tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44313771072655923882024-03-13T15:31:51.121+00:00BBC PioneersJohn Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-65493824310718607002009-01-14T22:31:00.007+00:002009-01-14T23:51:25.234+00:00FINAL BULLETIN<span style="font-size:180%;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>To All Citizens</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Stay Calm - Do NOT Panic</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Senior party members and BBC colleagues are instructed to make their way to Downing Street immediately</strong>.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue20nprKesL9WLLeoKYV3XEl3YzXYx_mMwDTAsBOopgVBRj9OCOmpFgqeVlKhzpDv2E3YoIhH2aJSkddC1HFmiHCVlbwG4prCF7b9rxW-8PxgvjE0mlS6iiUW2ZSfYseEq9tzBgNjjRE/s1600-h/Last+Helicopter.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291281903905236626" style="WIDTH: 561px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 489px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue20nprKesL9WLLeoKYV3XEl3YzXYx_mMwDTAsBOopgVBRj9OCOmpFgqeVlKhzpDv2E3YoIhH2aJSkddC1HFmiHCVlbwG4prCF7b9rxW-8PxgvjE0mlS6iiUW2ZSfYseEq9tzBgNjjRE/s320/Last+Helicopter.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">All other citizens should stay in their homes and - KEEP AWAY FROM CASH MACHINES until further notice.<br /><br /><br />(It's the right thing to do!)<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue20nprKesL9WLLeoKYV3XEl3YzXYx_mMwDTAsBOopgVBRj9OCOmpFgqeVlKhzpDv2E3YoIhH2aJSkddC1HFmiHCVlbwG4prCF7b9rxW-8PxgvjE0mlS6iiUW2ZSfYseEq9tzBgNjjRE/s1600-h/Last+Helicopter.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhue20nprKesL9WLLeoKYV3XEl3YzXYx_mMwDTAsBOopgVBRj9OCOmpFgqeVlKhzpDv2E3YoIhH2aJSkddC1HFmiHCVlbwG4prCF7b9rxW-8PxgvjE0mlS6iiUW2ZSfYseEq9tzBgNjjRE/s1600-h/Last+Helicopter.jpg"></a>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-5590250522250525592009-01-14T17:32:00.003+00:002009-01-14T17:54:12.811+00:00LIVE NEWS FROM DOWNING STREET<div><br /><br /><div><font size="5"><strong>Attention all citizens</strong></font></div><br /><br /><div><strong><font size="5"></font></strong></div><br /><br /><div><strong>In view of the present serious and unprecedented emergency (<em>which began in America</em>) the loyal BBC Pioneers have been entrusted by senior Party cadres to bring you live situation reports direct from the Dear Leader as he confronts the grave situation from his command headquarters.</strong></div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzc6ep3yHxavr8S8_U7EWUlWuKbcIS8uJyC3ncR9MlDrWldooNrHSTHryVd6ziNjB-8d9DcoKXVzDou1cmiNKBpQ8qPlx77i-A5a2bDTQHDhzdv4X6rPfnCk01icjLMpPADlcQC7oLGLk/s1600-h/Brown+in+bunker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291205984914022866" style="WIDTH: 456px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 341px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzc6ep3yHxavr8S8_U7EWUlWuKbcIS8uJyC3ncR9MlDrWldooNrHSTHryVd6ziNjB-8d9DcoKXVzDou1cmiNKBpQ8qPlx77i-A5a2bDTQHDhzdv4X6rPfnCk01icjLMpPADlcQC7oLGLk/s320/Brown+in+bunker.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>Citizens are reminded that The Leader has the situation (<em>which began in America</em>) completely under control and there is no need for panic.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><strong>Please stand by for further instructions and DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ACCESS YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS!</strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-68351294206569562262008-11-29T12:13:00.006+00:002008-11-29T22:10:28.214+00:00A New Day Has Dawned - Has it Not?<span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Comrades !</span><br /><br /><br />On Thursday a specially trained unit of the Party's loyal anti insurgency troops successfully breached the lair of one of the Bullingdonian reactionaries' most prominent thought criminals and pedlars of disinformation.<br /><br /><br />Armed only with a handful of batons, CS sprays, tasers and hand held automatic weapons, a small group of nine heroic comrades overcame considerable resistance by the self styled "wife" and "daughter" of the criminal Green - and were able to confiscate large quantities of suspect material as well as disabling his communication networks.<br /><br /><br />This is truly a milestone in the Party's proud history - the first time our revolutionary guards have had the confidence to take direct action against the self-confessed enemies of the People's government.<br /><br /><br />The Party's creed is "<strong>A Future Fair to All</strong>" and we want to use this event to remind all citizens that there is a <strong><em>fair</em></strong> chance in <strong><em>all</em> </strong>their <strong><em>futures</em></strong> that this could happen to them if they become involved in anti-Party activities.<br /><br /><br />We at BBC Pioneers are proud to have played our part by helping to explain the backgound to this momentous event.<br /><br /><br />Comrade Crick of Newsnight was able to explain to viewers last night the vital difference between the use, by the Dear Leader in his opposition years, of information supplied by loyal Party members operating inside the despicable Thatcher regime - and the shameless, illegal theft of confidential state secrets by the arch criminal Green and his lackeys.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274108221957321650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOlFJhee5ZHCr9bRA-JmK9OjwXmHiKrX8CK-mYmlchQ_Xoc1kDLBNVYk-S-s0_Ou5qotNErlIiZP8U_VqsaRZEW_uXaNX7whw6tYeuftiZ8e17709xUaCFd-MUDimKJkD2cHwjT7uc4A/s320/Crick+as+Lenin.jpg" border="0" /><em>Comrade "Hero of Broadcasting" Crick has proved his loyalty to the Party many times since his early days as activist and prospective parliamentary candidate<br /></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274108794739701106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 195px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvXDbboHqJJfdoN-r_POVopHuijGu09HIN0EdVvaufeH2tu-QIZBxauFoWFEu2URlvzKDnoeLLbNSUM_iZOJcW7nFSWJmW8aPsrEPQ2Ep-DfsL4fZ19swcKiWHF3ClG6HEC0SCN_UIKY/s320/Brown+Newsnight.jpg" border="0" /><em>The Dear Leader in 1985 -explaining the importance of using inside information from loyal informers inside the despised Thatcher junta</em>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fvb44/Newsnight_28_11_2008">http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fvb44/Newsnight_28_11_2008</a><br /><br />(timecode 23.17 onwards)John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-37398905318450620242008-06-27T11:05:00.006+01:002008-06-27T17:41:35.254+01:00Victory !<span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Victory is ours</span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">To all loyal comrades at the peoples BBC</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">- we at BBC Pioneers salute you!</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After months of deceit and lies by the bullingdonian reactionaries and their lickspittle running dog collaborators in the so called free media - you have worked tirelessly to expose the party's greatest victory.</span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wk-c9X-MTlcVO5y5gD5gjyzIhC5UgJK_yAN1K6mZgan8HHWCDAm8LVADmiIUb9sm-OlCR4RTMoEkm08jogqtfL8hvyaXoIMrE8BvkZ6l-lQHeaRuMVCuZQPKR072-K2HJN1iA5lVUy8/s1600-h/Poll+Numbers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216500486167594562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wk-c9X-MTlcVO5y5gD5gjyzIhC5UgJK_yAN1K6mZgan8HHWCDAm8LVADmiIUb9sm-OlCR4RTMoEkm08jogqtfL8hvyaXoIMrE8BvkZ6l-lQHeaRuMVCuZQPKR072-K2HJN1iA5lVUy8/s320/Poll+Numbers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It now falls on you to remind those weak minded citizens with short memories about what really happened in the Great Election Victory of October 2007 - when they unanimously elected The Dear Leader for his first 50 year term.John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-42536333914594030032008-02-03T21:08:00.000+00:002008-02-04T20:41:04.714+00:00A couple more NULAB Spin Doctors - from your favourite broadcaster, of course.It's like Michael Caine in Zulu.<br /><br />As soon as you think you've got 'em nailed down - another wave come over the hill!<br /><br />Today - two top Beeboids who leapt enthusiastically onto the New Labour bandwagon, but sadly came unstuck.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Martin Sixsmith - BBC Foreign Correspondent 1980 - 1997</span><br /><br /><br /><br />Martin Sixsmith joined the BBC in 1980 and worked as a a foreign correspondent in Brussels, Geneva, Moscow and Washington.<br /><br />Following the 1997 election he left the BBC to work for the Labour government as Director of Communications.<br /><br />He described his enthusiasm for his new job, when he later told the Independent :- "It was May 1997, it was a new start after 18 years of Tory misrule.....".<br /><br />He was later Press Secretary to Labour Ministers Harriet Harman and Alistair Darling.<br /><br />After a brief period in the private sector, he returned to the government in 2001 as Director of Communications for the Department of Transport but left after an acrimonious dispute over ethical issues. He said - "Over the 10 years since 1997 there has been this chipping away at the confidence of the civil service, and I don't think it's the impartial, honest organisation it used to be....."<br /><br />He is now once more a regular broadcaster for the BBC.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163187210509110978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYkK0kn0Pf-FDILFL6Fe-ZFW0541ac8JeAu-LJ5tlDsmNn50Q5D0W2MczM6Ea_GhNYArzUpXwB1Vcl2bwiH29tYtFTMrxb6owspHXhtoESeKh_I6b5MV4ivgr3mx3YUcnlRtjhGVfjRE/s320/Martin+Sixsmith+final.jpg" border="0" /><a></a> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Joy Johnson - BBC Political News Editor 1992 - 1995</span><br /><br /><br />Joy Johnson was a BBC political journalist and became Political News Editor in 1992 at the Millbank centre.</p><p>Polly Toynbee said of her "...feeding the many bulletins' limitless appetite for soundbites - 20 seconds and not a nanosecond more. It's a tough skill and she was the best".