Is Brexit Press Coverage Skewed?

[STIDW]

An independent study released today found 45% of the articles surveyed baked leaving the EU with only 27% in favour of staying. Most pro-leave articles appeared in The Daily Mail, closely followed by The Daily Express, The Daily Star, The Sun and The Daily Telegraph.

The Times was relatively balanced, while the most pro-remain articles were published by, in order, The Daily Mirror, The Guardian and The Financial Times.

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/study-shows-majority-press-coverage-eu-referendum-campaign-was-heavily-skewed-favour-brexit

Problem is Infacts (journalists making the fact-based case to remain) claims each has published a string of stories on migration, terrorism, crime & control of our borders that contain factual mistakes &/or distortions & reported 8 of the worst examples of inaccurate or misleading stories to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

infacts.org/hateful_eight/

'Apparently the Commission entered into dialogue & made recommendations;'

Yes, but the Polish government saw it as an ultimatum by the EU and the Polish Prime Minister was summoned to the European Parliament where she challenged them and refused to bow to them.

This is just 4 days ago

"Poland’s Government Says It Won’t Bow to EU Pressure

Prime minister says her government wouldn’t backtrack on its overhaul of the top court "

www.wsj.com/articles/polands-government-says-it-wont-bow-to-eu-pressure-1463768114

The EU elite were all in it together, they had it all stitched up between them and the political class were all in agreement. That is why anyone who challenges them like Farage has the full might of the establishment media turned against them, branding them as racst etc, in order to prevent a challenge to the elite's undemocratic consensus.

They can control Britain and France, for now, and they thought they would be able to push the Eastern European countries around, but with East Europe they have met their match.

Hungary was the first to defy them over the migrant crisis, then other Eastern European countries joined in and Austria wanted to build a wall, and after a right wing government won in Poland, which shocked the tiny all in it together elite, they decided they wanted to change their constitutional court makeup. The elite told them no, but Poland won't bow to them.

If the right wing Freedom party had won in Austria yesterday, the end of the elite's dream would have been one step closer. They fended it off, the postal votes saved them, but they won't be able to bully Eastern Europe the way they bully us.

The time of their end is fast approaching.

And as it approaches, they will have to resort to desperate measures to save themselves, and that is when we will see what and who they really are as their undemocratic nature is revealed for all to see.

Apparently the Commission entered into dialogue & made recommendations

It doesn't seem like there was any back and forth or give and take that a dialogue would imply, just an ultimatum from the EU and defiance from the Polish government.

We saw what they did to Greece, we have heard that they might take revenge on us if we leave. This is from our own European Commissioner appointed by Cameron

"The EU will take revenge on Britain if we vote to leave because of Boris Johnson comparing it to Hitler, claims the UK's top official in Brussels"

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3605303/The-EU-revenge-Britain-vote-leave-Boris-Johnson-comparing-Hitler-claims-UK-s-official-Brussels.html

They are a lovely bunch of people, they think they are a lion lording it over us, but when poland and Hungary and Austria continue to challenge them and if France ever does, then they will be shown to be a paper tiger and the peoples of Europe will once again be free to be governed by their elected sovereign governments and Poland can do what it wants and Greece can do what it wants again.

Extremely interesting posts claig and I think this comment sums it up for me:

If the right wing Freedom party had won in Austria yesterday, the end of the elite's dream would have been one step closer. They fended it off, the postal votes saved them, but they won't be able to bully Eastern Europe the way they bully us.

The time of their end is fast approaching.

The EU is living on borrowed time. It's operating a divide and rule policy, where any country that steps out of line, e.g. by electing the wrong President, as Austria nearly did, will be rounded upon, punished, and whipped back into line. So much for the benign light-touch paternalism that so many think the EU's all about. It really is an iron fist in a velvet glove.

claig - have you been taken over by a right-wing nutjob?

