the day after the deadline: can the union survive brexit and other deep questions

it was just banter, it's not like he's got a track record of publicly oh never mind

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/01/john-humphrys-criticised-suggesting-westminster-abuse-allegations/

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/18/bbcs-john-humphrys-criticised-for-suggesting-trans-women-are-men-who-think-they-are-women/

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/johanna-konta-interview_uk_596dc6c1e4b0e983c0589621

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/02/nick-robinson-spectacularly-mocks-john-humphrys-over-sensational/

The last time he did something shit I put it on facebook and a friend said he had a great deal of respect for him until then. So maybe there is hope that word will eventually get out.

Also very much doubt his producer will want to defend and deflect over this one, which is what usually happens.

...and on Today this morning; a fawning interview about the crown jewels, then Nigel Farage.

BBC4 have been running a lot of "drooling over the awesomeness of the monarchy" history docs during the last week

it's been bewilderingly retrograde and simplistic, the kind of thing you imagine being produced as cold war propaganda or something

I suspect a lot of people at the BBC have been quite keen to move Humphrys for some time now but no editor wants to be the one shooting the favourite old dog. Wouldn't be surprised if his pay has gone up over that time either.

Carrie Gracie's voice on Today has been such a refreshing change - warm, human, challenging, empathetic - like everything Evan Davis is supposed to be

xpost

Humphries is the fifth highest paid "talent" at the BBC.

https://news.sky.com/story/bbc-talent-full-list-of-highest-earners-10953675

it's been bewilderingly retrograde and simplistic

yeah that's what's been furrowing my brow, I've never seen so many monarchist historians in one place that's not the Yesterday channel

queen:"The crown is quite heavy, if I put my head down my neck would break".

fawning bbc arsewipes:"haw! haw! the excelsior of the season has arrived early, what an absolutely hilarious quip"

I was thinking of all the "Jane Grey vs Mary Tudor vs Elizabeth I vs Mary Queen of Scots" stuff which is just presented like a gossip show like Marx and social history never happened

...and on Today this morning; a fawning interview about the crown jewels, then Nigel Farage.

one's a euphemism for genitalia, and the other's the crown oh never mind

at least you can make a conscious decision to avoid all the ahistorical royal arselicking programs they put out, but when it's all over the news/current affairs shows there is a drastic need for radical change.

tbf I avoid the news/current affairs stuff mostly anyway

Hate listening is a sad habit of mine, probably should spend more time on R3 or WS.

...and on Today this morning; a fawning interview about the crown jewels, then Nigel Farage.

was the discussion about which one should be locked up in the tower of london?

the new humphrys thing seems at odds with this: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-07-19/john-humphrys-is-not-happy-about-the-strange-pay-disparity-on-the-today-programme/

"The Radio 4 presenter admits he would consider working for less after co-host Sarah Montague failed to make it onto the BBC's published list"

No10 clarify that Boris is speaking in a political capacity, and not on behalf of the Government. Despite him being the Foreign Secretary. Keep up. https://t.co/YbyPJPXKQY

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) January 12, 2018

Sorry this is the important bit:

The below has thrown No10 into a sudden flat spin. PM’s official spokesman currently unable to say whether Boris is speaking for the Govt. https://t.co/wD5Qa1dtJy

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) January 12, 2018

Boris is clearly sure he can get away with shooting his mouth off about pretty much anything at this stage.

doesn't "puffed up" have a connotation of "above his station"? i mean Boris can fuck off in any case but it feels borderline racist tbh

well he's either calling him puffed up because he doesn't believe a job he used to hold is of any political value or

My first thought was somebody put a muzzle on this prick, till he learns his shtick is no good and starts communicating in plain english. But would also expect a racist undertone to it, with it being him.

Mark S: I think you must have introduced Steiner to the conversation - I probably did not know enough to make the connection between him and Maconie.

I like Evan Davis. I don't really want to know what his politics are but I think he is a good Newsnight presenter.