</p><p><br />In 1995 she was recruited by Gordon Brown to join New Labour as Campaigns Director, responsible for winning Labour's 80 target seats.</p><p><br />She fell victim to Blair/Brown tribal warfare and left acrimoniously in 1996.<br />She is now chief spin doctor for "Red Ken" Livingstone at the GLA.</p><p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162864649875246770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWXFo05zeLItzAtBHgYhyphenhyphenl9pl-hgLefMZ7IT8QAvMwfM4eMvCbuhBydN5bDAZHXewOisWNMj6SoYfZK9RcpStl5EoYXOSPU_ATiSHaK04HlCNWEX2md0IdQluHeUclvSDWCL7fNP-xPw/s320/Joy+Johnson+final.jpg" border="0" /><a></a> </p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Keep watching this space for many more to come and, by the way, many thanks to those of you who've nominated your own Socialist Heroes - especially those within the bowels of the beast at the BBC.</p>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-10590767719022054302008-01-28T22:47:00.000+00:002008-01-29T21:47:40.730+00:00Today we're giving awards to three BBC Socialist Heroes who are now Labour MPs</span><p></p><strong><u><span style="color:#0000ff;"></span></u></strong><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Chris Bryant is Labour MP for Rhondda.</strong></span></p><p>He first joined the Labour Party in 1966 and became a Party Agent in 1991.</p><p>From 1993 to 1998 he served as a Labour councillor in Hackney.</p><p><strong>In 1997 he stood unsuccessfully as a Labour candidate for Wycombe and then joined the BBC in 1998 as Head of European Affairs. </strong></p><p>In 2000 he was selected for the Rhondda seat and finally became an MP.<br /><br />.In 2003 he apologised for e-mailing a picture of himself in his underpants to prospective partners via a gay website.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161004770122288802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRUDy7_24c9XNMQyzm2FfasmBEGPSMmxLBD5dsnFjp3Add-EiTmdpE6xSK7rHVccjTns9NUYWIId0MxA12Ebwo3nufMVqTp_n6u2m4yv5EjlKhqXSaE2ZxZhCku9B2ykEW5tQMiBRgBE/s320/Chris+Bryant+final.jpg" border="0" /> <p></p><p><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Celia Barlow is Labour MP for Hove and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Climate Change.</strong></span></p><p><a></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmTKoBAsjVKzFcbL9_5ZEd0n9-fHKjusWj4COc9C2wG4c4jZWoEJOo6I1MTuF6qMjRISX7GjJ5TDll4arK5NE1xebneBAQQdXQJ4vfzY_mmASymaDdIPIIWB6rCDXVQC9aoN_LhtTKPs/s1600-h/Celia+Barlow+final.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161004508129283730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmTKoBAsjVKzFcbL9_5ZEd0n9-fHKjusWj4COc9C2wG4c4jZWoEJOo6I1MTuF6qMjRISX7GjJ5TDll4arK5NE1xebneBAQQdXQJ4vfzY_mmASymaDdIPIIWB6rCDXVQC9aoN_LhtTKPs/s320/Celia+Barlow+final.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><p>Celia joined the Labour Party and her first trade union when she was 16.</p><p><strong>Between 1983 and 1995 she was a Westminster reporter and finally Home News Editor at the BBC.</strong></p><p>While she was at the BBC she was Secretary of Chelsea Constituency Labour Party, later she became Chair.</p><p><strong>Her husband Sam Jaffa was BBC North America Correspondent. </strong></p><p>He stood as Labour candidate for Eastleigh in 2001.</p><p></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></strong></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Phil Woolas is Labour MP for Oldham and Saddleworth and Minister for the Environment.<br /></strong></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4ho0Y6aFnKNIPOVjzc4EJFhYUH_gFYpPLqQjFFH0owICdkSpwO3oKGQcwslJ7TU2njt-IGe7XKxBW-8zFp7sCeAtsRbh_RZT3LiGtDds5PiGR6C9toLgDIkUYrkA_qmmoc76Bdh99Fo/s1600-h/Phil+Woolas+final.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161004280496017026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4ho0Y6aFnKNIPOVjzc4EJFhYUH_gFYpPLqQjFFH0owICdkSpwO3oKGQcwslJ7TU2njt-IGe7XKxBW-8zFp7sCeAtsRbh_RZT3LiGtDds5PiGR6C9toLgDIkUYrkA_qmmoc76Bdh99Fo/s320/Phil+Woolas+final.jpg" border="0" /></a>He first joined the Labour Party at the age of 16 and was active in student politics, becoming President of the National Union of Students.<br /><br /><strong>From 1988 - 1990 he was a producer on the BBC Newsnight Programme.<br /></strong><br />He was then a trade union official before standing for Parliament in 1997.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p>From time to time it has been suggested that, in order to meet its legal charter commitment to political impartiality, the BBC should ask staff in sensitive positions to declare any party allegiance.</p><p>This has routinely been rebuffed with the claim that people should be entitled to keep their political beliefs private.</p><p>Time and time again, however it emerges that the BBC have recruited people for key political roles who have been open, declared, political party activists before, after and even during their BBC service - <strong>and always for the same party.</strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Political Impartiality at the BBC is a Bad Joke.</span></strong></p>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-30753021902362289822008-01-24T20:51:00.000+00:002008-01-25T11:58:08.595+00:00Hain's Job Goes to Ex BeeboidJames Purnell has been appointed Work and Pensions Minister in place of disgraced Peter Hain who is facing a police investigation into undeclared donations.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Purnell is a classic Nulab/BBC apparatchik. Before become a Downing Street adviser in1997 he was BBC Head of Corporate Planning.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrLRAh-PguIxr5k3BbbqjfAbbeyPpLtVKARNbJVNeXQnczhHFU3GdNkxH8MVxnsck6EwGSywSrnhsA3LOsju7eA6t4vaQGCXbEwHgu3TYEgHo196qG2WYvgAtzRuSbQQYM36h0dOmJr4/s1600-h/James+Purnell+final.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5159158715869056610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrLRAh-PguIxr5k3BbbqjfAbbeyPpLtVKARNbJVNeXQnczhHFU3GdNkxH8MVxnsck6EwGSywSrnhsA3LOsju7eA6t4vaQGCXbEwHgu3TYEgHo196qG2WYvgAtzRuSbQQYM36h0dOmJr4/s320/James+Purnell+final.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>Prior to that he worked for the left wing think tank - the Institute of Public Policy Research.<br /></div><div>While still a student, prior to the 1992 election, he worked as a researcher for Tony Blair. At that time Ed Richards worked in the next door office for Gordon brown and was later to become BBC Controller of Corporate Strategy.<br /></div><div>So the two key people in charge of the BBC's strategic direction in the run up to Labour's 1997 election victory had previously respectively worked for New Labour's two principal players - and would return to work for them again soon afterwards.</div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Does anybody believe this was a coincidence? </div><div><br /></div><div>Did these appointments reflect the BBC's legal obligation to political impartiality?</div><div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-63996427773685283692008-01-20T23:27:00.000+00:002008-01-21T23:26:16.074+00:00Yet More Heroes of Socialist Broadcasting - the black artsToday we're descending into the murky depths of New Labour's media operations.<br /><div></div><br /><div>After its inception in 1995, New Labour took news manipulation to previously unimaginable heights. </div><div></div><br /><div>The names of Campbell and Mandelson became synonymous with the art of spin, but they didn't operate alone. </div><div></div><br /><div>They were backed by a substantial team of people with many years of experience in political commentary, research and presentation. </div><div></div><br /><div>Where did the Labour Party find a large pool of people with such skills - and a common political viewpoint? </div><div></div><br /><div>Guess ????? </div><div></div><br /><div>And here are some of them:-</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Bill Bush - Ex BBC Head of Political Research</span></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPcCclrq2SSXasVewncWQh5_AW1kz9kMZ1rBVWXFBSNblxK1B0KYLEsrRNLkTZpikgFCBkd45KwvOCENcDb7N2sfoOsMSM2y5uRj1FmufUCFMA69WCCGn9eW8-h_KRe0KplN8sDOfH1s/s1600-h/Bill+Bush+final.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157710036347469826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPcCclrq2SSXasVewncWQh5_AW1kz9kMZ1rBVWXFBSNblxK1B0KYLEsrRNLkTZpikgFCBkd45KwvOCENcDb7N2sfoOsMSM2y5uRj1FmufUCFMA69WCCGn9eW8-h_KRe0KplN8sDOfH1s/s320/Bill+Bush+final.JPG" border="0" /></a>Bill Bush was "Red" Ken Livingston's Chief of Staff and right hand man at the old "loony left" GLC.</div><div><br />in 1990 he moved politically slightly rightwards to be Head of Political Research and Analysis at the BBC.</div><div><br />In 1995 he moved to 10 Downing Street, as Head of Research for Tony Blair, and later took a position as Special Adviser to New Labour culture minister Tessa Jowell.<br /></div><div><br />As Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, Jowell and Bush were responsible for Government policy towards the BBC.including renegotiating the licence fee. </div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div>The Guardian said:- <em>Bill Bush, the head of the BBC's political research department, left to join the research unit at Number 10. This was a man who had access to the most sensitive information the BBC has on MPs, their parties and the government. His value to the Labour party can hardly be over-estimated. Then came Catherine Rimmer, a former Bush colleague, who has also travelled the short distance from the BBC's Millbank offices, which coordinates all political coverage, to Downing Street. </em></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Catherine Rimmer - Ex BBC Political Research</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHu2VtOtSONUNNGBOHBmWm6hRWWy0CQYrCEh0uUE8lgqFGXFIUaUAA614GVzKu-Zjt97cNmX13_wyRcvaRlVfOBQHz24SQZpAJyaPZiqCixASX6terOh56Eeuh-6vZ3vGDur8w_f7Pck/s1600-h/Catherine+Rimmer+final+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157711939017981986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHu2VtOtSONUNNGBOHBmWm6hRWWy0CQYrCEh0uUE8lgqFGXFIUaUAA614GVzKu-Zjt97cNmX13_wyRcvaRlVfOBQHz24SQZpAJyaPZiqCixASX6terOh56Eeuh-6vZ3vGDur8w_f7Pck/s320/Catherine+Rimmer+final+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Catherine Rimmer was Bill Bush's assistant at BBC Political Research.