You appear not to realise that the far-right is the antithesis of democracy. If Europe is stopping far-right parties from taking over the reins of power, frankly I can't see a better reason for voting to stay in Europe.

I speak as someone who had numerous members of my family murdered by fascists in the past. I have no desire to return to an era where fascists get free rein and the only way of countering their hateful views is by a murderous world war.

Why you think this would be a better option I have no idea.

fidelix Of course history proves you right. But what are you proposing - the EU undemocratically taking over if a certain flavour of government/president were to be elected in a member country? Surely the EU needs to question why the far right is on the rise, after decades of mainly centrist politics, and address the cause(s)?

Surely democracy is a process not a result.

fidelix, I used to be Tory, now I am UKIP.

'You appear not to realise that the far-right is the antithesis of democracy. '

No, the establishment media portray the Freedom party etc as far right, but really they are just populist and anti immigration on the scale that we have witnessed after Merkel encouraged a million people to come to Europe. The media protects the establishment by painting anyone opposed to uncontrolled immigration, such as Farage, as being extreme right and close to fascist and racist. In BBC Question Time audiences, they can have an audience member shout out "racist" etc to Farage when he tries to put his views across to Russell Brand, who the BBC invites on, to accuse him of being "nasty Nigel" etc etc

Four million people voted UKIP, and in Austria the Freedom Party almost won, it was only the postal votes that prevented them, and we all know all about postal votes.

These populist parties are democratic, just as the right wing Polish government is, because they are elected and voted for by the people. They are democratic because they believe in elections, stand for elections and can be removed if they are voted out. They are not dictatorships.

'If Europe is stopping far-right parties from taking over the reins of power, frankly I can't see a better reason for voting to stay in Europe.'

Then you shoukd vote to stay in because that is what they and their political classes are trying to do as best as they can. The problem is it will eventually fail because they will be shown to be undemocratic and bullying and giving ultimatums to Poland or bossing Hungary about or relying on postal votes or not have proportional representation etc in order to maintain teh status quo that is being continually challenged and eroded by the populist forces.

The more they defy the will of the people, the more they stitch things up at a level where decisions are made by unaccounatable unelected bureaucrats and the more they tell the people to "suck it up", the more anger will be created among the people and the more populism wil rise.

Here is the Establishment's main man, the fixer, Tony Blair bemused at what is happening and why. They are going to have to roll him out to help them even though they know the people dislike him because things are so desperate they are running out of helpers and he can always be relied upon.

"Tony Blair admits he is baffled by rise of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn
...
It’s partly an anger for sure at the elites, a desire to choose people who are going to rattle the cage."

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/23/tony-blair-bernie-sanders-jeremy-corbyn

And here is the man described as Cameron's Brain, Steve Hilton

"In a shattering blow to the Prime Minister, Steve Hilton claims the UK is ‘literally ungovernable’ as a democracy while it remains in a club that has been ‘corruptly captured’ by a self-serving elite."

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3603793/Why-quit-EU-Cameron-s-guru-Friend-strategist-Steve-Hilton-breaks-ranks-Brexit-say-Britain-literally-ungovernable-unless-power-self-serving-elite.html

Steve Hilton is clever and understands it, Blair doesn't, he is Establishment and wants to cling on.

They can't save it, the people know they are run by a self-serving elite and they want their power, voice and democracy back.

It will have to come and the sooner it comes, the less upsetting the transfer of power from the elites to the people will be.

'I have no desire to return to an era where fascists get free rein'

Fascists only arise and get voted in when things get desperate, when people lose hope in democracy. We are nowhere near that tage yet. Populist parties are not fascist. But if the elite refuse to allow real democracy and the voice of the people to be heard, then the people will lose hope and that is when extreme forces arise.

'Why you think this would be a better option I have no idea.'

Because I believe in democracy and proportional represenation and the people having a say and not being governed by an unaccountable unelected elite of bureaucrats. I think that if the system that we are governed by is not sufficiently democratic, then people will say "a plague on all your houses" and that is dangerous for democracy.

