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Video: ‘they thought they were invincible’. Could the Maitlis recognition of Tory CV arrogance spread around BBC?

BBC presenter and Johnson’s Tory biographer in remarkably frank discussion of the Tory arrogance that made even Downing St into virus hotspot

On the BBC’s Newsnight last night, presenter Emily Maitlis gave a summary of the Tories’ claims about the coronavirus, highlighting the arrogance behind it before going on to call for social change to prevent even worse injustice.

And on today’s BBC News, both the presenter and Boris Johnson’s conservative biographer both highlighted the arrogant and dismissive attitude of Johnson and his team – even attributing the development of Downing Street as a virus hotspot to the Tories’ delusions of ‘invincibility’:

The Tories’ dismissiveness and complacency about the coronavirus threat goes back to the early days of UK awareness of its existence – and the resulting failure to prepare is costing lives every day.

It’s too much to hope that these frank comments herald a change in the BBC’s innate bias toward the Conservatives – which makes it all the more important that these moments of clarity are seen widely.

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22 comments

  1. Dont expect a road to Damascus revelation from Boris just spin and lies after poncing off the NHS when the bed should have been used for genuine less well off person

  2. I note Keir Starmer being promoted where Jeremy would only receive ridicule.

    1. He is one of them to put it crudely, part of the ‘establishment’. His CPS reign already provided a great service re Assange.

      I know many will think I have a simplistic opinion but it is /was all there to see. I don’t think enough realize the importance of the Assange case and his barbaric treatment by the British state and the negative impact it is having now and in future on each and everyone of us in relationship to Gov, state and judicial system, not to mention free speech and a right to know what Gov is doing under cover of ‘get the latest baddy’ criminal wars now and in the future.

  3. The coverage by the likes of Laura Kuennsberg and Hugh Pym has been despicable – weak, wishy-washy and wimpish. Compare with the journalistic assault that is unleashed on Trump every day — live. At last, someone at the Beeb has developed some backbone. Why? Well, perhaps they think Mr Johnson is dead. Habeas Corpus, Mr Raab!!

    1. We are entering a new era and radical solutions will have an opportunity rarely seen. Labour will quickly shrivel away as members not prepared to back Israel leave. Like it’s counterparts in Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Germany Labour has nothing useful to offer now and 3rd Parties will emerge as they did in the first 3 countries mentioned. One can immediately think of left politicians suspended or expelled who have charisma Starmer could only dream about.

    1. You hope de piffle will: ‘learn a necessary lesson in humility’?

      Nice notion, but alas; as likely as teaching a coronavirus quantum thermodynamics

      ‘conservatism’ and ‘humility’ go together like ‘police’ and ‘intelligence’

  4. BREAKING: Toerag MP in above interview sent to new post at the home office under patel…

    BREAKING, BREAKING (In future): patel returns after mystery absence…toerag MP in above interview, mysteriously disappears…

  5. Reeta Chakrabarti just interviewed a survivor called Brian (somebody famous I think, didn’t see the beginning) who’s apparently just home from hospital and still fragile.
    He began a sentence as if he was about to criticise Hancock and she tried to interrupt him with “We-e-ell…” – he kept going and he wasn’t being that critical anyway so she let it go.
    I think she was going to say something to the effect of “He’s not here to defend himself so you have to shut up.”
    The BBC is still covering Tory arses even as they run away from their responsibilities.

  6. Prof Richard Werner now fully renounces any responsibility for the consequences of central banks and others’ long misuse of his term ‘quantitative easing’. BoE doing similar I believe.
    https://twitter.com/scientificecon/status/1248259098686164994

    Many have already said an insider looting spree was going on. One thing is for certain the man/woman in the street, SMEs etc. wont be beneficiaries.