</div><div></div><br /><div><br />She left with him to join the Downing Street research group.<br /><br />The Spectator said <em>:-... (Bush) is also taking with him the deputy head of the BBC's political research unit, one Catherine Rimmer. In fact, you could say that the BBC's political research unit has turned out to be an invisible branch of the Labour party.<br /><br /></em></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Lance Price - BBC Journalist 1981 - 1998</span> </div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaYxdnUZYB06HGQ1ed-xXdQG-zNPPwIJcjOYDB6PlQYna61Huy-oITK8bMfZ0uA2UwUWKhSQ_PuthRH9_peqh0zjBi0KWfx7BvxavAwF01cLqMF2za7ztr5U2RO5NYelLKpAwbX5MNp4/s1600-h/Lance+Price+final.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157712183831117874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZaYxdnUZYB06HGQ1ed-xXdQG-zNPPwIJcjOYDB6PlQYna61Huy-oITK8bMfZ0uA2UwUWKhSQ_PuthRH9_peqh0zjBi0KWfx7BvxavAwF01cLqMF2za7ztr5U2RO5NYelLKpAwbX5MNp4/s320/Lance+Price+final.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Lance Price joined the BBC as a trainee journalist and worked there for 17 years.</div><div></div><div><br />He left in 1998 to work as Alistair Campbell's assistant in Downing Street.</div><br /><div></div><div><br />In 2000 he became the Labour Party's Director of Communications.<br /></div><div><br />Now he is a freelance journalist writing mainly for the Guardian and broadcasting for the BBC - again </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Ed Richards - Ex BBC Controller of Corporate Strategy</span></div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_ecZO5cYwxRG3LAIPze97OFAnj8jHZDz-iMq-E0Z3FQVOxS9FA0AKfxYQ75_zeHFZHMIip6bO-Lo2N-JTyH469VhcWxI6XwgGe0B_c1RxWQv0eHhtHgAZ_ntDFbOe9rPbD3p6dGUNQ8/s1600-h/Ed+Richards+final.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5157713300522614850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_ecZO5cYwxRG3LAIPze97OFAnj8jHZDz-iMq-E0Z3FQVOxS9FA0AKfxYQ75_zeHFZHMIip6bO-Lo2N-JTyH469VhcWxI6XwgGe0B_c1RxWQv0eHhtHgAZ_ntDFbOe9rPbD3p6dGUNQ8/s320/Ed+Richards+final.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Ed Richards was Controller of Corporate Strategy at the BBC until 1999. Before that he was an adviser to Gordon Brown</div><div><br />He left the BBC in 1999 to become Tony Blair's senior policy adviser on media, telecoms, internet and e-government.<br /></div><div>As a policy researcher at No 10 ahead of the 2002 general election, he was responsible for drawing up a key political strategy outlining a "vision of what Britain should be like at the end of a second Labour term . </div><div> </div><div>According to the Guardian, he is :-<em> A quintessential New Labour man - Greg Dyke famously referred to him as a "jumped-up Millbank oik"<br /></em><br /></div><div> </div><div>While at Downing Street, also he helped draft the act which established the broadcasting regulator OFCOM. In 2005 he became chief executive of OFCOM , at a salary reported to be over £300,000 . OFCOM is responsible for adjudicating complaints against the BBC.</div><div> </div><div>Ed Richards has dismissed accusations of New Labour cronyism as "tittle tattle"</div><div> </div><div> </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Tom Kelly - Ex BBC NI Head of News</span><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Sd0P43-P93yDmW3kYim2Wnp3SVTpnBNYT_SR10mCUyucSY5pea0KIM-upvSyWVTZKoGRgayf_ymiUqjwxcGt05PRqMN3DttBtacgSiOR0ygTXdWZD89aPO6k2bXKy_TxBMQhZYj4kCY/s1600-h/Tom+Kelly+final+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158027546099794018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Sd0P43-P93yDmW3kYim2Wnp3SVTpnBNYT_SR10mCUyucSY5pea0KIM-upvSyWVTZKoGRgayf_ymiUqjwxcGt05PRqMN3DttBtacgSiOR0ygTXdWZD89aPO6k2bXKy_TxBMQhZYj4kCY/s320/Tom+Kelly+final+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Tom Kelly spent 16 years at the BBC in London and Northern Ireland.</div><div><br />He was a political editor and later head of news at BBC Northern Ireland before crossing the divide between those who report the news and those who help to shape the government's message, becoming director of communications at the Northern Ireland Office shortly after New Labour came to power. </div><div><br />.In 2001 he became one of Tony Blair's official spokesmen.<br /></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Of course it may well be that, during their BBC careers, all these folk meticulously followed the BBC's charter commitment to political impartiality.</div><div><br /> </div><div>It may have been just a coincidence that BBC journalist Jane Garvey said, of the morning after the 1997 Labour victory - <em>"I do remember... the corridors of Broadcasting House were strewn with empty champagne bottles. I'll always remember that....."</em></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-49031544119385031952008-01-16T20:11:00.000+00:002008-01-16T22:11:14.791+00:00More Heroes of Socialist BroadcastingThe BBC's most senior executive position is that of Director General.<br /><br /><br />The DG heads the board which is responsible, under the direction of the trustees, for implementing the corporation's charter and charter agreement.<br /><br /><br />Section 44(1) of the charter agreement requires the BBC to ".....ensure that controversial subjects are treated with due accuracy and <span style="color:#cc33cc;">impartiality</span> in all relevant output."<br /><br /><br />Here are the two DG's who ran the BBC for most of the time since the Labour party took office in 1997:-<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">John Birt - BBC Director General 1992 - 2000 </span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyo8xCGqOB4m6PaXGC9UBNBG6xdDFM6tKdv-95Y2DM-5HqEvg0NlDZ0e_5mYhJ1CFOBfnerqF-hG1uOgP0xx3KnBAYQLuuajRX4ASo-7uYqGWyaItd0WQvWkHG0aA7xRlrmPpPie-0Do/s1600-h/Birt+final+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156184932115365858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyo8xCGqOB4m6PaXGC9UBNBG6xdDFM6tKdv-95Y2DM-5HqEvg0NlDZ0e_5mYhJ1CFOBfnerqF-hG1uOgP0xx3KnBAYQLuuajRX4ASo-7uYqGWyaItd0WQvWkHG0aA7xRlrmPpPie-0Do/s320/Birt+final+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> John Birt was Director General of the BBC from 1992 to 2000.<br /><br />At the time of his appointment he was a paid up member of the Labour party.<br /><br />According to fellow broadcaster Peter Bazalgette writing in the Observer :- "....his streak of ruthlessness helped turn the BBC from an organisation derided by the Tory government into the most powerful political lobby in Britain. As the political pendulum swung towards the Labour party in the mid-Nineties, Birt anticipated it brilliantly."<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Greg Dyke - BBC Director General 2000-2004</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsU_zNRylEdtuaTgJHkhIbXCHFiI3FD0ySBov9XzZvJbZ9zWJBmyZj68d2EiQWvHlNpGBWbLY4qcPAjzhcVYb_y_eM9bAhsNKkAi2xe5Y5M0uCZanEqiuRrWh0RQYe0W-nKfZ-k_H0IU/s1600-h/Dyke+final.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156185314367455218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsU_zNRylEdtuaTgJHkhIbXCHFiI3FD0ySBov9XzZvJbZ9zWJBmyZj68d2EiQWvHlNpGBWbLY4qcPAjzhcVYb_y_eM9bAhsNKkAi2xe5Y5M0uCZanEqiuRrWh0RQYe0W-nKfZ-k_H0IU/s320/Dyke+final.jpg" border="0" /></a> Greg Dyke was Director General of the BBC from 2000 to 2004.<br /><br />He had been a lifelong Labour activist.<br /><br />In 1977 he stood as a Labour candidate for the Greater London Council.<br /><br />In the run up to the 1997 election he reportedly donated over £50,000 to the Labour party.<br /><br />When he was appointed, according to the Guardian, a Number 10 insider said "We loved Greg. We loved the idea of Greg."<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So for the last 15 years or so, the BBC has had a declared Labour supporter as either Chairman or Director General - or both.<br /><br /><br />Must make all that <span style="color:#cc33cc;">impartiality</span> a bit of a struggle sometimes!John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-1424990736816417982008-01-15T21:22:00.000+00:002008-01-15T22:58:00.321+00:00Heroes of Socialist BroadcastingFollowing on from our Christmas Best Seller - the BBC Happy Lefty Family Snap game - BBC Pioneers are embarking on an altogether more serious and weighty task.<br /><br />For many years, countless dedicated party supporters have kept our parent organisation going with their selfless and unstinting efforts.<br /><br />We've decided their services to the cause should be publicly honoured - and we're proud to announce :-<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The BBC Pioneers <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Hero of Socialist Broadcasting</span></em></strong> Award.<br /><br /></span>Over the coming weeks, we'll be giving the award to deserving BBC employees - past and present, at all levels in the organisation - who have gone out of their way to advance the cause and take us onwards to the great socialist paradise that awaits.<br /><br />We're starting off today at the very top of the tree with a brace of BBC Chairmen - the people responsible for standing above the day-to-day management fray and representing the consumers' interests by ensuring that the BBC's strict charter of impartiality is observed without fear or favour. <div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-size:180%;">Gavin Davies - BBC Chairman 2001 - 2004</span></div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XFKLKsllyqSJ9U2exA4oR6MIIv6GGD0Lu4k-JmlK-sRnxe3qIIOkoBsmAzRiUtr_-WTkOAF4uFKOj4agoJY36HjLOv24ILrjM6m0Xh66T7qViLUKSQPVzrgn1WO2VAf-ZsBniKIW8T0/s1600-h/Davies+final+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155832164976508866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XFKLKsllyqSJ9U2exA4oR6MIIv6GGD0Lu4k-JmlK-sRnxe3qIIOkoBsmAzRiUtr_-WTkOAF4uFKOj4agoJY36HjLOv24ILrjM6m0Xh66T7qViLUKSQPVzrgn1WO2VAf-ZsBniKIW8T0/s320/Davies+final+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a>Gavin Davies was appointed vice chairman of the BBC in 2001 and became chairman from 2001 to 2004</div><div><br />He had been a lifelong Labour party member and financial supporter but resigned his membership upon becoming chairman.