Even if Labour win the GE the media will start undermining from day one…

[Lottelenya]

Bet your bottom dollar that any false step or U turn as a new government learns more about the actual economic situation they inherit, will be trumpeted as failure and a sign of incompetence. The right wing media is so all powerful it can easily mould public opinion anyway it pleases. It’s only when the population is directly affected by events like CoL crisis, Party-gate, shit in the sea and rivers etc that they start to think for themselves and question how reality differs from what’s propaganda.
Back in the day when I was young and politically disengaged I remember seeing headlines about the EU president using call girls. It for a second disgusted me and my opinion was that EU membership was a bad thing if they were as corrupt as him. Obviously years later I realised that this was just the EU baiting so commonplace and insidious in the UK press. If I hadn’t read more I’d have been none the wiser.
So I’m actually feeling quite concerned about a Labour victory knowing what they are up against. The mud slinging will start immediately and we’re back to square one…

I wish our press was unbiased and not written for the benefit of the rich.
It amazes me that people don't understand they are being manipulated. I wish schools would teach this more as obviously some parents aren't able too as they believe the press and can't see through the propaganda.

Yep, it’ll happen.

I was pondering yesterday about how squeaky clean Starmer must be, because if he’d ever put a foot out of place he’d have been monstered by now. Boris Johnson and all his corruption and terrible behaviour? Just Boris.

I will be glad when the cancer that is the likes of the Mail and the Scum die off, it’s on its way.

Why would they ever teach it? It’s not in a governments interest to have critical thinkers as voters.

I only ever had a grounding in that in higher education.

Don’t they do it to everyone? Fair few conservatives have been exposed because of scandals etc. Boris’s lockdown party was all over the news for ages.

Too true.

Well you can teach your own children by giving them access to a variety of media sources and comparing the different ways of reporting then asking them what they think?

The media's job is to question and critique.

And do they should no matter who is in power.

That's democracy

If you want a fawning media move to a dictatorship .

Yes they will and that's a good thing. Parliament should and must be held to account with full openness and scrutiny at all times.

I find your mention of the EU president highly concerning. It's as if you think that because you like the institution he was part of, his horrendous, sleazy behaviour shouldn't be exposed. There wouldn't be any 'EU baiting' if he wasn't so depraved and exploitative would there? No one should get a free pass. PPs have it right when they point out that Johnson was rightly shredded in the press, as we're other Tory PMs and ministers. Labour must not be immune from this even if you do think they're your team or something 🙄

Reporting the news is literally their job. It's not right wing bias, unless they never expose the wrongdoings of the Conservative Party.

No party or politician is owed positive press coverage. Just a thought, but if they don't want their fuck ups or corruption reported in the papers, don't fuck up or be corrupt!

@Alltheprettyseahorses my point was that it probably wasn’t true. The thread is about blatant misrepresentation.
The press in the UK is overwhelmingly right wing, there are numerous wealthy shady pressure groups (aka Tufton st) who try to influence public opinion in a certain way too. If Labour attempts to make positive radical changes that frighten the establishment the knives will be out. I’ve no problem with Labour being held to account if they mess up but it’s more that their policies will be misrepresented by a media out to bring them down.

@ABirdsEyeView agreed but you are aware that the press lies and misinforms deliberately hence Brexit ? They have form.

LOL It's what the media do. Doesn't matter who's in Government. There's a honeymoon period and then it's a free for all. Personally, I'm looking forward to all the lefty BBC lot having to suck it up.

So you want them voted in with a potentially huge majority, with a manifesto of shit policies, and then to be immune from scrutiny by the press? 🧐

Some of the newspapers always support the Tory party. Some always support Labour. There are a few in the middle which switch allegiance usually to whichever side they think will win.

Why would they ever teach it? It’s not in a governments interest to have critical thinkers as voters.

I only ever had a grounding in that in higher education.

This is why I get annoyed with the rhetoric that uni is pointless if it doesn't lead to a high flying career. Having a well educated population is surely a good thing.

I think these days with social media people are less reliant on traditional newspapers.

Most people know rags like the Sun and the Daily Mail are not serious news outlets, just propaganda machines.

@oldwhyno didn’t say that did I ? Do you agree that the right wing press will try to scupper any decent policy ? Or are you expecting them to be completely neutral and open minded ? No one is saying no scrutiny fgs.

@unsync lol.

I agree OP. And of course Labour will inherit the absolute mess that the Tories have left, which will take decades to recover from, and everything will be blamed on Labour. Good stuff will be under reported, bad stuff will be magnified, and Murdoch will be rubbing his hands in glee.

I would be surprised if they last for longer than a term as the self-interested majority of the British public has an amazingly shit memory and is only interested in populist PMs these days.

Absolutely and then will complain in 10 years why things are even shitter. No unpopular long term policies that will positively change things. The reason Starmer can’t thing big is partly because there’s no bloody money and because everyone moans if he actually wants to spend any and meaningfully change things. He really cannot win.
Tbh I’m pretty certain the UK electorate won’t let us down and in 5.5 weeks we will have a reinvigorated Tory government. I have very little faith.

Tee heels hilarious that you think you think uni is a repository of critical thinking. Uni students (particularly at the moment and particularly in humanities and particularly at the higher level unis) are the most brainwashed and subject to group think of the entire population. The people who didn't go to uni are living in the real world and able to think alot more critically.

So it’s just the ones that lean politically in the wrong direction for you that you want to stop scrutinising the government?

Would you have supported that idea whilst the Tories were in government? Clamp down on left wing papers challenging their policies, calling out their misbehaviour?

Again no probs with scrutinising a government. Where did I say that no Labour government could be pulled up ? What don’t you get about that. I’m talking about blatant disinformation which exists, yes ?
How many left wing papers are there in any case ? Are you happy that Murdoch can directly influence how people vote even if it’s against their best interests ? The right wing media lied about Brexit ? Was that right ?

The worst The mail could come up with on Starmer with regards to "corruption" was his support of a Donkey Sanctuary so I don't fancy their chances, probably why they are going after Rayner and her CGT so hard.
I genuinely think there is no dirt on Starmer, no matter what you think of his policies so the Mail et al will be disappointed.
Mind you, I remember the good old days when people who had affairs, fiddled expenses, did hit and runs, gave peoples phone numbers out to blackmailers etc had to resign

This.