    1. Analysis of what’s happening in US/Fed explained here.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAbXuJ2tK90

      I know a section on the left don’t like criticising the banking systems and central banks (anti-Semitism) but I think, taking into account the power they weild, we need to spend time researching, being open minded and become aware of what are termed astroturf grassroots outfits. Books and videos such as ‘Princes of the yen’ are very enlightening indeed.

  7. Leopards do not change their spots ! Hence I very much doubt the Bullshit Broadcasting Corp will make any significant nor sustained change to telling the truth .
    As to Johnson , same applies , his perverted private school upbringing , cold showers , toughen up boy , TAKE IT ON THE CHIN , has inured in him a level of utter arrogance and conceit that has now resulted in his so called brush with death.
    The best thing is for him to die and that may be the salutary lesson to the other tory twats .

    Resolute , fortitude , fighter , , all emotive bullshit words , this virus kills irrespective of mere words , you can just hear them cried by the Generals in WW 1 over the top men with fortitude and resoluteness , walk into that hail of bullets , don’t run . Death followed that bullshit just as it does now and cxxxx like Johnson have enabled it with his arrogance and bravado , we pay the price and for once I hope he does too.

  8. Below is a complete list of all the Shadow Ministers that Keir Starmer has appointed.

    Treasury
    Shadow Chancellor: Anneliese Dodds
    Shadow Chief Secretary: Bridget Phillipson
    Ministers:
    Dan Carden (Financial Secretary)
    Pat McFadden (Economic Secretary)
    Wes Streeting (Exchequer Secretary)

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office
    Shadow Foreign Secretary: Lisa Nandy
    Ministers:
    Wayne David (Middle East and North Africa)
    Stephen Doughty (Africa – joint with DFID)
    Stephen Kinnock (Asia and Pacific)
    Catherine West (Europe & Americas)

    Home Office
    Shadow Home Sec: Nick Thomas-Symonds
    Ministers:
    Bambos Charalambous (Crime reduction and courts)
    Sarah Jones (Policing and the Fire Service)
    Holly Lynch (Immigration)
    Conor McGinn (Security)
    Jess Phillips (Domestic Violence and Safeguarding)

    Cabinet Office
    Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Rachel Reeves
    Young People and Voter Engagement: Cat Smith
    Ministers:
    Paul Blomfield (Brexit and EU negotiations, joint with Int Trade)
    Helen Hayes (Cabinet Office)

    Ministry of Justice
    Shadow Justice Secretary: David Lammy
    Ministers:
    Lyn Brown (Prisons and Probation)
    Alex Cunningham (Courts and sentencing)
    Peter Kyle (Victims and Youth Justice)
    Karl Turner (Legal Aid)

    Ministry of Defence
    Shadow Secretary of State for Defence: John Healey
    Ministers:
    Sharon Hodgson (Veterans)
    Stephen Morgan (Armed Forces)
    Khalid Mahmood (Procurement)

    Health and Social Care
    Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: Jonathan Ashworth
    Mental Health: Rosena Allin-Khan
    Ministers:
    Liz Kendall (Social Care)
    Justin Madders (Public Health and prevention)
    Alex Norris (Public Health and patient safety)

    Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
    Shadow Sec of State for BEIS: Ed Miliband
    Ministers:
    Chi Onwurah (Science, Research & Digital – joint with DCMS)
    Matthew Pennycook (Climate change)
    Lucy Powell (Business and Consumers)
    Alan Whitehead (Green New Deal and Energy)

    Work and Pensions
    Shadow Secretary of State for Work & Pensions: Jonathan Reynolds
    Ministers:
    Jack Dromey (Pensions)
    Vicky Foxcroft (Disability)
    Kate Green (Child Poverty Strategy)
    Seema Malhotra (Employment)

    International Trade
    Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade: Emily Thornberry
    Ministers:
    Paul Blomfield (Joint with CDL)
    Bill Esterson
    Gareth Thomas

    Education
    Shadow Education Sec: Rebecca Long Bailey
    Ministers:
    Margaret Greenwood (Schools)
    Emma Hardy (FE & Universities)
    Toby Perkins (Apprenticeships & life-long learning)
    Tulip Siddiq (Children & Early Years)

