A particularly damning section is about Robbie Gibb, who hilariously is "charged with helping to define the BBC’s commitment to impartiality", even though -
1) He is the brother of a former Tory government minister
2) He is the former chief of staff to a Tory MP
3) He is the former Director of Communications for the Tory Prime Minister Theresa May
4) He was knighted by Theresa May
5) He was described two years ago by former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis as an "active agent of the Conservative party"
6) Until only a few months ago, he was the 100% owner of the rabidly pro-Netanyahu, pro-genocide newspaper the Jewish Chronicle
It's the revelation about the Jewish Chronicle that made my jaw drop to the floor, because if the BBC's impartiality safeguards were functioning as they're supposed to, that should have been enough to lead to Gibb's instant dismissal from his BBC role.
During my battles a year or two back with the press regulator IPSO, which is largely a sham regulator, I read up about the small minority of complaints that IPSO have upheld over the years and discovered that the Jewish Chronicle is by far the biggest offender. If you read comments IPSO have published about the Jewish Chronicle, you'll find that they basically regard the paper as staffed by hyper-partisan amateurs who push an agenda without even bothering with the basics of journalism.
The debate over the future of the House of Lords used to be about whether it should be composed of hereditary peers or people who win elections. Keir Starmer has devised an elegant compromise - the Lords is now composed of people who *lose* elections.
— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) December 21, 2024
Edinburgh local politics is like a remake of the Chris Tarrant quiz show "Lose A Million". You gain power by having as few councillors as possible. The Labour administration will only be truly safe when it slips to fifth place. https://t.co/ww7DSd9viK
— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) December 20, 2024
* * *
Poll commissions, poll analysis, election analysis, podcasts, videos, truly independent political commentary - that's Scot Goes Pop, running since 2008 and currently the fifth most-read political blog in Scotland. It's only been possible due to your incredibly generous support. If you find the site useful and would like to help it to continue, donations by card payment are welcome HERE, or alternatively donations can be made direct by PayPal. My PayPal email address is: jkellysta@yahoo.co.uk
It is in part due to network of persons in influential positions in organisations such as the Brit state broadcaster. Can remember a few years ago a “ family tree” style graphic showing who was connected to who in the labour and Tory parties. Which failed labour peer was linked with who. Douglas and Wendy Alexander careers helped by their minister dad who was Donald dewars pal and at the time the leader of the tories even went to the same Kirk. By such influence the churches, trades unions, universities, quangos, national bodies and businesses with black listing only the “ right people” to move forward and are now beholden to the wheeler and dealers.Haven’t even touched on the royals yet!
ReplyDeleteinvisible networks of social connections create an unseen force field which makes sure outsiders, no matter how talented, never rise. And then well connected mediocrities just rise without reason or effort.
DeleteYes, Owen Jones is doing necessary and important work here. People who supported this genocide in whatever function, including media, need to be held to account
ReplyDeleteAnon at 11.29pm - Does that include people like SGP's resident Britnat KC or do we let him off because he obviously is an idiot just following instructions.
DeleteIFS,
DeleteBit rich, you calling someone else an idiot!
Jeff McLean still not ringing a bell?😁
KFC at 9.41am - the only bell I am interested in is the bell that rings to signify that the UK's time is up and colonialism in the British isles is laid to rest.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI genuinely feel sorry for you KFC at 11.47am. You cannae put forward any benefits for Scotland being ruled by Westminster. You don't seem to realise you have a colonised mind and suffer from Jockholm syndrome. You don't even realise you are a great advert for ending the false union. But worse of all you care little if anything about all the poor children killed in Palestine assisted by your UK governments not to mention the pensioners getting hypothermia this winter.
DeleteIf you love colonialism and killing people perhaps you should emigrate to Israel to be with like minded people but you will probably not get any Xmas presents. However, the IDF are always stealing land and homes. You might get one for free.
What a load of complete bullshit from IFS@12:52.
DeleteKFC at 1.26pm Bloody hell a Britnat that disnae want a freebie.
DeleteI suspect IFS remembers Jeff McLean, but is letting on he doesn’t, as he fell hook line and sinker for the prank, and was frankly made to look a bit of a fool.
DeleteRubbish. Even I don't remember Jeff McLean, and I'm Jeff McLean.
DeleteHaud oan a min. I’m Jeff McLean and I’ve never posted here before. That KC guy is a right arse if he was impersonating me.
DeleteJames, any thoughts on the UFOs / drones in the USA? Is it Iran, drones, or aliens?
ReplyDeleteIt's a media distraction. That's all.
DeleteUFOs visit Earth whenever we get close to nuclear war so can't rule them out.
DeleteI think ET stopped flying drones a while ago!
DeleteWell done James in highlighting this article. Disgraceful stuff from the BBC but it is not a surprise. Where was Owen Jones during the independence referendum and subsequent years. The BBC was and is racist towards Scots as well as being a British ( English) propaganda unit. Are Scots not worthy of their freedom from English control. A colony is a colony whether you are getting the shit bombed out of you or not.
ReplyDeleteIFS peddling his colony nonsense again!
DeleteDear oh dear, desperate stuff.
Whit - are you no embarrassed this time KC at 12.39am. Shock horror.
DeleteInteresting question you ask there IFS about where was Owen Jones in 2014? I would urge anyone interested, to read his 2014 book 'The Establishment, and how they get away with it'.
DeleteJakey Smell,
Delete“…… and how they get away with it”
How who gets away with what??
