Interesting

Interesting piece today in the Guardian in which they have managed to compile how the readerships of the major newspapers voted in 2005, although i’m sure no one would be hugely surprised by the results. It would be nice to see the Mirror come out with a big editorial condemning the Sun’s actions, making a point that it is not for the Murdoch empire to dictate the running of this country, but for its citizens. Not least because it would seem to be a good commerical opportunity for the Mirror to steal a significant number of the Sun’s readership who are aggreived at the paper’s actions.

Newspaper reader voting at the 2005 general election

	Guardian	Sun	Tel	Express	Mail	Times	Ind’t	Mirror	Star
Con	7%	35%	64%	44%	57%	44%	11%	13%	17%
Lab	48%	44%	14%	29%	24%	27%	38%	66%	53%
Lib Dem	34%	10%	18%	20%	14%	24%	43%	15%	13%

Good speech, Good announcements – game changer?

So Gordon today gave another ’speech of a lifetime’ to Labour Party conference. In the immediate aftermath, i would say it was a good speech, but not a great speech. It did not leave me feeling uplifted as Mandy’s did yesterday, but it did set out a good narrative, clear dividing lines and good policies on which to base the upcoming election.

Gordon started by listing the Government’s numerous achievements since 1997 – how easy they can be to forget sometimes.

He then proceeded to set out a number of new policies (well some new, some re-announced), including:

• Removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords (finally);
• Drop the introduction of compulsory ID cards;
• Provide a network of supervised homes for 16- and 17-year-old parents – to end the vicious cycle of young parents –> young parents / poverty –> poverty.
• Create up to 10,000 green job placements.
• Protect the schools budget.

Perhaps more eyecatching:

• Hold a referendum on AV
• Give constituents the right to recall MPs in cases of proven financial corruption

And most eyecatching:

• The creation of a National Care Service

He of course highlighted how the Conservatives have been wrong on every big decision etc etc etc – but made clear that a rebellion vote for ‘change’ against Labour does not come without consequences:

“the election to come will not be about my future – it’s about your future.  Your job.  Your home.  Your children’s school.  Your hospital.  Your community.  Your country.”

He ended with a call to arms for Labour members -

“Never stop believing in the good sense of the British people.

Never stop believing we can move forward to a fairer, more responsible, more prosperous Britain.

Never stop believing we can make a Britain equal to its best ideals.

Never, never stop believing. And because the task is difficult the triumph will be even greater.

Now is not the time to give in but to reach inside ourselves for the strength of our convictions.

Because we are the Labour Party and our abiding duty is to stand. And fight. And win. And serve.”

A good speech – one i think that reads better than it sounded delivered by Gordon (most things often do). I hope that it is enough to begin to wake up the voters to the big decision ahead, as well as remind them of the progress that has been made.

Andrew Marr – sound judgement?

In these days of  the bloggosphere, good stories are being broken by bloggers regularly, and this is great. However, for every good story, there are numerous stories which turn out to be nothing other than nonsense. Just a quick check of the archives of any of the big political blogs, such as Guido Fawkes and you will find big stories that were quickly forgotten. It is vital therefore that the BBC in particular must never forget its obligation to get its own corroboration and evidence before it broadcasts what is being said on the net.

I have therefore e-mailed a quickly hashed together complaint to the BBC:

I was very disappointed to see Andrew Marr, who is hosting what is one of the BBC’s flagship political programmes, and as such is expected to be both serious and intelligent, ask Gordon Brown whether he was on anti-depressants.

This line of questioning was beneath both Andrew Marr and the BBC. People watch the BBC and programmes such as the one in question for serious and unbiased scrunity of key political figures and the political scene. To ask a question which was based on nothing more that rumour is poor. Further more, it was not as is now suggested, a rumour that was circulating all around the Westminster bubble. To give such a rumour the oxygen of prime time national attention is disappointing.

At a time when the Prime Minister has led this country (and the world) through a global recession, to interview him along such spurious lines is disappointing.

It appears that the BBC is so desperate to dispel claims by the political right that they are left leaning middle class liberals (Nick Robinson? James Landale? hmm) that they are now deliberately giving bias to the Conservative party, and deliberately giving disparaging coverage to a Labour Party and government that deserves more credit than it is receiving. Neutrality is of course difficult to achieve but always worth striving for, it is the BBC’s responsibility to lead, frame and articulate public debate and not simply follow opinion polls in a vain effort to ensure that its’ funding is not cut by a future government with a slightly more anti BBC stance.

This whole incident is not what BBC journalism should be about.

Labour conference – day 1…

Ed Miliband, who made the best speech at last years conference, has it seems made another this year – summed up by the below passage:

“We are the optimists in British politics today. We are the people who say, despite tough times, we can create a more prosperous, fairer, greener and more democratic Britain. We won’t do it with a manifesto of business as usual. We won’t do it with a manifesto for safety first. The way we will win is boldness.”

National debt – again (sorry).

I have posted the above graphic to hopefully provide some perspective to the current ‘debate’ about our national debt, and the mad panic that we must fall into about it, with the resultant conclusion that we must CUT everything and anything.

To clarify once again:

1. The UK is not about to go bankrupt, or even lost its AAA credit rating.

2. The only way out of the current recession, which while almost officially over will still be leaving the economy in a very fragile state is to continue to invest in services, create jobs, ensure infrastructure is in place and individuals are well skilled to take advantage of the upswing. In short give confidence that the country is moving forward and in safe hands.

3. The way to return back into recession is to cut investment now, thus removing confidence from businesses and individuals, thus slow consumer spending, reduce available jobs, and ensure individuals are not well skilled to fill any new jobs.

As the entrepeneurs the Tories so favour would always say you have to speculate to accumulate. If we invest sensibly now, we will increase tax revenues, then along with slower investment and increased taxes (on those who can afford them) we will safely and easily reduce our debt in the medium – long term. Seems common sense – one would think at least.

Nick Clegg’s Speech

Alas having watched Nick Clegg’s speech this afternoon and hearing how; a) he wants to PM (no jokes needed), and b) the Lib Dems are now the only party able to bring real change – i’m left with no energy or enthusiasm to write any comments.

In short – just plain dull.

At length – just plain dull, in both content and tone.