What i like about evan Davis is how badly he dresses. He looks like a sexual health nurse from a clinic in south London.

Lol slow day apart from trump calling Vauxhall a kip which is maybe fair enough

The former Ukip leader told the Observer that he was becoming increasingly worried that the Leave camp had stopped fighting their corner, leaving a well-funded and organised Remain operation free to influence the political and public debate without challenge.

The former Ukip leader told the Observer that he was becoming increasingly worried that his entire raison d'etre was becoming forgotten - that is, that we pay attention to him - and has decided that we need to go back to pre-EU-referendum days in order that he can assert his relevance in public life and be on the news and appear on Question Time every other week.

you got what you wanted nigel

now fucking do one you cunt

i don't think he did though.

Henry Bolton has about three months left as leader of UKIP imo and i can’t see Farage staying away from the job forever.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/bolton-girlfriend-suspended-for-racist-158472/

Girlfriend is a racist I know I know it's serious

I think Farage might decide he would be better served in his mission, not tethered to the dead-weight of a sinking corpse. But never completely write off waning far-right parties, I suppose.

It's funny how the Conservative party get so coy and defensive about their low membership, or allegedly low because counting members is apparently a very complex matter. Lol, Brandon Lewis was losing his shit, even with Marr giving him the kid gloves and frilly bonnet treatment.

woke up on the settee this morning to the grizzly sight of Marr hoving into view and you should have seen me shift across the room to find the remote

you might also want to avoid Churchill: Blood, Sweat and Oil Paint then!

Oh and that leaked dvdscr of the fucking Churchill movie with Gary Oldman. What a fucking joke!

when u think abt it the church hill film is like eu negotations

Oldman's makeup is so good you almost can't see Churchill's complete cuntiness

he is high-5ing a black dude on the tube. None of this "mongrel Magpie nation" type shit from this Churchill.

Meades on Boris

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/capital-offences-boris-johnson

a phrase for the ages: "leaving aside [...] the emergence of Joanna Lumley as an urban theorist"

Membership may be low calz but it's quality not quantity

actual state of young tories pic.twitter.com/vrPItG0S0h

— Grotesque Reactionary (@spacecommunism) January 12, 2018

Oh yeah, check out the fucking bow mond wi' owl's nest!

"In those days, the young apprentice liar was only a rapier scar short of the full Heydrich"

love this guy so much!

That Meades was some tonic

the last para of it is :o :o :o

Absolutely. Everyone was raving over the Stewart Lee character demolition of Young, earlier. I thought it was weak as piss tbh. Now Meades on the other hand, he isn't satisfied with basic shooting fish exercises. He's operating at a much deeper level.

Conservative Home (the home of conservatism) have published some amazing stuff this week. In addition to the newly-announced JRM podcast, there’s an old repost by James Cleverly saying the Tories need to replicate the success of Candy Crush in recruiting new members (it didn’t make much sense reading) and finally a post about how the Tories need to do more to attract BAME voters. Reaction to that btl is, “interesting”. The piece also cited a NS article where the Tories were quoted as saying they need to “maximise the white vote”. What were they doing before if not that?!

Let's not lose sight of the fact that, following the last election, 'young people' in Toryland is effectively anyone under 47. Looking forward to them coming up with a social media campaign that simultaneously appeals to an 18 year old and a 45 year old.

The Tories membership numbers are worrying because the current membership are hugely in favour of a far right, hard Brexit supporting leader and of a direction for the party that will turn off more moderate voters. The numbers also mean their ground game will never be able to approach Labour’s, even if you factor out Momentum. Going further to the right will alienate many of the moderate Tories who are or were pro-Europe, but making noises about centrism anger the stalwarts.

What is preventing the One-Nation wing from attempting their own version of Momentum?

If the numbers are as low as they are rumoured to be, taking on the headcases wouldn't exactly be an insurmountable challenge.