Steve Hilton understands what is going on. The only way to solve this democratic deficit that is leading the people to lose faith in the elite and turn to populist solutions is to give the people more democracy so that they think they are listened to and will be heard. And the EU is far removed from that which is why the Etablishment is worried about the result of the referendum.

The Establishment knows that hardly anyone out there is passionate about staying in the EU, but lots and lots of people are passionate about getting out. Even Cameron says he is eurosceptic, but we all know he is establishment and has to do as they tell him.

Because no one is passionate to stay in and lots of people are passionate to get out, the Establishment and their mouthpieces, like Cameron and Blair, have to resort to Project Fear to try and scare the people into staying in their Establishment club. That is why we hear about potential war in Europe and that Isis will be happy if we leave etc.

They have to exaggerate and frighten the people in order to save their undemocratic club.

claig - Steve Hilton was Cameron's right-hand man and then dumped him in it. He's no more the voice of morality than Blair.

The idea that no-one is passionate about staying in is ridiculous. More or less everyone I know socially is passionate about staying in. People who enjoy holidaying, working or living in other European countries, or would like to, or whose children would like to (or may have no choice but to, once this country is unaffordable for the young). People who realise that Europe provides a bulwark against those in this country like Cameron who would privatise their own grandmother , who would remove every last protection for women, workers, families, without Europe. People like me who have reason to remember why peace in Europe is so important.

And yes of course Limer, immigration is a touchstone and a cause of the rise of the far right. But that does not mean that the far right offers the best solutions. Any more than Hitler was the right solution for Germany's plight post-Versaille.

Just as then, what Germany needed was policies that built it up and supported its people, so now European people desperately want to recapture the wealth that has been siphoned off by elites.

But what Europe needs is a Sanders, not a Trump figure. Of course, the far right will win votes by pointing the finger of blame at foreigners. Which is probably why the right are keen to let them in; they provide a convenient scapegoat when their policies of selling off grandmas get criticised, and a convenient source of cheap workers at the same time. So a double whammy.

Don't fall for the divide-and-conquer - it's the oldest trick in the book.

' Steve Hilton was Cameron's right-hand man and then dumped him in it'

I don't blame him. Hilton was a moderniser, I am no fan of modernisers, that is Cameron, no principles but will do whatever a teenage spinner tells him is popular. But Hilton has changed, he has learned, he understands the profound changes in society and among the people and why they are challenging the elites with left wing and right wing populism all across the world - whether Corbyn and Farage here, or Sanders and Trump in America.

Hilton is not a stupid man, he is a thinker, he gets it. Blair s a fool, a tool of the Establishment which is why he doesn't get Corbyn, teh anti EU mood, Sanders, Trump or Farage.

It is not aboult morality. Hilton understands and has called out our corrupt self-serving elite, Blair is part of the elite, or really just one of their servants. Blair is history which is why Corbyn and Hilton are the future.

'More or less everyone I know socially is passionate about staying in'

Are yu part f Blair's circle or in Nicholas Soames's circle? There are fewer people passionate about staying in than getting out which is why the Establishment is terrified of a low turnout because that will be a win for Brexit.

'People like me who have reason to remember why peace in Europe is so important.'

You are kidding yourself if you think these Establishment servants are going to prevent war. If we left, we wouldn't be going to war with france or anyone else, but these servants told what to do are far more likeley to involve us in a war against the people's will.

"EPP: EU should tell Russia we are ready to go to war

Hawkish language was heard at a hearing organised by the centre-right EPP political group in the European Parliament Tuesday (21 April), with lawmakers arguing that the best deterrence was to be ready for war.

