The period since the last SKWAWKBOX update at the turn of the month has been particularly busy, as the Tories’ Brexit plans unravelled and the situation became incredibly fluid. Below are some of the ways in which the blog has kept readers informed and set, changed or challenged the Establishment’s preferred narrative in the last couple of weeks.
By design, the blog relies on voluntary donations to ensure that the information is always freely available to those who need it – and pays extra to its hosting provider to ensure there are no ads. Here are just a few of the items it has provided either exclusively or against the flow of the mainstream narrative:
- videos showing a flagship BBC politics programme misleading viewers about the available options for bringing about a new election and the BBC finally admitting the real details
- early confirmation that Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement with the EU would not allow the UK to withdraw from the Irish ‘backstop’ system without EU permission
- exposure of the BBC’s decision to ignore the huge Integrity Initiative scandal in its broadcast coverage – and exclusive early news that Labour would table an urgent question about the government’s anti-democratic behaviour
- analysis of the BBC’s ongoing bias as its Newsnight programme responded to the collapse of the Tories by providing centrist after centrist a platform to ludicrously attack Labour
- details of a Blairite MP raising funds for an independent campaign against a Labour candidate in the next election
- early analysis of the key passages in the agreement that sealed its fate – and possibly still the government’s – with the DUP
- early warning to readers, while the Tories and media were still claiming that the parliamentary vote on May’s deal would go ahead, that they were softening up viewers in preparation for the vote to be pulled. Sure enough, the vote was subsequently abandoned
- video of the Attorney General admitting that he could be expelled from Parliament for the government’s contempt of Parliament in refusing to release his full legal advice about May’s Brexit deal
- a Tory grandee accusing Theresa May of making statements to the country with no ‘element of truth’ in them
- video of the dramatic moments that the Tories became the first government in UK history to be found in contempt of Parliament – and were forced to accept a debate on their ongoing contempt for democracy
- exposure of centrist attempts to manipulate Labour into choosing the wrong moment for a no-confidence motion against the government
- highlighting the stealth tactics used by the Tories to campaign for a general election while avoiding election rules on media impartiality
- video of Theresa May refusing to apologise for Tory comments about starving Ireland into submission over the Brexit agreement
- evidence showing the media tactic of focusing on supposed Labour issues to divert attention from Tory incompetence – a tactic that has continued to intensify since
- video of the DUP’s Westminster leader indicating the party would be open to support for Labour because of the integrity of his position on Northern Ireland
- the revelation that Jewish guests felt snubbed when Theresa May failed to turn up to her own Chanukah party
- news of Scottish government plans to drop the IHRA ‘working definition’ of antisemitism to replace it with new legislation fit for purpose and applying to all discrimination
- evidence showing coordinated online attempts to undermine striking Merseyside shipyard workers. Shortly after this information became public, the company backed down and agreed to a four-week pause for further talks with workers and politicians
- exposure of blatant fake news in a headline used by the Guardian on an article by Jeremy Corbyn
- exclusive news of a hate-crime charge against a close ally of the council leader supported by some of Labour’s worst right-wing MPs
- the letters from the executives of two CLPs condemning their MPs’ participation in attempts to manipulate Labour into a premature no-confidence motion
In these ways and more, the SKWAWKBOX continues to help create a more honest media landscape and narrative – and to change outcomes for the better. If you are able to do so without hardship, please consider supporting it by clicking here for GoCardless or here for PayPal options to set up a one-off or modest monthly donation. PayPal works for both options, GoCardless is monthly only.