</div><div> </div><div>From 1974 to 1979 he worked as an adviser to two Labour governments.</div><div><br />From 1992 to 1997 he was an adviser to the Chancellor Gordon Brown. Gavin Davies is a close personal friend of Brown and his wife, Sue Nye, is Brown's private secretary.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:180%;">Sir Michael Lyons - Current BBC Chairman</span></div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWDdve3myt9A_mYxySqKFQ8uUZHJLEy0bnjrBnAejfgE2hzSRzmwPb-kXDMvoK1IoHbmSNXzk3CPeo00R_L4q-VFxkMFZATcMJGN3DjeOYBjWIB8-FOxGm1TYebErFUT5kjAzNajaHLo/s1600-h/Sir+Michael+Lyons+final.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155833552250945490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWDdve3myt9A_mYxySqKFQ8uUZHJLEy0bnjrBnAejfgE2hzSRzmwPb-kXDMvoK1IoHbmSNXzk3CPeo00R_L4q-VFxkMFZATcMJGN3DjeOYBjWIB8-FOxGm1TYebErFUT5kjAzNajaHLo/s320/Sir+Michael+Lyons+final.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></div><div><br />Sir Michael Lyons was chosen in 2007 by the Labour Government to be chairman of the new BBC Trust - set up to represent the interests of licence fee payers.</div><div><br />Before that he had been paid around £500,000 by the Government to carry out three studies for Chancellor Gordon Brown.</div><div><br />Prior to that he was a Labour local politician, sitting as a Labour councillor in several authorities and as Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council.</div><div><br />In 2004 he was asked whether he was still a Labour Party member - but declined to answer.</div></div><br /><br /><p><br /> </p><p> </p><p>In our next item we'll be featuring a clutch of Directors General - and after that a gaggle of spin doctors.</p><p>Meanwhile - any suggestions of awards for tireless little BBC stakhanovites who may be labouring unseen and unappreciated will be seriously considered.</p>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-61860469583337543232007-11-24T21:15:00.000+00:002007-11-27T21:31:42.171+00:00More Lefty Beeboid Snap cards - Caroline Thomson & FamilyCaroline Thomson has the most senior executive management role at the BBC - Chief Operating Officer.<br /><br />She negotiated the licence fee settlement with the Government and is responsible for key areas such as strategy and compliance.<br /><br />She was reported as being "infuriated and shocked" when a Conservative politician accused her of being a "Labour crony".......................<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiqqLZb4-LKeasqcjwvdpVuYV24eA-eqwgGpt-CyS0v98YSYb6gzXe2sCqKSiyK6Jw6rSGbavibNdUYPRrUO0yU8V7PSdMNmhc4dFucY2Mks7aUS1BMPPSt0FNZFFWI4EmOwB0llHetA/s1600-h/Caroline+Thomson+Beeboid+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136521078705530034" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiqqLZb4-LKeasqcjwvdpVuYV24eA-eqwgGpt-CyS0v98YSYb6gzXe2sCqKSiyK6Jw6rSGbavibNdUYPRrUO0yU8V7PSdMNmhc4dFucY2Mks7aUS1BMPPSt0FNZFFWI4EmOwB0llHetA/s320/Caroline+Thomson+Beeboid+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAOy0DKcvk6o5P0vmvss1CtIaz06r_eTat126yKVSGlZv6_GpYg4lrX6uPJoI79m4rgq37XKDwf1vYykqk1tBPbykcWQrJzYFJCVPIIPZSwW0aI6K_QVlQSVnAd2ixvXPy3e0JAvXHm8/s1600-h/Caroline+Thomson+Party+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136520958446445730" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAOy0DKcvk6o5P0vmvss1CtIaz06r_eTat126yKVSGlZv6_GpYg4lrX6uPJoI79m4rgq37XKDwf1vYykqk1tBPbykcWQrJzYFJCVPIIPZSwW0aI6K_QVlQSVnAd2ixvXPy3e0JAvXHm8/s320/Caroline+Thomson+Party+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfhhf9QfmjMjPeGRnWXUylnJKl4aithdVAj97BwJOh17jAdJbCFEEkDe_u6atfZvf69M73Lz5tIpbKA_B9PLsGHHGGjtex1TRDlB9VcZbGG7ME2ri0SWIhUqLxJMM0qmzyjcZjEcfgbE/s1600-h/Roger+LiddleParty+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136520825302459538" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfhhf9QfmjMjPeGRnWXUylnJKl4aithdVAj97BwJOh17jAdJbCFEEkDe_u6atfZvf69M73Lz5tIpbKA_B9PLsGHHGGjtex1TRDlB9VcZbGG7ME2ri0SWIhUqLxJMM0qmzyjcZjEcfgbE/s320/Roger+LiddleParty+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EEcMUzwpQf4qck4KrcYT0cNPBlkuZOn9NIrwiQYhnV4Kis9YqtreZICztN0mEKgsBa8gu70_vpNq07Y5l9_m4C2HKRkiFwFP5wzJ1GkPBg93KwjulwD8A4CeJctLCddV1UK7OzmLccs/s1600-h/Lord+Thomson+Party+Supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137635171747275986" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4EEcMUzwpQf4qck4KrcYT0cNPBlkuZOn9NIrwiQYhnV4Kis9YqtreZICztN0mEKgsBa8gu70_vpNq07Y5l9_m4C2HKRkiFwFP5wzJ1GkPBg93KwjulwD8A4CeJctLCddV1UK7OzmLccs/s320/Lord+Thomson+Party+Supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-43855451680688431112007-11-15T21:12:00.000+00:002007-11-15T21:41:32.860+00:00Another Lefty Beeboid Family - The Bradshaws!Following suggestions that the traditional format of our <strong>Lefty Beeboid Family Snap</strong> game might be insufficiently inclusive - we're happy to confirm that the term "Mrs" will henceforth be deemed to include all partners and significant others of whatever gender.<br /><br />To celebrate this diversity we're featuring today government minister Ben Bradshaw and family:-<br /><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hOOiK73MFCuniKdvRyFIxpCczf3TaV2m-EIXOtVdzrOIORtG55wvyf3vlaAicssOy4Gz9lqEudDoFgmCtL_zRLYnZImG2dWdHJAl2gyo4220xtyD39xS3UJLxfqXexIhedP-vQm6LVo/s1600-h/Bradshaw+Beeboid+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133178215464739826" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hOOiK73MFCuniKdvRyFIxpCczf3TaV2m-EIXOtVdzrOIORtG55wvyf3vlaAicssOy4Gz9lqEudDoFgmCtL_zRLYnZImG2dWdHJAl2gyo4220xtyD39xS3UJLxfqXexIhedP-vQm6LVo/s320/Bradshaw+Beeboid+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WAc8gALJxdnLOI9gtupKBzX3_U0FqiFFJxlJGFzT8OiLuxnRGU1TWd2ElVGohsLk5eR-eLegvNosAm2Pd_rZC828lETxmzn8n7qwaOWkns6QIbKg1hnCI09gmlRcZ3ka305fUs8bGZo/s1600-h/Bradshaw+Party+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133178391558398978" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WAc8gALJxdnLOI9gtupKBzX3_U0FqiFFJxlJGFzT8OiLuxnRGU1TWd2ElVGohsLk5eR-eLegvNosAm2Pd_rZC828lETxmzn8n7qwaOWkns6QIbKg1hnCI09gmlRcZ3ka305fUs8bGZo/s320/Bradshaw+Party+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGf8579Nc32yPUWr4MCB3xdk0-o23LdncQQNChQ1cGiUSRs_oSUyGU61xaBIsTiuhsv8laykRLwab5wVdHAohvJ8bhqT4Oa9eIkniVSTLlw7G3Uy5-b0qPGYMe4l8TO1gxVMkl5X1Jrag/s1600-h/Dalgleish+beeboid.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133178546177221650" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGf8579Nc32yPUWr4MCB3xdk0-o23LdncQQNChQ1cGiUSRs_oSUyGU61xaBIsTiuhsv8laykRLwab5wVdHAohvJ8bhqT4Oa9eIkniVSTLlw7G3Uy5-b0qPGYMe4l8TO1gxVMkl5X1Jrag/s320/Dalgleish+beeboid.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>More <strong>Lefty Beeboid Families</strong> soon - no sign of running out yet. <br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-29217816287062422352007-11-13T20:42:00.000+00:002007-11-14T21:03:50.863+00:00"Should auld aquaintance be forgot...."We're going north of the border today for some more <strong>Lefty Beeboid Snap</strong> cards - to the land of The Scottish Government where family and friends <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">really</span> </strong>matter.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8x9I9N8rIT0GiyxMQ5JgaWYFt8qRh40RXRYHILQ6U0bT9bD6mjjo9c-Mu0kBDKUFxtrvgryOLVBt0r2Z7SOeNyRnsWb-pFd2n06ne-kmnMDsTnlCZeP1zoHMx5VeSQa7wkl5CoDz01U/s1600-h/Red+Tartan.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132473462415918370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8x9I9N8rIT0GiyxMQ5JgaWYFt8qRh40RXRYHILQ6U0bT9bD6mjjo9c-Mu0kBDKUFxtrvgryOLVBt0r2Z7SOeNyRnsWb-pFd2n06ne-kmnMDsTnlCZeP1zoHMx5VeSQa7wkl5CoDz01U/s320/Red+Tartan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>Meet - Mrs & Mr Wark and their friends:-</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YMFHFTvsAkMmtA1hiv377XHqLbwtwGTYbWEjB_zoZp7gSmPYI7XLsMpj2CVMLUNLi850QzYlNhhsV_5JzSJPor7o9OUk083lCmIchnknQ0naVDiujrBt3ZOSkhucFBlb0tlzHZMKuA/s1600-h/Kirsty+beeboid.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132462188126766306" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9YMFHFTvsAkMmtA1hiv377XHqLbwtwGTYbWEjB_zoZp7gSmPYI7XLsMpj2CVMLUNLi850QzYlNhhsV_5JzSJPor7o9OUk083lCmIchnknQ0naVDiujrBt3ZOSkhucFBlb0tlzHZMKuA/s320/Kirsty+beeboid.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm6zs_EC2WXP3Ig28L_0HDMZFwd0fpZTtaOK9VMbpjVGY29nyDc2NRjXWJCI6U2uSA7gBw-k5DMY_v5yiDv90IF558MfgqZocjQ5fvz8fr32CQmUdDL0gHhDTSZZFVZRMuzgFLiaEug8/s1600-h/Mr+Wark+Party+supporter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132462024918009042" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm6zs_EC2WXP3Ig28L_0HDMZFwd0fpZTtaOK9VMbpjVGY29nyDc2NRjXWJCI6U2uSA7gBw-k5DMY_v5yiDv90IF558MfgqZocjQ5fvz8fr32CQmUdDL0gHhDTSZZFVZRMuzgFLiaEug8/s320/Mr+Wark+Party+supporter.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6D8P3m5Sy44Hhu7KmhU6lNKWHGHXcOC_X3FOLfmaT3CTFcPV09nSgomDVt_1zfSmAzKwAAxzZjRMai9BvysvKdjFiwJxlMDVlTpZStaSqr7k-PGejvGaFVQTD8PAdWjXfpmlg1n8_Kw/s1600-h/Kirsty+Left+wing+journalist.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132462338450621682" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6D8P3m5Sy44Hhu7KmhU6lNKWHGHXcOC_X3FOLfmaT3CTFcPV09nSgomDVt_1zfSmAzKwAAxzZjRMai9BvysvKdjFiwJxlMDVlTpZStaSqr7k-PGejvGaFVQTD8PAdWjXfpmlg1n8_Kw/s320/Kirsty+Left+wing+journalist.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJmR89l20KSMAGDar07-bbzf2ynJNvbWdHV602_Ur9xqS3iIPUGCbH5I0RUhoWusQNXJjxQShYEVHYbYNCeKOWWPjRpbQ_NPcsSpsZ_-vkRopdAyHwh6ofcdPjDWfF6SRq0NJYL0ykNw/s1600-h/McConnell+Party+supporter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132463661300548866" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJmR89l20KSMAGDar07-bbzf2ynJNvbWdHV602_Ur9xqS3iIPUGCbH5I0RUhoWusQNXJjxQShYEVHYbYNCeKOWWPjRpbQ_NPcsSpsZ_-vkRopdAyHwh6ofcdPjDWfF6SRq0NJYL0ykNw/s320/McConnell+Party+supporter.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-3871471914159288992007-11-11T22:12:00.001+00:002007-11-11T22:18:35.829+00:00More Lefty Beeboid Family Snap Cards!