More cheese with that whine you grumpy old sod?
What do you mean? I am the model of balanced & moderate thought. I listen to BBC Radio in copious amounts for Gods sake. Bucket loads of culture me and all thanks to the varied high quality output of this countries greatest institution.
But you seem really agitated and fractious at the moment?
Do I?
Well apart from the other week when for a couple of days you were back to your old self, much calmer, not a furrowed brow in sight.
Ah well I know the reason for that, no news you see or should I say no Today program or World at One or PM thanks to journos striking over less croissant provision in their pensions. The silence that replaced John Humphreys’` interruptions was bliss.
So John Humphrys is to blame?
Yes…..well no not entirely, actually now I come to think of it he is only following an editorial agenda isn’t he?
What do you mean an agenda?
You might be aware that there is a touch of Welfare Reform in the air?
I had heard something yes
Popular with the public apparently, even with Labour voters, I mean who could reasonably argue against it? The BBC however only appeared to be interested in one very specific aspect of these proposals.
Oh yes and what was that?
Well news programs throughout the day kept asking the same question to various government representatives? First time I heard it was on The Today program, it wasn’t Humphrys though as he was in China trying to interrupt and irritate the Communist Party regime.
I don’t know who it was but it made me spill my corn flakes when I heard.... “what about the children”?
Children, what children?
The children of the parents who get to Sanction 3 level and lose their unemployment benefit for 3 years. “Wasn’t it the responsibility of the government to protect these children from the consequences of their parent’s actions?”
Sorry I don’t understand? Parents have responsibility for their children not governments!
Bravo my friend, but evidently the news editors of the BBC tend to hold a different view and feel that it is worth pursuing this point vigorously. Maybe they think Milliband needs a helping hand?
Agenda you say?
Well I wouldn’t call it a conspiracy that would be going too far but how else do you explain so many BBC news programs asking the same question; Radio4, Radio5Live, somebody told me that even Newsnight had a go at it and I just heard a trailer for Analysis and guess what?
I see your point, but one question about the undeserving poor shouldn’t really raise your blood pressure that much. I mean you are just perpetuating the stereotype that the right wing like to peddle about the BBC, look they got loads of flack when Cleggy pitched up on Desert Island Discs, seems like a nice bloke by the way. They can’t win.
I’m only talking about news based output and if it was only one thing then……
Well I don’t want to hear anymore now, look my EMA money just came through so let’s go down the pub!