Anon @ 12:39.
DeleteInterested to know why you think Scotland isn’t a colony.
replying to other thread. Chris Maccaroni is a real big fatty.
ReplyDeleteGo onto the BBC news website and there's a page for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland politics covering the parliaments and local issues. Go try find an England politics page... It doesn't exist. I get England supposedly doesn't have a parliament but are you telling me there's never council scandals? These pages are just used to attack whoever but mainly the Snp on the Scotland page.
ReplyDeletePathetic nationalist bullshit.
DeleteYes indeed pathetic British nationalist bullshit. The media is full of it.
DeleteAnon at 9:17 am ... serious questions for you ... why is there no English Office? And why is there no Secretary of State for England?
DeleteOwen Jones is not exactly a credible, unbiased source.
ReplyDeleteThis is a serious piece of journalism. I don't agree with all of Owen Jones' views but this work is a truly damning condemnation of the inherent institutional bias of the British State Broadcasting Corporation.
Deleteowen jones is "Student Grant" (from Viz comic) made flesh. He is a vicious idiot, a zealot who believes he is on the right side of history.
DeleteOn Gaza, he undoubtedly is on the right side of history.
Deletea "stopped clock" and all that
DeleteNo one is completely impartial, but he has written a good piece. Why don’t you comment on his article? Of yes, you haven’t read it. Feck off back to the Mail.
DeleteI think I did. Learn to read. Did you do O grade English, Part A Interpretation, read a piece and answer questions on it.
DeleteNow, suitably schooled, why don't you go fuck yourself.
I don't read the daily heil.
Good to see Sue Ruddick getting the boot out of the SNP. She should remember that leaving the SNP does not mean past misdeeds will just disappear. Just as they won't for the others who have already left. Will she go to Vietnam, I wonder, where she can ponder on her misplaced loyalty to a group which clearly forced her to carry out actions she was concerned about but have now not shown the same loyalty to her. If she thinks claiming " I was only following orders " excuses her actions she is mistaken.
ReplyDeleteIs McCann next for the boot? If Swinney wants to clear out the rotten apples then he has a lot more to get rid off and then finish with himself.
OT
ReplyDeleteFrom an article in the National by Robin McKelvie:
https://archive.is/VEL9L
"Scottish roots in Argentina go back until at least the early 19th century and are celebrated today with parades, Burns Night and other Caledonian-tinged events."
Yes, but he doesn't go into it. Perhaps this is the reason, but it probably goes back further than that:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Speirs_Bruce
"In 1899 Bruce, by then Britain's most experienced polar scientist ... and led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (SNAE, 1902–04) to the South Orkney Islands and the Weddell Sea. Among other achievements, the expedition established the first permanent weather station in Antarctica. ... His failure to mount any major exploration ventures after the SNAE is usually attributed to his lack of public relations skills, powerful enemies, and his Scottish nationalism. ... In November 1903 Scotia retreated to Buenos Aires for repair and reprovisioning. While in Argentina, Bruce negotiated an agreement with the government whereby Omond House became a permanent weather station, under Argentinian control. Renamed Orcadas Base, the site has been continuously in operation since then, and provides the longest historical meteorological series of Antarctica."
Bruce was denied "British" funding and had to go to the Argentinians when he ran out of funds. But Scotland had a toe-hold in the Antarctic - Thatcher retook the Falklands to keep South Georgia and the chain to the potentially valuable in the future, Antarctic. The 1998 Scotland Act gave sole ownership to Scotland, but in the 2016 Scotland Act that was given back to the UK.
Go figure.
And note carefully - this is 200 years after England blockaded and bankrupted the Darien "adventure" and forced a "Union". Thanks for that guys.
DeleteOn topic; during the Indy Ref a pal of mine distrusted the printed media but thought the BBC was OK. He was a NO as "we couldn't govern ourselves" or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned a few things that the BBC had said - not about Independence but about Scotland - and he didn't agree at all. I just suggested he keep his eye open for their bias on anything Scottish, like football, rugby, patronising, talking down, London-centric, weather, anything non-political basically.
Next time I saw him he was well up for Independence.
I would have posted this comment on the previous article but as it is not taking new comments here it is.
ReplyDeleteNot looked at WGD for a while so what do I find, Kavanagh like his protege David Francis, is bigging up the GMK add on poll re a republic. Like Francis he goes way over the top on this and on the weighting point so that you think there must be something like well over 65% for
independence.
Well if that is the case funny how both of them miss out the obvious next thought why are the SNP not calling a de facto referendum.
Why not add - " there will no nuclear sub bases in an independent Scotland so Scotland's governance would be fully democratic." Must add more percentage votes for yes - surely - taking it up to 68%.
Why not add - " no free electricity to England from Scottish waters in an independent Scotland so Scotland's governance would be fully democratic" Must add more percentages points for yes - surely - are we over 70% now.
It's one poll with a leading question as James says. We don't need more carrots to disguise the SNP's lack of action on independence. We need action.
Two why nots and lots of gibberish from one of the resident tag team. Gie us peace ya muppet!! Away and wake your pal up.
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%
DeleteAnon at 4.57pm and 5.09pm - read your own posts back to yourself. It won't take long. Perfect examples of posts that are both pointless and gibberish from a person unable to express themselves in any other way.
DeleteIt would be lovely if you had a shred of self awareness but tragically you don’t. Sad wee man.
Delete