<div>Here's another Lefty Beeboid family - Mr & Mrs Davies </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprdu3p61FdkYtzT2nf6ZpVVH3pswpZ2lxfJPTpSyt9CoV2BQ673h9XMYVr-mIGhzdSoeQfTb5tubdkgZcusDxCz4VxJmeInq7K1ZV0g3kJ-CpQsDJW6Wb2rmAEngxh5XadWXhmezHZCM/s1600-h/Gavyn+Davies+Red+card+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131710173712975042" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprdu3p61FdkYtzT2nf6ZpVVH3pswpZ2lxfJPTpSyt9CoV2BQ673h9XMYVr-mIGhzdSoeQfTb5tubdkgZcusDxCz4VxJmeInq7K1ZV0g3kJ-CpQsDJW6Wb2rmAEngxh5XadWXhmezHZCM/s320/Gavyn+Davies+Red+card+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5sSUwDc6nBt6ukO7PfMgzVMOOV28qUV_o1JLG0kDmYk0lZ92ApAdq_0KNf11uA7oHZ0qBBiZabXMbWq3q5CE1B-8NI6cCtRZge441Mmo76MiEZeYxznDzqBjoTa21gOYWfsYZLXMNo0/s1600-h/Gavin+Davies+Party+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131710027684086962" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5sSUwDc6nBt6ukO7PfMgzVMOOV28qUV_o1JLG0kDmYk0lZ92ApAdq_0KNf11uA7oHZ0qBBiZabXMbWq3q5CE1B-8NI6cCtRZge441Mmo76MiEZeYxznDzqBjoTa21gOYWfsYZLXMNo0/s320/Gavin+Davies+Party+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UKnah6Ao77a-IQgRpnwlf_teXljAAKjk6-mG5C8_E-R9lC3Fv-hRCR78z-YTnNZBLcx6ozfmJXAyIszlQv58btkSZM85a6mHK6dnB3kHL0iUrlGIyJ7F66BCF4zPIGNflOZPvpUd8sQ/s1600-h/Sue+Nye+Party+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131709838705525922" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UKnah6Ao77a-IQgRpnwlf_teXljAAKjk6-mG5C8_E-R9lC3Fv-hRCR78z-YTnNZBLcx6ozfmJXAyIszlQv58btkSZM85a6mHK6dnB3kHL0iUrlGIyJ7F66BCF4zPIGNflOZPvpUd8sQ/s320/Sue+Nye+Party+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-52234253998834131172007-11-09T20:43:00.000+00:002007-11-10T21:55:32.639+00:00Lefty Beeboid Family SnapJust in time for Christmas - BBC Pioneer Productions is introducing the ultimate family card game:-<br /><br /><strong>Lefty Beeboid Family Snap</strong><br /><br /><br />An exciting combination of Happy Families and Snap with BBC celebrity families and political intrigue<br />- promising to be the most mind numbing Christmas game since Trivial Pursuit.<br /><br />We'll be introducing new "cut out and keep" card families on a weekly basis between now and Christmas - all you have to do is print 'em out, cut 'em out and drink enough to blank 'em out.<br /><br /><strong>The rules (optional):-</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Deal cards equally between players</strong><br /><strong>Each player turns over their top card</strong><br /><strong>The player with the most rabidly left wing character starts</strong><br /><strong>Players lay down a card in turn</strong><br /><strong>When ever a card with the same character as the previous card appears</strong><br /><strong>-the first player to call "LEFTY" collects both cards</strong><br /><strong>The first player to collect an entire family and lay the cards down with a call of "BEEBOIDS" wins</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>NOTE - almost of the cards are various shades of pink but there is a very slight possibility that there may be </strong><strong>one or two BLUE cards in a pack.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Should a blue card be played - the rest of the players will shout "TORY, </strong><strong>TORY, TORY - OUT, OUT, OUT and play will cease until at least </strong><strong>next Christmas</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Here's this week's Happy Lefty Beeby Family - <strong>The Marrs</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAMdF5tidvcphiTYCB7ioJas9OWg9sxtvAU0AE3hboWkOWYNFiHFQT0yLf-HAhzOpMtS-2YD8gbSqVVOR5CseF4YWW85JfLf8fDOH2SFJdxPmmcbOGGXpXQ_kbArNBJlXgwgbGndIe9Q/s1600-h/Andrew+Marr+Left+wing+journalist+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130946592952255474" style="WIDTH: 204px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" height="320" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAMdF5tidvcphiTYCB7ioJas9OWg9sxtvAU0AE3hboWkOWYNFiHFQT0yLf-HAhzOpMtS-2YD8gbSqVVOR5CseF4YWW85JfLf8fDOH2SFJdxPmmcbOGGXpXQ_kbArNBJlXgwgbGndIe9Q/s320/Andrew+Marr+Left+wing+journalist+copy.jpg" width="194" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cLUbwt5JihoFKld6kPmjUXhsHEtk1nclqyyAQ4zhL9igdsjSf2eQeGztGR90BZ4Q4OJaufH8ymo8Xcd6DIpTH3qVpKiOB0aQY_kQB2ZuDgFaSzD8N3JdpYuePnRWlJIKxQJxeBftk4c/s1600-h/Beeboid+Andy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131326474219652178" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cLUbwt5JihoFKld6kPmjUXhsHEtk1nclqyyAQ4zhL9igdsjSf2eQeGztGR90BZ4Q4OJaufH8ymo8Xcd6DIpTH3qVpKiOB0aQY_kQB2ZuDgFaSzD8N3JdpYuePnRWlJIKxQJxeBftk4c/s320/Beeboid+Andy.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZA6eLzeF44eK9z49BSd0brrnKRPW6vvv52YKkZ_KARJ4yETeoR_2fMSACUni__Edfq2Rq2W4-lHrx7T9ct4KDBx0bSVIhfohxZxD8cbts9TDysnsiNMZeiew64Pk_wPKEAMlB-CZnVM/s1600-h/Andrew+marr+Party+supporter+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131331258813219970" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZA6eLzeF44eK9z49BSd0brrnKRPW6vvv52YKkZ_KARJ4yETeoR_2fMSACUni__Edfq2Rq2W4-lHrx7T9ct4KDBx0bSVIhfohxZxD8cbts9TDysnsiNMZeiew64Pk_wPKEAMlB-CZnVM/s320/Andrew+marr+Party+supporter+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1t3VaeiY7tKaM9_r5e83_c_QlYiwVNUSVX2DLhRMsxyp8Wyt72w0XGmFYE1jPgMORiiXNXTtelpSSj9Rjp7PJmlQqbq9oLnNUhm21vm1Z2lZQ4ThHSWWhRc6arWhvY91bLLLeYcKumM/s1600-h/Mrs+Marr+Beeboid.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131326646018344034" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1t3VaeiY7tKaM9_r5e83_c_QlYiwVNUSVX2DLhRMsxyp8Wyt72w0XGmFYE1jPgMORiiXNXTtelpSSj9Rjp7PJmlQqbq9oLnNUhm21vm1Z2lZQ4ThHSWWhRc6arWhvY91bLLLeYcKumM/s320/Mrs+Marr+Beeboid.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItsvi8oaU718Pt8MfpapCUhCd1pg_fveQLIzp4OUIv_KEW6GJuV5sMJaWi-oM3Mhsu8hoHX0O4rTBLYzsuCPcUivt4pVcdsBM9tv4FZMdNmzx3w-tLdjCp_QQul8s0-1sfKYo2yvhSdQ/s1600-h/Mrs+Marr+Left+wing+journalist+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131331696899884178" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItsvi8oaU718Pt8MfpapCUhCd1pg_fveQLIzp4OUIv_KEW6GJuV5sMJaWi-oM3Mhsu8hoHX0O4rTBLYzsuCPcUivt4pVcdsBM9tv4FZMdNmzx3w-tLdjCp_QQul8s0-1sfKYo2yvhSdQ/s320/Mrs+Marr+Left+wing+journalist+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiITlyTfic-53lcqrF5rmuAiD5bxZaR7hWTSws3dzFJLFmvAbm72qShnffQrnxHrpFggGB90UCx5zEGhJBNnQapGPmZhDgeqrWyuO8I7Y5Du2be5jMzSq5c9t6K0kZxoTV2xeM7BPxwXI/s1600-h/Andrew+Marr+Beeboid+copy.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrV1vhRQ1gcaZytVVkmdCotl1pxeo5Gkw9PUcjDkh3aKRymxkmtxcSYfJILLFkGSw6BHZrA0_ySTJfpEQm9k9dv7GXYQwLu63kp7FvHagHQhp2R5odJBrOJo7NaPdnRQaIaNKBHGyBpmU/s1600-h/Lord+Ashley+Party+supporter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130963223065625650" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrV1vhRQ1gcaZytVVkmdCotl1pxeo5Gkw9PUcjDkh3aKRymxkmtxcSYfJILLFkGSw6BHZrA0_ySTJfpEQm9k9dv7GXYQwLu63kp7FvHagHQhp2R5odJBrOJo7NaPdnRQaIaNKBHGyBpmU/s320/Lord+Ashley+Party+supporter.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzACPc6BoV5I-hdMuQeNYCQMfxcZzlGi9bYqTegtmcQYA4gao3PSrCgt4Ph2BM08nBMpbNOcNkwg3iSWZhcb1qyqQqMUCsk1sgMv9binzBjrSM-fvF6zXbnxEEKYROhu1SezTUkjD7KOI/s1600-h/Lord+Ashley+Beeboid+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131327354687947890" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzACPc6BoV5I-hdMuQeNYCQMfxcZzlGi9bYqTegtmcQYA4gao3PSrCgt4Ph2BM08nBMpbNOcNkwg3iSWZhcb1qyqQqMUCsk1sgMv9binzBjrSM-fvF6zXbnxEEKYROhu1SezTUkjD7KOI/s320/Lord+Ashley+Beeboid+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div> </div><div>Stay tuned for more Lefty Beeboid Families soon!<br /><br /></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-23903708242949323782007-10-27T22:41:00.001+01:002007-10-28T21:07:08.413+00:00The end of King CRUDD?<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>As consumers get more and more of their entertainment and information from the ever widening range of new media, and redundancies loom at Britain's major broadcaster - could the age of CRUDD (<em>Communist Rhetoric Underpinned by Dubious Didacticism)</em> finally be coming to an end?<br /><br />A BBC Pioneers special report asks - could this be the end of King Crudd?</strong></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em><br /></em></strong></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><em><br /><br /></em></strong></span>For nearly forty years following the second world war the intellectual and political powerhouses of Britain were fuelled by CRUDD.<br /><br />Britain's huge reserves of CRUDD were dug up by a tough and dedicated band of workers, slaving in hazardous conditions with little more than a typewriter or TV studio - and little reward at the end of a hard shift except the satisfaction of seeing massive piles of CRUDD dominating the political landscape as far as the eye could see.<br /><br /><br /><br />An old NUJ hand reminisces exclusively to BBC Pioneers about those golden days:-<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>"...everything ran on CRUDD in them days. Radio, TV, Newspapers, Nationalised Industries - even whole cities like Liverpool, Birmingham and most of London - it were enough to mak yer proud.<br />The big CRUDD pits were t'Daily Herald, before it went, t'Mirror, t'Grauniad and biggest and best of all, t'Beeb.<br />Tha' were two Beeb pits, the old Broadcasting 'ouse were more traditional and then t'new TV Centre with all automation an' such, they 'ad the best qualtiy CRUDD by far. "<br /></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQa_QiJtbsv4kcf2Nz9SBPI3DBYtDJepGiOgYfkv73gBcrKZioI38px7yc58MWMYI5_Mt3vhQyq5XSznZuX77ojxvFQi0edLbHcACK2E1_OwRJ59NIxcl2-EP0VeAGoErtXZZ1er06o/s1600-h/old+pit+bw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135982404046802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQa_QiJtbsv4kcf2Nz9SBPI3DBYtDJepGiOgYfkv73gBcrKZioI38px7yc58MWMYI5_Mt3vhQyq5XSznZuX77ojxvFQi0edLbHcACK2E1_OwRJ59NIxcl2-EP0VeAGoErtXZZ1er06o/s320/old+pit+bw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></strong><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong>Old Beeb Pit No. 1 -Broadcasting House</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQa_QiJtbsv4kcf2Nz9SBPI3DBYtDJepGiOgYfkv73gBcrKZioI38px7yc58MWMYI5_Mt3vhQyq5XSznZuX77ojxvFQi0edLbHcACK2E1_OwRJ59NIxcl2-EP0VeAGoErtXZZ1er06o/s1600-h/old+pit+bw.jpg"><strong></strong></a><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQa_QiJtbsv4kcf2Nz9SBPI3DBYtDJepGiOgYfkv73gBcrKZioI38px7yc58MWMYI5_Mt3vhQyq5XSznZuX77ojxvFQi0edLbHcACK2E1_OwRJ59NIxcl2-EP0VeAGoErtXZZ1er06o/s1600-h/old+pit+bw.