election, and Reform was the runner up in multiple constituencies won by the Conservatives. He should be challenged and tested by decent journalists on TV so more of the public can make an informed opinion on his statements and his party’s ethos. The Greens did not secure as many votes do don’t warrant the same level of coverage.

Also, I would much rather hear people express opinions openly I may find unpleasant rather than secretly thinking them - at least I then know where I am.

As for Jess Phillips - she apparently did say one thing when she was not in office and has backtracked now she’s in office, so
she deserves criticism for that and clearly Farage is going to make as much political capital as he can over that.

I just don’t get why the fuck the government failed to implement the recommendations of the Alexis Jay report - this should have been done as a matter of extreme urgency for the sake if the existing victims and to stop ongoing and future organised rape and exploitation. Perhaps if the BBC had been doing their job properly THEY would’ve highlighted the failure to act on this report on a national scandal. The BBC could’ve reported on the delays, repeated buckpassing and pussyfooting around by senior politicians, senior police, senior social work etc. due to fears of being branded racist. They could’ve made a documentary series - there’s more than enough material and it’s certainly in the public interest. That may have avoided it being picked up and tweeted out by a foreign national with a gigantic platform?

The BBC has been shit for a long time now.

They should challenge him (and the others) on the accuracy and truthfulness of what they say though, don’t you think?

This in spades.

Its a cycle that continues throughout time - Ive been saying for years there’ll be a big shift as things have gone too far to the bonkers side.

It reminds me very much of the Puritans getting in under Oliver Cromwell. A lot of people want a return to a simpler life and old fashioned values IMO. Religion is apparently having a huge upsurge in popularity too.

Id consider myself very central and not of black and white thinking - extremism either side is never a good thing.

No it just means he isn’t given a platform.

@EmpressoftheMundane

"But a Labour MP sounded the alarm on this in 2003 and was shut down. That was the Blair government."

Perhaps then it would be fairer to say that it was in the political interests of both Labour and the Conservatives to ignore brush the matter of child grooming gangs under the carpet to avoid accusations of being racist.

I found it incredible that BBC deemed Stormzy's driving offences headline news.

Reform now has more members than the Tory party. I've just looked and they are a few short of 175,000, and recent polls say he would take a lot of seats off Labour if there was another election . He's very popular so why shouldn't he be given air time. I like to hear all political views even those I don't agree with.

So what? In our electoral process, that’s a big loss.

I found it incredible that BBC deemed Stormzy's driving offences headline news.

Whenever I see such a headline I know they’re avoiding reporting something controversial and go looking for it 😁

Reform doesn’t have members. It’s a company, not a party. It has people who have donated.

@EmpressoftheMundane agree and her disdain was palpable for him.

My working theory is that he came across it somewhere on the internet. Things are so much more global now. And deep down, Musk is a globalist, I don't think he really thinks of himself as an American first. (This may ultimately do him in as a political force on the American right.)

My impression is that he genuinely finds this kind of stuff against children upsetting and terrible. So he felt moved to say something. People talk about stuff from other countries all the time in the online world.

He doesn't really know how the Westminster system works though, or he wouldn't have said the King should just take the initiative and dissolve Parliament. And I think given his political positions in the US - he probably needs to keep his views on other countries political processes to himself - he may find someone will give him a little talking to about that. Once you are in politics breaking off has to be done with more care.

Do you have a problem when for years Labour have said “Thatcher”?.

Give them enough rope...

I don't like Farage but he is elected and an important figure. More than that though, it actually is interesting to me (I am not a reform voter) to hear his views both on Elon Musk and Tommy Robinson and Elon Musks support of Tommy Robinson. The majority of reform voters did not support the summer riots for instance, while Elon Musk gave the impression of enjoying them. So it is actually interesting to hear Farage walk the tightrope between not alienating a potential donor and not alienating members of the British public. Incidentally I do know people who did vote for Brexit and Reform and they are all about sovereignty and not particularly keen on Musk/any foreign interference.
Its not just about Farage's right to be heard. Its also about the UK public's right to hear him (and make judgements accordingly.) Besides, hilariously, it looks like its not a tightrope he was able to walk succesfully.
Elon Musk calls for Nigel Farage to be replaced as Reform UK leader

Yes this^

The alarms on this were first raised in the 80s.... with earlier accusations going back to the 70s!!