MEP Tunne Kelam, who chaired the meeting, said that Russia had become the EU’s adversary and that its next target would be the Baltic states. When this happens, the West’s credibility would be put to the test, he warned."

www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/epp-eu-should-tell-russia-we-are-ready-to-go-to-war/

That is exactly why the elite want all their servant political classes to e in the EU so that when they decide to go to war, no one will be able to opt out because the EU is "one for all and all for one", but if we were independent and sovereign, we could say no thanks, we'll sit the elite's war out, thanks.

What do you think guarantees peace in Europe? The EU controlling the individual countries and meddling in their parliaments? I doubt it.

I think the post war prosperity is what brought the peace. Unfettered globalisation that turns too many common people in Europe into insecure losers is the real threat. The vast majority of the population need to feel secure and productive, or you have a real problem on your hands.

80Kgirl - voting for parties that are fundamentally anti-democratic is a contradiction in terms. It's like those on the left who insist that to show how tolerant we are we must put up with completely intolerant religious extremists.

No. In a democratic pluralist society, it is fair enough to tolerate different views, even ones we don't like. But we should never be expected to embrace views that would destroy us - violent intolerance must mark the limits of our tolerance or we end up destroying ourselves and the values we hold most dear.

If we accept fascism, we no longer have a democracy. That's the point.

Though I do agree with you, 80Kgirl, that the real issue is the economy, not immigration.

And the parties who oppose war are the populist parties like UKIP with Farage against Libya, Syria and saying that the "EU has blood on its hands" over Ukraine. That is another reason the Establishment dislike UKIP because they are not puppets and can't be told what to do.

While Cameron wanted us to strike Syria and Corbyn had to go along with Hillary Benn and the Establishment types, it was Farage who was against it.

What d you think will happen when the EU decide they want to go to war with Russia? Who will be against it? It will be Farage again and the populists all over Europe while poor old Corbyn will have to do as his stooges tell him even though he is a part of Stop the War.

This is Mar 29 of this year

"NATO Warns Europe To Prepare For War With Russia

NATO is planning its biggest build-up in eastern Europe since the Cold War to counter what the alliance consider to be a more aggressive Russia."

yournewswire.com/nato-warns-europe-to-prepare-for-war-with-russia/

‘2017: War With Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command’, by Richard Shirreff

www.ft.com/cms/s/2/085fd2c6-1db3-11e6-b286-cddde55ca122.html#axzz49c6cM7QX

Do you think that any of our political class, apart from Farage, would have the guts to say no when the EU elites decide they are ready to go?

claig - loving the idea that I am part of Blair's or Soames' circle!

Is that a compliment or an insult?!

Either way...er, no.

I agree with you that war rhetoric against Russia is very worrying. However, it really shouldn't be underestimated quite how mad Russia is, as a country, and quite how power-mad Putin is.

I think we're all on the same side re the problems with self-serving elites undermining the populace.

I just don't agree at all with your prescription for resolving it.

I think it's a Sanders v Trump thing - you're clearly a Trump supporter. I think he's way more dangerous than any elite, he's basically mad. I think we need to return to a social democratic model; I think the very last thing we need is a far-right model, which, let us not forget, is basically about corporate takeover. It is anything but support for the ordinary people.

'If we accept fascism, we no longer have a democracy. That's the point.'

They are not fascist. Did you see the Newsnight report just now on the Austrian election? Watch it on catchup.

By calling democratically voted for populist parties fascists and trying to silence the voice of millions of people, the result will be more extreme parties that are really fascist.

You may not like Farage and Cameron and Blair certainly don't, but millions of people prefer him to Cameron and Blair and they aren't fascists and nor is Farage.

And you don't get more of a voice of the elite than Farage - private-school educated, a banker, earns a packet from the EU (even his German wife in the payroll!) - so much that he won't publish a tax return and own up to it...

If you could create a joke figure of the opposite of a man of the people, it would look like Farage - how can you fall for that act??!

'loving the idea that I am part of Blair's or Soames' circle! grin

Is that a compliment or an insult?!'