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkdythdkBLYL2oLkRQbwBf2km4sWv3blULzZlesm2GbId5mXXVTs0tKUMPFNP7szzELmX1s0jZc2LlpWIPHlXB0rB1GjFdSZysUlLJCpR3eLVWbbVmzKwXOBHRoMHtGevOUFxO9pQF6w/s1600-h/new+pit.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkdythdkBLYL2oLkRQbwBf2km4sWv3blULzZlesm2GbId5mXXVTs0tKUMPFNP7szzELmX1s0jZc2LlpWIPHlXB0rB1GjFdSZysUlLJCpR3eLVWbbVmzKwXOBHRoMHtGevOUFxO9pQF6w/s1600-h/new+pit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135823490256834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkdythdkBLYL2oLkRQbwBf2km4sWv3blULzZlesm2GbId5mXXVTs0tKUMPFNP7szzELmX1s0jZc2LlpWIPHlXB0rB1GjFdSZysUlLJCpR3eLVWbbVmzKwXOBHRoMHtGevOUFxO9pQF6w/s320/new+pit.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eQa_QiJtbsv4kcf2Nz9SBPI3DBYtDJepGiOgYfkv73gBcrKZioI38px7yc58MWMYI5_Mt3vhQyq5XSznZuX77ojxvFQi0edLbHcACK2E1_OwRJ59NIxcl2-EP0VeAGoErtXZZ1er06o/s1600-h/old+pit+bw.jpg"></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkdythdkBLYL2oLkRQbwBf2km4sWv3blULzZlesm2GbId5mXXVTs0tKUMPFNP7szzELmX1s0jZc2LlpWIPHlXB0rB1GjFdSZysUlLJCpR3eLVWbbVmzKwXOBHRoMHtGevOUFxO9pQF6w/s1600-h/new+pit.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>New Beeb Pit No 2 - TV Centre<br /></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><em>"...Tha' were plenty of half decent stuff from the north, but quality were a bit mixed, tha' were even more from t'Russia and such but it were crude and not a patch on the Beeb stuff. Beeb CRUD burned clear and bright and kept you warm for years 'til that bloody woman an' that Murdoch came along - and we started hearing about privatisation, north sea gas,Sky TV, alternative energy an all t'other rubbish. "</em></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP9Z7Upiz2d9Bbwamg3z4gENaf6ovL6zdPgHOWApZ9Yt4NZvQGv0RH1Zl6GnZ7ZTRpqvr0BNo8k2KJ7TJGG4eC_EvaoppUtgwWYjJ5gVBV8ASIlhJWZE8sldRqgSe06mjeifL4PG6Kvo/s1600-h/John+%26+Jim.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135677461368754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwP9Z7Upiz2d9Bbwamg3z4gENaf6ovL6zdPgHOWApZ9Yt4NZvQGv0RH1Zl6GnZ7ZTRpqvr0BNo8k2KJ7TJGG4eC_EvaoppUtgwWYjJ5gVBV8ASIlhJWZE8sldRqgSe06mjeifL4PG6Kvo/s320/John+%26+Jim.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><em>"...Some o' the lads and lasses that dug the stuff were legends.</em></strong><br /><strong><em>Tha' were "Big John" Humphrys</em></strong><br /><strong><em>and "Gentleman Jim" Naughtie who'd be on the Toady shift at four in the morning and staggering out of the taxi afterwards with their throats parched and their fingertips bleedin' from the keyboard. "</em></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQq1C3PoZWwrkY8kD3uH0k_AfPAy-d6Fn9sUIFeFH4GVfsCIc0HNwyBBOCiyLzBuA8Xkc3bzokgO4NNLVjAPLhKutTu9usonoaLvrd2QF_GLPcuGSWM_HMBzpxvMCovKvdgCpyMG53NM/s1600-h/Jim+%26+John+hewing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135509957644194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQq1C3PoZWwrkY8kD3uH0k_AfPAy-d6Fn9sUIFeFH4GVfsCIc0HNwyBBOCiyLzBuA8Xkc3bzokgO4NNLVjAPLhKutTu9usonoaLvrd2QF_GLPcuGSWM_HMBzpxvMCovKvdgCpyMG53NM/s320/Jim+%26+John+hewing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong>Jim & John at the CRUDD face<br /><br /></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><br /></strong><br /><br /><div><div><strong><em></em></strong></div><div><strong><em></em></strong></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /><div><strong><em>"...Then tha' were Polly who could shift as much CRUDD as any man. "Two Shifts" Toynbee we used to call 'er, she'd think nowt of putting in a full shift at t'Grauniad and then clocking on at t'Beeb for another - sometimes she'd get back t' Tuscan villa at the weekend barely fit to crawl down to the trattoria."</em></strong><br /><br /><br /></div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9w5E6cOVWMwj4DYl4ntgGsMrBNW8mq1xqWv4q9HLoNN9Rco1V-HaWA6MNamjU7WK6OZJg1RbJWskzm93LV3LayO4I-dc0uFOeaQzfZJwKgS6-4G-6qYRoPuA-tvqH3yRL8UeoO_aCcc/s1600-h/Polly+with+crudd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135136295489410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9w5E6cOVWMwj4DYl4ntgGsMrBNW8mq1xqWv4q9HLoNN9Rco1V-HaWA6MNamjU7WK6OZJg1RbJWskzm93LV3LayO4I-dc0uFOeaQzfZJwKgS6-4G-6qYRoPuA-tvqH3yRL8UeoO_aCcc/s320/Polly+with+crudd.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9w5E6cOVWMwj4DYl4ntgGsMrBNW8mq1xqWv4q9HLoNN9Rco1V-HaWA6MNamjU7WK6OZJg1RbJWskzm93LV3LayO4I-dc0uFOeaQzfZJwKgS6-4G-6qYRoPuA-tvqH3yRL8UeoO_aCcc/s1600-h/Polly+with+crudd.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div><strong>Polly shifting her CRUDD</strong></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9w5E6cOVWMwj4DYl4ntgGsMrBNW8mq1xqWv4q9HLoNN9Rco1V-HaWA6MNamjU7WK6OZJg1RbJWskzm93LV3LayO4I-dc0uFOeaQzfZJwKgS6-4G-6qYRoPuA-tvqH3yRL8UeoO_aCcc/s1600-h/Polly+with+crudd.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS45s3Dkn1_151hANHWzoHw9V6DY_vzB9XXEmUP_LBqk7Jul2ewslfATn-JVIOuo6xjhQk_V8xsZwOPQqRZ0VaWemt0GLWqmkjJ5zqDDYRXY4eQNSVUfnGqtpxEHJWrMtAyBYsrnUXq0/s1600-h/cutter+andy.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9w5E6cOVWMwj4DYl4ntgGsMrBNW8mq1xqWv4q9HLoNN9Rco1V-HaWA6MNamjU7WK6OZJg1RbJWskzm93LV3LayO4I-dc0uFOeaQzfZJwKgS6-4G-6qYRoPuA-tvqH3yRL8UeoO_aCcc/s1600-h/Polly+with+crudd.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmN4J7dFdvj4lbawJBK8uBkcqzmU1sp4tjaLloqLKy4zRdpQc7skUTjyKCTn7nq9L10rhZrtwIR9H1RF7HHmkrNSD2e8T6-8I7g_sAM7Z21GRm8_i9AE2jVB_ehmLcvz38_MJjQyLbbh0/s1600-h/backwash+jim.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS45s3Dkn1_151hANHWzoHw9V6DY_vzB9XXEmUP_LBqk7Jul2ewslfATn-JVIOuo6xjhQk_V8xsZwOPQqRZ0VaWemt0GLWqmkjJ5zqDDYRXY4eQNSVUfnGqtpxEHJWrMtAyBYsrnUXq0/s1600-h/cutter+andy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126135299504246674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 232px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 255px" height="278" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS45s3Dkn1_151hANHWzoHw9V6DY_vzB9XXEmUP_LBqk7Jul2ewslfATn-JVIOuo6xjhQk_V8xsZwOPQqRZ0VaWemt0GLWqmkjJ5zqDDYRXY4eQNSVUfnGqtpxEHJWrMtAyBYsrnUXq0/s320/cutter+andy.jpg" width="294" border="0" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div><strong><em>"...and there were the posh uns like "Jumbo" Marr, who was in t'management at t'Indie pit while 'e were still a kid but couldn't keep away from the cameraderie of the CRUDD face at t'Beeb." </em></strong></div><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now, however, with other sources of politcal energy ever more easily available from the widening range of new communications media, demand for the old product is falling and there is even speculation that the age of CRUDD could finally be drawing to a close.<br />As circulations have fallen, there have already been hard times at the Guardian and Mirror pits and The Old New Statesman just managed to struggle on with a new owner. Finally the biggest and deepest CRUDD mine of all is under threat and redundancies loom at the Beeb.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In the houses lining the crowded little streets of Shepherds Bush, Islington and Camden, the womenfolk/significant others turn their pale anxious faces to the doors as they wait for news of their menfolks' jobs.<br />Will there still be food on the table at the River Cafe next week? What about January's skiing? Will the nanny's car have to go?<br />Some have already had the bad news; in "Gentleman" Jim Naughties' cottage, his wife sluices the grime of the days work from his massive, sinewed body and a tear splashes into the jacuzzi:-<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiHZBtgk4SjyFrq_re_fWbdm4nMXIsU5UEORoQH1NSDEJ0E5Y5_q_WagC62QZclBADqmntR-PULnftnEj5e0HW6xcTZcEHFPZARiTrxxInTqvHwEOgK9eRC5SoRZJkrkent7G4S_Euo8/s1600-h/backwash+jim.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126384712550092786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiHZBtgk4SjyFrq_re_fWbdm4nMXIsU5UEORoQH1NSDEJ0E5Y5_q_WagC62QZclBADqmntR-PULnftnEj5e0HW6xcTZcEHFPZARiTrxxInTqvHwEOgK9eRC5SoRZJkrkent7G4S_Euo8/s320/backwash+jim.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><em><strong>"Don't fret lass, we're not finished yet - summat'll turn up you'll see, Tha's still call for the old stuff in some places. Some of the young'uns wi' facial hair are goin' to try Cuba and ah've heard tell there's even work for us old'uns in North Korea" </strong></em><br /><br /><em><strong>"But Jim, I've heard all they get there is one room and a bowl of pickled cabbage a day." </strong></em><br /><br /><em><strong>"Aye, It'll be hard to start with luv - but once we get our party cards, 'appen it'll be just like t'Beeb again, you'll see." </strong></em><br /><em><strong></strong></em><br /><em><strong></strong></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>But for many redundant BBC staff, there may be a glimmer of hope. BBCP has exclusively obtained a leaked draft press release of a possible agreement between the corporation and one of China's biggest importers and recyclers of western rubbish.</p><p>In return for a reasonable fee China's multibillion turnover Fat Bung Corp will take over all contractual employment and pension obligations of <strike>scrap</strike> redundant BBC employees and guarantee to <strike>recycle</strike> redeploy them into roles, no less productive or rewarding than their previous ones, in one of its <strike>rubbish tips</strike> environmental renewal centres. The company feels that the rewarding nature of the work, combined with the opportunity to experience first hand the political system they have long admired will prove an attractive and stimulating career development for all those involved.<br /><br /></p><p></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNu29tZ__oF_58YwSEYaM3A6po_m6onGD6HTrK7YCpPCeItZBexp4sClaTjLYN2DHvwaebEtVjhyphenhyphenNk4cIjzY8p_7XG60KO3kYDEplDEURJdSg__P4KS1fUDFej5LhdaGDgmBlKcXu2y8/s1600-h/img1_395.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126381001698349026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNu29tZ__oF_58YwSEYaM3A6po_m6onGD6HTrK7YCpPCeItZBexp4sClaTjLYN2DHvwaebEtVjhyphenhyphenNk4cIjzY8p_7XG60KO3kYDEplDEURJdSg__P4KS1fUDFej5LhdaGDgmBlKcXu2y8/s320/img1_395.