The BBC’s Sunday Politics programme is not noted for balance. Author Alex Nunns has observed that the programme almost always has a panel of two right-wingers to one centrist, with genuine left representation most often absent.
Today, however, the programme steered perilously close to a positive conclusion about Labour, when – after a discussion of the Sunday Times’ embarrassingly contrived allegations of a Labour ‘putsch’ – new host Sarah Smith observed that the current state of politics showed Labour united around most key issues.
Fortunately, arch-right-winger Isabel Oakeshott was on hand to drag the programme back to safer ground – but in the process she made a remarkable admission:
Comment:
Although the topic had changed to Labour unity, Ms Oakeshott stated she wanted to get back to the discussion earlier – that is, to bashing Labour about the contrived and fact-lite Sunday Times allegations – and exclaimed:
How unpleasant and how ugly and how divisive is it to have these stories out –
whether or not they’re completely accurate or whoever is briefing, I think it looks very very bad on… the parliamentary [Labour] party.
Never mind whether these stories are true or who the [anonymous] source is – they make Labour look bad. Let’s get back to that.
Indeed.
At a time when Theresa May is planning to use government resources to limit the spread of news damaging to the Tories and social media platforms are planning to limit access to news from non-mainstream sources, the repetition of such unevidenced attacks on the left are of extreme relevance.
But you can bet they won’t fall foul of supposed ‘fake news’ filters.
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I saw this and was only able to quote the most famous utterance of the Daleks.
https://www.prole-star.co.uk/single-post/2017/05/21/Let-Them-Eat-Gruel-The-Oakeshott-Answer-To-Child-Poverty
Centrist MPs in the PLP are handing ammunition to the enemy by constantly briefing against the Labour Party and providing right wing papers with fake lines of attack to use against the party.
The centrists have been doing this for two years now. It is arguable that the electoral and reputational damage their sabotage has done to the party cost Labour the election.
There is only one word for them. Traitors.
They are traitors to the Labour Party. They will go down in the history of the Labour movement as traitors to the cause.
They are a cancer in our party. That cancer must be surgically removed before it kills the host.
The membership will fully support whatever action the leadership takes to deal with these traitors.
But there is something the leadership must do for the membership.
Jeremy Corbyn must sack McNicol. The General Secretary is a corrupt vote rigger who spies on members’ social media accounts and expels and suspends members for no good reason.
Mr Corbyn, McNicol must be sacked. We have supported and protected you. You owe us. Protect us from this corrupt individual who is suppressing the membership.
We demand you sack McNicol.
Corbyn HAS to get rid of McNicol and red tories as he is starting to look weak. Everything is in place, he needs to change the party and permanently but ejecting these fools.
If Corbyn can’t do it he needs to hand over to someone who can, I’m sure Chris Williamson would relish the task.
WHEN THEY ARE GONE WE WILL BE SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE.
“Internal Affairs”! Spot on! Why is he still in post. The Tories just need to sit tight while their ‘buddies’ do the job for them!
How ‘unpleasant and how ugly (her personality not her looks) and how divisive’ Oakshott is. She never misses an opportunity to attack Corbyn and anyone associated with him. I watched the programme and thought that must have taken a lot of self control to wait her turn and to try not reveal just how much she was relishing the opportunity to smear the left yet again.
Yes of course they are traitors to the Labour Party. They are probably paid to do so. The most effective way to combat Labour is from within. Divide and rule, the oldest game n the book.
Almost beyond belief that oakeshott (the grass) hasn’t been snubbed outright by it’s ‘peers’.
Grassed Vicky Price up – then complained IT (NOT ‘she’) was the real victim…
As for it’s other ‘sources’ let’s not forget it’s ‘anonymous source’ that led it to write about the dead pig molester: ‘may have been deranged.’
But it went ahead anyway…
Nowt but a fooking fraud. These programmes it’s always invited on should either perpetually remind it of it’s past, or not have it on at all.
I notice squarkbox mentioned in private eye today