    DCMS
    Shadow Sec of State for DCMS: Jo Stevens
    Ministers:
    Tracy Brabin (Cultural Industries)
    Rachel Maskell (Voluntary Sector & Charities)
    Chris Matheson (Media)
    Alison McGovern (Sport)
    Chi Onwurah (Digital, joint with BEIS)
    Alex Sobel (Tourism & Heritage)

    DEFRA
    Shadow DEFRA Secretary: Luke Pollard
    Ministers:
    Steph Peacock (Flooding)
    Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Natural Environment & Air Quality)
    Daniel Zeichner (Food, Farming and Fisheries)

    Communities and Local Government (CLG)
    Shadow CLG Secretary: Steve Reed
    Shadow Housing Sec: Thangam Debbonaire
    Ministers:
    Mike Amesbury (Housing and Planning)
    Janet Daby (Faiths)
    Kate Hollern (Local Government)
    Naz Shah (Community Cohesion)

    Transport
    Shadow Transport Secretary: Jim McMahon
    Ministers:
    Tan Dhesi (Railways)
    Mike Kane (Regional Transport)
    Kerry McCarthy (Green transport and aviation)
    Matt Rodda (Buses)

    International Development (DfID)
    Shadow DfID Secretary: Preet Gill
    Ministers:
    Stephen Doughty (Joint with FCO)
    Anna McMorrin
    Yasmin Qureshi

    Northern Ireland
    Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary (interim): Louise Haigh
    Ministers: Karin Smyth

    Wales
    Shadow Wales Secretary: Nia Griffith
    Ministers: Gerald Jones

    Scotland
    Shadow Scotland Secretary: Ian Murray
    Ministers: Chris Elmore (joint with whips office)

    Women & Equalities
    Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary: Marsha de Cordova
    Ministers: Gill Furness

    Employment Rights and Protections
    Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary: Andy McDonald
    Ministers: Imran Hussain

    Leader of the House of Commons
    Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Valerie Vaz
    Deputy Leader of the House of Commons: Afzal Khan

    House of Lords:
    Shadow Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Smith

    Lords’ Opposition Chief Whip: Lord McAvoy

    Attorney General: Lord Falconer

    Solicitor General: Ellie Reeves

    Whips Office

    Chief Whip: Nick Brown
    Deputy Chief Whip: Alan Campbell
    Pairing Whip: Mark Tami
    Senior Whip: Jessica Morden

    1. Most annoying is not being able to call the Tories the ‘B’ team with the same authority as before.

      1. makes no difference David , this shower of shit ( save the odd few MPs ) will never see power for the next 15-20 yrs , in any case as so many disillusioned but perceptive voters say ,,, They are ALL the same ,,, and so true now under Starmer Tory Lite Party .

  9. BBC News this morning had a report from the police – it showed a map of Greater Manchester dotted with parties, barbeques or other examples of people breaking quarantine.
    Looked like hundreds, or scores of ‘parties’ at least – I’m assuming they were outdoors and spotted by police drones.
    I wondered whether there’s a belief among the young that they should “get it over with” and possibly make themselves more employable in the aftermath by having immunity?
    Like mothers of young children years ago had “pox parties” so their infants would get chickenpox and become immune?
    Would you believe it’s taken me 66 years to figure out that’s why I was at a party three streets away aged three where I didn’t know any other kids and never saw them again?

  10. The penny has finally dropped! Pity it’s four months too late. I’m not holding my breath after this is all over that the media will twist the knife into the Conservatives. On the plus the pile of garbage called the s%#} is losing money handover fist. They’re all crying now that we need them but we don’t!

    1. Oh but I wish that was relavent Chris , Murdick with his billions and spaff millions up the Scums arse and not even blink an eyelid over it , will just keep the pile of shite going regardless

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