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Redeployed BBC staff </strong><strong>enjoy their new roles</strong>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-58565553392589136202007-10-20T15:24:00.000+01:002007-10-22T07:48:34.210+01:00BBC Pioneers Educational Services<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2OMjTJmG6fC9BwA_mruk5JsuX4PUwlGIcjZVUB7_4_vHGjG4OJcDqg8nqJjUwHzgwaBFBGjU6RmR9z5ulwnwVPkIWozXJGfBPeDXlv-bPFBj32EdN6TRlQcHc8Mb09srZUBGN61Cjas/s1600-h/Gore+logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123426082642904290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2OMjTJmG6fC9BwA_mruk5JsuX4PUwlGIcjZVUB7_4_vHGjG4OJcDqg8nqJjUwHzgwaBFBGjU6RmR9z5ulwnwVPkIWozXJGfBPeDXlv-bPFBj32EdN6TRlQcHc8Mb09srZUBGN61Cjas/s320/Gore+logo.gif" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;"><strong>The University of the Closed Mind</strong></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOeSQWUrnP_HDt9ZhT7S_QoN6PP-F2PzU6HeG1j1dLsmA-4VjxASbsg2FbTWLikn61pFmsuEsuD56DKZ1DQ4qDGaMpre9KKMD-kH55NU-1wmZcKug5EkTb4ShgMM-UnRdgGgZvQiOo7o/s1600-h/einstein+roger.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123697133733987602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOeSQWUrnP_HDt9ZhT7S_QoN6PP-F2PzU6HeG1j1dLsmA-4VjxASbsg2FbTWLikn61pFmsuEsuD56DKZ1DQ4qDGaMpre9KKMD-kH55NU-1wmZcKug5EkTb4ShgMM-UnRdgGgZvQiOo7o/s320/einstein+roger.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em>Professor Horror-Binge</em></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Following the enormous success of our parent organisation in the field of adult education, we at BBC Pioneer Productions are proud to offer, at considerable expense, for an audience expected reach at least double figures:-<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The University of the Closed Mind</strong><br /><br /><br />Supported by a huge number of independent minded, free thinking, world acclaimed, Party funded academics, this series of programmes will explore the scientific issues the Party thinks you should be worrying about at any specific time.<br /><br /><br />Our first programme will be an introduction to the most serious threat our planet has faced since the great Bird Flu epidemic of 2006:-<br /><br /><br /><br /><strike><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Man Made Global Warming</strong></span></strike><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><br /><strike>Global Warming</strike><br />Climate Change</strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><strike>Weather</strike></span></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Professor Horror-Binge, BA Oxon (Eng Lit), will use his lifetime study of Climate Change to explain in a reasoned, logical and scientific argument the way that life on the planet will soon be virtually extinguished by soaring temperatures and/or flooding and/or hurricanes and/or desertification and/or melting/thickening ice and/or weakening/strengthening ocean currents and/or pestilence, insurrection, starvation and mass death on a hitherto unimagineable scale.<br /><br /><br /><br />A hand picked team of The Party's most loyal and devoted science workers have laboured with Party workers from other countries for years to produce incontrovertible proof of all the above, so conclusive that The Party has declared that all further scientific endeavour in this field will now cease.<br /><br /><br />The Professor's talk will outline the fundamental truths of Climate Change and deal with the petty, irrational and frankly childish arguments of the pathetically few deniers who have yet to benefit from the Party's re-education programme.<br /><br />.<br /><strong>Proposition A - </strong><strong>global temperatures are rising :-</strong><strong><br /></strong>Extensive examination of global temperature records over millions of years shows that the planet is heating at unprecedented rates.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Deniers claim:-</em><br /><br /><em><br /></em>It was warmer in Roman times - they grew grapes in Yorkshire and the Vikings named Greenland because they had fertile farms there.<br />It was also much colder in England in the 1700's they lit bonfires on ice on the Thames<br /><br /><em>Professor Horror-Binge's response:-</em><br /><br />After extensive world-wide investigation - I've come up with an answer to the first point from my colleague, BBC Business Editor and son of prominent Party Member, Robert Peston. Robert knows a lot about what small businessmen get up to and thinks that all those posh Roman villa owners in York probably lied about where their wine came from to avoid import duty. Also Eric the Red, who discovered Greenland, was known to be a bit of a real estate promoter on the side and was probably trying to flog off some bits of icy tundra with a dodgy brochure. Isn't it typical that doubt should be cast upon the efforts of The Party's most eminent scientific workers by the corrupt machinations of petty capitalists. Shame on them!<br /><br />As far as the bonfires go. Where's the photographic evidence? These sketches were drawn by the journalists of the time - who ever believed anything a hack told them? You people are so gullible.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Proposition B - Carbon Dioxide causes global warming :-</strong><br /><br /><strong><br /></strong>Antarctic ice core samples show a relationship between global temperatures and CO2 levels.<br /><br /><br /><em>Deniers claim:-</em><br /><em><br /></em>The samples show temperature increases about 800 years <strong>before</strong> CO2 level rises.<br /><br /><em>Professor Horror-Binge's response:-</em><br /><br /><em><br /></em>Well, frankly, what's 800 years in the millions of years of our planet's history.<br /><br />Also I've spoken to the world's most famous ever scientist, Professor Emeritus and Nobel prize winner Lord Albert Gore, on this and he points out that way back, before his two term presidency and even before he invented the internet, he and his old buddy and namsesake Al Einstein once sat around in Al's Post Office and chucked around some ideas about time and space moving forwards backwards and every darned which way sometimes.<br /><br />He also points out, sometimes you've gotta lay it on a bit thick to prove a point.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Proposition C -Global warming is accelerating:-<br /></strong>It has reached a critical tipping point requiring immediate action.<br /><strong><br /></strong><em>Deniers claim:-</em><br /><br />In that case, why do the temperature records show no increase since 1997?<br /><br /><br /><em>Professor Horror-Binge's response:- </em><em><br /></em><em></em><em><br /></em><br />When scientists start to study these things, they have to choose reference points to start and end the data they collect.<br />If they choose random points they run a serious risk of not achieving the goals the Party has set for them.<br /><br />They might end up with any old garbage - and how the hell would you use that to extend your research grant and keep your family out of the gulag?<br /><br />Also, come to think of it, now that the Party has declared that all further research is terminated, we'll probably bin the data after 1997, so there won't be an argument really - will there?<br /><br /><br /><strong>Proposition D - A consensus of all the world's scientists have agreed on Climate Change:-<br /></strong>More than two thousand have signed the IPCC report.<br /><br /><em>Deniers claim:-</em><br /><br />Many world renowned climate scientists disagree with the conclusion and the IPCC signatories include more government functionaries than real scientists - also several prominent scientists have asked for their names to be removed.<br /><br /><br /><em>Professor Horror-Binge's response:-</em><br /><br />Don't argue with me about what constitutes a consensus pal - I've got an English degree.<br /><br /><br />In any case, I think you'll find the consensus is growing stronger by the day, as our colleagues persuade the dissenters to recant. Do you happen to have any names and addresses by the way?<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>Next week's programme:-</em></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Is climate change denial a peversion or a mental disability?<br /></span></strong>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-54535268482259620212007-10-19T13:29:00.000+01:002007-10-19T13:35:52.913+01:00We Know where you live<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX_TvihD6Ytiv2Hj9sw1g3QzszIs-4Uqv9ZpB7eptlcWxWBuKLTT-yXZF5F5y18eOWLRLsB3tixFyYJN7NpngnLnvjLgM8pqNofAtLfesgZs3Yvkvwx5WChdKw98eE-p7Bb-Sn7n5jGY/s1600-h/final+round+logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5123024344286938274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 422px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 305px" height="273" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX_TvihD6Ytiv2Hj9sw1g3QzszIs-4Uqv9ZpB7eptlcWxWBuKLTT-yXZF5F5y18eOWLRLsB3tixFyYJN7NpngnLnvjLgM8pqNofAtLfesgZs3Yvkvwx5WChdKw98eE-p7Bb-Sn7n5jGY/s320/final+round+logo.jpg" width="382" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We at the BBC Pioneers website would like to expand.<br /><br />In order to keep up with modern media trends, we need a Director of Culture, a Director of Vision, a Director of Diversity and maybe even some production staff as well.<br />Obviously these sort of people don't come cheap and we need a new business model to fund this exciting new expansion.<br /><br />In line with current thinking, we intend to outsource the execution of the plan but unfortunately Capita Plc really have too much on their plate to help out right now.<br />We have therefore, in a spirit of Pan-European collaboration, widened our search throughout our EU neighbours and received a promising proposition from the Crapitano Bros of Corleone in sunny Sicily.<br /><br />Their proposal is closely modelled on that of our major UK competitor, but has the advantage of minimising the bureaucracy and paperwork associated with their system.<br />Basically, the Crapitano proposal consists of recruiting a team of operatives who will creep up to your house at night and peer through your curtains.<br />I has proved remarkably easy to recruit these enthusiastic and highly motivated individuals who are more than happy to carry out their duties in return for a modest share of the proceeds because of the intense personal satisfaction they derive from their work. The only equipment they require apparently is an official ID card, a digital camera and a box of tissues each.