Most definitely an insult

'it really shouldn't be underestimated quite how mad Russia is, as a country, and quite how power-mad Putin is. '

I'm not an expert on it as I don't know what goes on behind the scenes, but from what I see, a war is getting closer and is possibly being planned and missiles are being installed nearer to Russia and troops are being increased and the drums of war are beating and it ain't Putin doing it because he is outnumbered and outspent because the US spends 10 times as much per year on defence as Russia does and the US and EU have a far larger economy and budget.

It is, as usual, in the hands of the elite if they want to do it and the servant political class will have little say.

'I think we're all on the same side re the problems with self-serving elites undermining the populace.
I just don't agree at all with your prescription for resolving it.'

My prescription is the same as Steve Hilton's, take power from this corrupt eleiet and give it back to the people, give us more democracy, kick the bums out and replace them with people who listen to the will of the people and serve us.

'you're clearly a Trump supporter. I think he's way more dangerous than any elite, he's basically mad. I think we need to return to a social democratic model; I think the very last thing we need is a far-right model, which, let us not forget, is basically about corporate takeover. It is anything but support for the ordinary people.'

This is where I disagree with you. I prefer Trump to Sanders or Corbyn, but I am quite happy to accept Sanders or Corbyn if the people bvote for them in a real democratic election that reflects the popular vote proportionally. I beleiev in the people and not the elites, whoever the people decide to elect is who I want to be in charge, whether I agree with the people's choice or not. It is not up to me, it is up to the people, and like Steve Hilton, I agree that it should certainly not be up to the self-serving elite because it is precisely them and ther stitchups that have led to the people losing faith in the system.

claig - you don't seem to understand the concept of a scapegoat. Immigration worked brilliantly as a scapegoat for the fascists in the 1930s and it's working brilliantly again.

This time round, the elites had more of a problem summoning up hatred of foreigners, because post-Holocaust and many years of quite enjoying eating curries etc, the populace weren't quite so ready to blame the Other. So the elite made sure to invite as many as possible of the Other in, as quickly as possible, and to stoke up racial tensions as quickly as possible on both sides, to ensure that divide and rule could really work its magic.

And it's working.

'private-school educated, a banker, earns a packet from the EU '

No that is not the elite and nor is billioanire Trump who is richer than Cameron and all the stooges put together by far. The entire Republican elite were against Trump and the BBC and our entire Establishment is against Farage, that is why they are not elite and are the anti politics populists that the elite are frightened of because they represent the people against the elite.

'you don't seem to understand the concept of a scapegoat. Immigration worked brilliantly as a scapegoat for the fascists in the 1930s and it's working brilliantly again.'

You are misunderstanding the will of the people. Watch Newsnight on catchup on the Austrian election which was shown tonight and you will see that lost of Austrians voted for teh Freedom Party due to immigration. It has nothing to do with the Freedom Party creating a scapegoat, it is because the people think there is too much immigration.

You disagree with them, but you have to respect teh right of other people to disagree with you ad not treat them as being fooled by the Freedom Party trying to create a scapegoat.

You have to listen to the people, even if you don't like what they say. Ed Balls had to do it. He was a PPE from Oxford, a former Chancellor, but the people told him to go and he had to vacate the stage. That is the beauty of democracy, that is the people's will. You have to listen to and respect the people because anything else eventually leads to the end of democracy.

'This time round, the elites had more of a problem summoning up hatred of foreigners'

The elite is Cameron et al, although they are really just the servants of the elite. They are not trying to stir up hatred of foreigners. They want open borders in the EU and want more immigration. That is the elite and that is one reason why populist parties are increasing power in Europe because no one else is listening to the millions of people who say there is too much immigration. Who asked the German people if they wanted 1 million migrants to come to Germany? The elite didn't care, they did it anyway.

Yes, I agree with you at last on the elite using "divide and rule" but that is why the elite are wrong and the people don't want discord and disharmony and "divide and rule" and that is why the people and the populist parties who are listening to them are opposing the elite's policies.