Emma Barnett sounding like an advocate for Stonewall before mentioning as a sort of afterthought that the Equality and Human Rights Commission had withdrawn from its scheme on grounds of concern about cost. She didn't though raise the question why should Stonewall be in schools at all or instructing them what language they should use for boys and girls.
I've been wondering lately what is the point of Ofsted inspections if this scandal of sexual assault and harassment of girls in schools has been allowed to get out of hand and is only now becoming known
and getting national attention. On this, I think Amanda Spielman
said that Ofsted inspections didn't specifically report it until 2017 although they did cover bullying in its various forms before that, implying it may have been included under that.
Emma Barnett once again demonstrated the misapplication of the relentless technique of asking the same question three or four times - not repeated in immediate succession but asked on three or four separate occasions. This seems to be transposed from Newsnight where arguably it may be necessary when interviewing practised politicians with something to hide or defend but it is used on Woman's Hour in a context where it isn't necessary or important, and seems antagonistic, such as asking the Scottish law student who was put under investigation, whether she regretted what she'd said (three occasions), or asking a former political adviser how she felt when sacked - that's personal, isn't it and not a vital matter of policy or public interest that requires three goes at getting an answer.
Today was another example when she asked Spielman (four separate occasions) at what age school children should be instructed about pornography and sending dodgy images. Spielman didn't want to specify an age but eventually said it should be related to when they first had phones and had access to it. However, Barnett is not creative enough to do other than hammer out the exact same question as the first time of asking rather than say putting it in a different way and asking perhaps at what stage or age range it might be done, or offering a couple of thoughts or options of her own to tease out further reflection and response from the interviewee.
She does seem to come geared up and combat ready for some interviewees as with the recent Minister for health Nadine Dorries, I think it was, whereas when Gordon Brown was on she let him run on unimpeded for a quarter of an hour promoting his international agenda for the G 7 with barely a question or challenge to any of it.