<br />If Crapitanos' operatives find you using your PC, they will ask you for ten pounds in cash. If you refuse, they will chuck a brick through your window and return one week later for another collection attempt. A carefully structured incentive plan will then be implemented including keying your car, abusing your family and setting fire to the premises with the sum to collected to be doubled on the occasion of each visit.<br /><br />It is important to note that the ten pounds is payable, whether or not you have ever viewed our website. This ensures that our plan to become the dominant force in UK multimedia entertainment can proceed without undue delay and we can offer you the wide range of information and entertainment we consider suitable for you.<br /><br />Eventually we plan be become a world force in multimedia, TV, radio, publishing, education, real estate and possibly also (in collaboration with Crapitano) lap dancing clubs, betting shops and massage parlours.<br /><br />We will be starting our collection programme in London NW12 and gradually expanding throughout the UK as resources ande recruitment allow. We won't need expensive TV and press advertising since we feel that news of our unique incentive programme will quickly spread by word of mouth.<br /><br />Our image building consultants have however come up with a logo and slogan which encapsulate our business mission:-<br /><br />WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE - THIS IS WHAT WE DOJohn Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-39994633229838445532007-10-18T18:21:00.000+01:002007-10-19T09:45:34.361+01:00The ultimate reality show - "BBC Celebrity Lifeboat"Yes folks BBC Pioneer Productions has developed the reality show format of the century!<br /><br /><br />The Beeb already has the talent, the show costs nothing at all and audience satisfaction is guaranteed.<br /><br /><br />Consider:-<br /><br /><div>1. The Beeb has to save around £2 billion and get rid of 3000 staff.<br /></div><div>2. They've already asked them to justify their jobs by reapplying for them.<br /></div><div><div>3. The unions want a fair system.<br /><br /></div><div>Solution:- </div><div></div><div></div></div><div><div>Let them compete to keep their jobs on prime time TV with the audience deciding who stays and who goes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Hire Simon Cowell, Alan Sugar, Andrew LLoyd-Weber and Sharon Osbourne as impartial judges of renowned and impeccable integrity - and let the viewers have the last word.<br /></div><div>People who wouldn't normally be seen dead watching reality shows will be glued to the screen as:-</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>-<strong>Kirsty and Paxo, on unicycles, shout at a cowed Tory politician in one corner while Spangles Kaplinsky and Marr attempt synchronised news reading and tango dancing in the other </strong></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_CAf11rhvYkR9HSZWgQnQigtxDeUAchl-Ia_qthmEUaFUY62hu3C1lDgdybesojb2XPRtU314v1l3EA7JC4Ixzz0I4srEvY7XM47IpICGRtXuhF7WYaOUpnwSGri3-YZKs5xXsATTmo/s1600-h/newsnight+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122948422150046866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_CAf11rhvYkR9HSZWgQnQigtxDeUAchl-Ia_qthmEUaFUY62hu3C1lDgdybesojb2XPRtU314v1l3EA7JC4Ixzz0I4srEvY7XM47IpICGRtXuhF7WYaOUpnwSGri3-YZKs5xXsATTmo/s320/newsnight+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAVMKFdzpBky-yJ7aRjnew5z6Y-9CnSDDMnKbd8GA8rqvW19zwB3R3YkngRPKZu1X2-n_fCuPK01CHMQWoWAFWlBBRoU2yenUXMA4C6pJm_HhhXeapEE7C-nPCJ0IlK0c93AA7zdhT4E/s1600-h/marr+kaplinsky+copy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122948185926845570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAVMKFdzpBky-yJ7aRjnew5z6Y-9CnSDDMnKbd8GA8rqvW19zwB3R3YkngRPKZu1X2-n_fCuPK01CHMQWoWAFWlBBRoU2yenUXMA4C6pJm_HhhXeapEE7C-nPCJ0IlK0c93AA7zdhT4E/s320/marr+kaplinsky+copy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOcRJBLfioH5y-tV3Indk-nLA5AtFhHVQd4OPg3_l71lGAq7nHCyFYNmltOTc6AjQJ3Y_c8dY07nqXjzUJAvfk4wbP7PSpR3mA9YxgYsJ_IPTm2Ox8ykfHe7MYCch5NKbHayZx35BRgM/s1600-h/jim+sings.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122948018423121010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOcRJBLfioH5y-tV3Indk-nLA5AtFhHVQd4OPg3_l71lGAq7nHCyFYNmltOTc6AjQJ3Y_c8dY07nqXjzUJAvfk4wbP7PSpR3mA9YxgYsJ_IPTm2Ox8ykfHe7MYCch5NKbHayZx35BRgM/s320/jim+sings.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><strong>Meanwhile - Naughtie sings the "Red Flag" in an operatic tenor while Wossy gets his tackle out again with Four Puffs and a Piano.</strong></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Just imagine, if you will Simon's one liners:-<br /></div><div>"Kirsty love try a new bra and wash the hair next time"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Andy mate, are you sure - with those ears?" </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>"Spangles dear, bit less skin and don't try so hard</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>"Jeremy - my spaniel can sneer better than that"</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Ah! The drama, the tension, the tears and the tantrums!</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>- and, at the end of the show you have the sublime pleasure of making that premium rate call, knowing that you're getting rid of your pet hate and saving a couple of hundred grand of your licence fee at the same time. </div><div><br /></div><div>It would almost make the licence fee seem worth it.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>In a gesture of stupendous magnanimity - BBC Pioneers are offering this priceless programme concept free to the first BBC executive to email us.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Failing that, we may just have to run our own competition in the blogosphere.</div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-80294797859773230522007-10-18T11:36:00.000+01:002007-10-18T11:50:04.480+01:00Please - not me guv!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCgH3o4zJ_gdkO8T3I7S8dxZhA36Wb0b-bpLioO9ywGi0LROalQ2lEbEkcUg8aq-Xm1uYydH9-dWCNh0SlYr7bmdbPPQbf-6EL3q1AFzlf274_o6Q0-GP2xVoCvzh738LfF_eelUXfXc/s1600-h/Gi's+with+matts+head.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122627115646632962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCgH3o4zJ_gdkO8T3I7S8dxZhA36Wb0b-bpLioO9ywGi0LROalQ2lEbEkcUg8aq-Xm1uYydH9-dWCNh0SlYr7bmdbPPQbf-6EL3q1AFzlf274_o6Q0-GP2xVoCvzh738LfF_eelUXfXc/s320/Gi's+with+matts+head.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Beeb's US correspondent Matt Frei has obviously heard about the pending job cuts!<br /><br />He's got a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7049986.stm">full page self promoting hagiography on the website</a>.<br /><br />Quote - "No politics this week, just pure self-indulgence. I apologise but, if you can't deal with that, stop reading now - <strike>and remember suckers you're still paying for it anyway.</strike>"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-30773128532849777862007-10-17T22:17:00.001+01:002007-10-17T22:43:03.853+01:00Don't panic brothers!<div>Right on cue - the brothers are manning the barricades.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.newstatesman.com/200710170002">In today's <strike>Old Trot</strike> New Statesman</a>, the NUJ's Jeremy Dear (presumably unrelated to A Darling) explains that it's all about "<strike>keeping the gravy train on the track</strike> defending quality journalism".</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It'll be great to see all your favourite bien pensant BBC journos out on the streets with their placards living out the fantasies they've had ever since the miner's strike.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Probably not much chance of fisticuffs but it would be nice to see Paxman heave a brick at Mark Thompson's limo.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDXn4MnCjQUdV0gO2Wj24KwRrfbczdG7E40QMec6KmBQLRI0qnj28f11SSilHbC1JoCCbHE35ujcSKo8ucG5Hjw8hyphenhyphen8inScx8UtXQOsn_yoMjaaaYdtSpIkIgWr_m2pA8oWcEOBIa_4E/s1600-h/BBC+Orgreave.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122421249274201010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDXn4MnCjQUdV0gO2Wj24KwRrfbczdG7E40QMec6KmBQLRI0qnj28f11SSilHbC1JoCCbHE35ujcSKo8ucG5Hjw8hyphenhyphen8inScx8UtXQOsn_yoMjaaaYdtSpIkIgWr_m2pA8oWcEOBIa_4E/s320/BBC+Orgreave.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>In a twenty years time an ancient Humphrys or Marr might br reminiscing about "the battle of Shepherd's Bush".</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>".......Ah remember when tha were TV studios all t'way from t'Bush to White City - and now nothin' but derelict transmitter masts as far as a man can see ........etc,etc"</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Ah well - we can dream.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4431377107265592388.post-33119798530712252622007-10-17T11:48:00.000+01:002007-10-17T12:08:18.438+01:00Mixed metaphors - rats and gravy trains.To those of us who aren't enthusiasts for compulsorily funded entertainment, the prospect of a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HINTEX0RUVC31QFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/10/17/nbbc117.xml">massive BBC strike </a>is about as worrying as a walk out at the Inland Revenue.<br /><br />Problem is though, the last two mighty Stalinist job-creation monoliths of the BBC and NHS won't finally crumble without a traumatic backlash.<br /><br />Rats may leave sinking ships but their pointy, yellow litle teeth will cling on to the door handles of a comfortable gravy train until somebody prises them off.<br /><br />It's going to need a couple of re-runs of the Thatcher/Scargill scenario to shake 'em off and I can't see "call me Dave" in the Maggie role.<br /><br />On the other hand, maybe there's stuff goes on the playing fields (and behind the bike sheds?) at Eton that stiffens the soul - we shall see.John Reith spins in his gravehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03969377337144059383noreply@blogger.com0