Nick Wallis - absolutely fascinating interview

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Nick Wallis is the award-winning investigative journalist who exposed the Post Office scandal. He's recently turned his attention to gender issues, including live tweeting Glinner's recent court appearances.

Here he's interviewed by SEEN in Journalism and it's riveting stuff.
https://seeninjournalism.substack.com/p/no-fear-no-favour-episode-two-nick?r=bc1jk&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true

'Pity it will take a man to be heard on this, but it was ever thus'

Absolutely, and he acknowledged that himself in the interview. He was cautious about getting involved in the issue at all, not because he couldn't be arsed (like a lot of men) but because he wasn't sure that anyone wanted a man barging in and taking over. He calls out the misogyny involved, and says that he has suffered no consequences at all since he's been covering the story, in contrast to so many other people, mostly women. So good to hear him name check Helen Joyce, Hannah Barnes, Julie Bindel, Kathleen Stock and others

Listening to him, I kept thinking of Helen Joyce, who has a similar calm, sane, competent, reassuring air. They're both on the side of sanity and truth, and they know it. Compared with the trans organisations he approached who refused to answer any of his questions 🙄

A great listen, a top bloke, and looking forward to hearing MUCH more from him

It’s a really heartening listen. Nick is so articulate and intelligent. He’s ready to tell the truth where so many others have failed. It really cheered me up to hear a man who truly understands the issues and has so much respect for women.

There are so many parallels with the post office scandal. Those who dared to question the robustness of the Horizon IT system were silenced and punished. Same treatment for anyone questioning the TWAW mantra.

Nick is right - words need to mean something. You can’t change the meaning of such a crucial word as ‘woman’ without dismantling society as we know it. I hope Nick brings some much-needed sunlight.

Another way to support Nick Wallis is to buy the follow-up to his book on the Horizon IT scandal:

https://bathpublishing.com/products/the-great-post-office-cover-up

This part is about how with the scandal emerging, it was covered up inside Post Office. This is actually the second part of the scandal, with the first being the prosecutions of subpostmasters.

What a good interview. After so many years in the trenches of all this, his comments made me feel more optimistic. It's hard to see the shift but as he said, finally the grown ups are walking back into the room.

I hardly ever listen to podcasts but I'm so glad I took the time with this one.

What a thoroughly decent bloke, as well as clearly exceedingly good at proper traditional journalism. Perseverance, dedication to the truth and, though he doesn't say it, the lack of ego that makes the story the focus, rather than himself.

I loved the interview, and in general I am feeling optimistic.

In the latest issue of Private Eye (Media News, p.18), there's a piece on Graham Linehan, featuring Lynsay Watson, judicial reviews, Wings Over Scotland, Helen Joyce, Sex Matters, etc.

That means a lot to me - abject coward as I am. Among my friends, Private Eye commands much more respect than Mumsnet, Wings, the Times, or any other sources I could point them to.

Would it be possible to post a screenshot?

I will have a go.

I hope these show up OK

Thanks so much. That was an interesting and surprisingly clear read, considering how disappointing PE has been on this issue previously.

Yes, I wouldn't paint PE as a bastion of truth and accuracy, they are a bit hit and miss.

Very interesting interview. He has that same easy confidence and charm that Andrew Doyle has.

It did strike me, however, that he's the charming and informed journalistic equivalent of every woman on Mumsnet.

His arguments are our arguments. His observations are the same as ours. His questions, identical. As is his clear disbelief at how far this has been allowed to get.

How many of us have thought this headline will do it, this court case, this outrage.

It's a very strange feeling, that women having spent so long being ignored, or challenged, or arrested, and not understanding why other people weren't jumping up and down, suddenly see other people jumping up and down. Like, of course this is nonsense. Dur.

And the bit that really grabbed me was where he said, at the end, something like the most important characteristic of a journalist is persistence.

If I had ever cut any part of a child up, prescribed puberty blockers, got someone arrested, attacked, predated on or targeted women, I'd be fucking worried about this man.

Interesting how they studiously avoid any pronouns at all for Watson.

Sorry to lower the tone! - but I’ve just seen Nick’s picture on Twitter. He’s a handsome chap, isn’t he? As well as being a fine journalist.

Bloody hell. I wasn't expecting that! 😃

Oh hello!

I've only just started listening to this episode, having found the first one on the BBC fascinating. I was already following Nick Wallis on Twitter and am really looking forward to listening to the rest of the podcast.

How can they be baffled?!?!? Is it because our voices are so high fucking pitched?!

Yep. And I've lost respect for so many over this.

They won't listen to evidence or reason when it comes from ordinary women, but they'll listen if it comes from the mouth of a posh chap.

Just listened to that. Bloody brilliant. He was so articulate - and he mentioned Mumsnet, so big thumbs up there.

What this whole bloody shambles has shown me is that, despite all these years of feminism, equality, the vote etc etc, there is so much misogyny roaming free in society - not just here, but everywhere. Woman puts head above parapet, head is promptly shot off. Man puts head above identical parapet, well, he's a man...

I also really liked the interview.

i was interested in his comments that the BBC are at serious risk of ruining their credibility but they don’t yet understand that. And like the Post Office he’s worried they’ll leave it too late to fix. I wonder if we should write by snail mail to the DG to explain that normal people have lost trust in them?

The interesting thing with trust and the BBC is that since they've shown their cowardice on an issue I do know about, I'm completely doubting their output on everything else. I'm sure I'm not the only one. And its beyond the usual check for bias of wondering what's being skimmed over in an article - its the fact they've refused to publish at all in many cases.

Not listened to it yet but am very pleased when people recognise this, shows they really get it.

Took them long enough though.

I’m a very loyal PE subscriber; I was reading my Dad’s copies in my teenage years and carried on buying it.

But I’ve not enjoyed seeing how strenuously they’ve looked the other way on women’s rights over the last many years. Nor forgotten Hislop’s dismissal of the issue as ‘culture wars.’

They’ve got a bit better over the last 6-8 months, with the odd pointed joke, but on the few occasions they’ve addressed it, (in an article), it’s rarely given more than a brief aside. They should have been much more curious.

Yes I strongly support a state broadcaster that at least attempts impartiality, or I used to.

Biggest media organisation in.the world, isnt it?