Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Without being disrespectful to anyone's work, it is disappointing to see fairly pointless pieces like this finding a home on the page, when what I feel to be interesting and provocative suggestions/comments are put forward everyday by viewers/posters, largely without apparent interest.
Anyway, I don't know the tories' majority in Henley. Am I right to assume they're a shoe-in, whatever Mr. Howell's efforts? Best from grumpy-jon

TORIES ARE DULL - OFFICIAL

It was revealed by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ today. Also have some polish (best) friends shock.

Tories dull? Boris Johnson: need I say more?

This comment is greviously unfair to Mr Howell, whom I have not heard of. I am not a Tory, but for one Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ employee to provide hearsay that is potentially derogatory about a former colleague seems unfair, unprofessional and possibly unethical. I thought the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ had a Human Resources Department whose job it would be to issue References for past employees.

Separately I look forward to Newsnight's usually excellent coverage of the US elections and the segment on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ treatment of Polish nationals which, I must confess, I had not discerned.

The way the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ presents the news you would think it was 'cleared' by Tory party central office anyway.

May we know who wrote this spiteful little piece and who the insider is at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World ? Their colleagues and acquaintances may like the opportunity to pass judgment on their characters. Unless of course they're snivelling cowards aswell as spiteful in which case they'll no doubt prefer the mask of anonymity

I assume Michael Crick is writing and he's not trying to be anonymous, but the web team forgot to by-line him.

More 'spiteful little pieces' please.

"Of course that's not Newsnight's opinion, look it's in quotation marks", said a senior, well-respected source.

Michael can I go off subject slightly and with apologies to the posters.

Is the Labour Party financial situation serious or not (to pay for the campaigns etc)? First I heard they were in the doo doo; then they themselves claimed they were rolling in it etc.

What is the news regarding the Labour General Secretary? Last I heard was that some investment banker gave it up because he was afraid of liability.

Finally I assume the legal process is not impaired if we were updated about the funding investigation - Abrahams and all?

It's interesting to see the links between the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and political parties. The has a very interesting list of people who have worked in politics and then the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and vice versa and back again. Here is a brief selection:
Phil Woolas is Labour MP for Oldham and Saddleworth and Minister for the Environment 1988 - 1990 he was a producer on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newsnight Programme.
Chris Bryant is Labour MP for Rhondda, joined the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in 1998 as Head of European Affairs
Martin Sixsmith - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Foreign Correspondent 1980 - 1997 Following the 1997 election he left the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ to work for the Labour government as Director of Communications.
Joy Johnson - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Political News Editor 1992 - 1995. In 1995 she was recruited by Gordon Brown to join New Labour as Campaigns Director, responsible for winning Labour's 80 target seats.
Celia Barlow is Labour MP for Hove. Between 1983 and 1995 she was a Westminster reporter and finally Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News Editor at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ. Her husband Sam Jaffa was Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ North America Correspondent. He stood as Labour candidate for Eastleigh in 2001.
James Purnell, Work and Pensions Minister. Before become a Downing Street adviser in 1997 he was Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Head of Corporate Planning.
Lance Price - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Journalist 1981 - 1998. In 2000 he became the Labour Party's Director of Communications.
Ed Richards - Ex Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Controller of Corporate Strategy. He left the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in 1999 to become Tony Blair's senior policy adviser on media, telecoms, internet and e-government.
Greg Dyke - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Director General 2000-2004. In 1977 he stood as a Labour candidate for the Greater London Council.
Gavin Davies - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Chairman 2001 - 2004. From 1992 to 1997 he was an adviser to Gordon Brown
Sir Michael Lyons - Current Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Chairman. He was a Labour local politician, sitting as a Labour councillor in several authorities and as Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council. In 2004 he was asked whether he was still a Labour Party member - but declined to answer.

The full list is here:
Makes you view the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in a completely different light, doesn't it?

Michael,

Have you got anything against bow ties?

c.

Michael,

I feel that it is a pity that you are forced to retract what was clearly a light-hearted observation on Mr Howell lack of impact at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.

Showing a political bias in your blog should be grounds for retraction, showing a sense of humor should be encouraged.

I always thought bow tie wearing shows a certain quirkiness and independence of spirit. Nice to have a potential MP who isn't simply a conformist clone.

He's just the image of Michael Crick with hair !

Pantsman

Michael, he does look very much like you!

10. At 2:39 pm on 05 Jun 2008, ClownsRunTheTowns
This comment has been referred to the moderators. Explain.
How long does it take for the moderators to look at a post? Why is it taking longer than 2 days to pass through moderation? Does it get sent to them via carrier pigeon? Even delays at Terminal 5 don't last this long!

Well given they are running stories 11 years old I wouldn't hold my breath !!

I was moved to join the Newsnight blog system because of my irritation at the rather childish tone of the Caroline Spelman reportage.

The notion that the nanny/secretary in question would be able to furnish full details of her duties eleven years ago is patently absurd:- I couldn't do that myself and I doubt if anyone else, other a nerd of some kind, would be able to do it either. It also seemed to me to be nerdish to stretch the permissible parameters of an MP's parliamentary staff allowance to a quite absurd degree. Again, it would seem to be highly unlikely that a secretary, especially one employed in a residential capacity, would not engage in family activities:- indeed, when I was a civil servant, my admin officer undertook a variety of domestic tasks for me - shopping, orgainising car services etc - when I went through a stressful time due to my wife being seriously ill.

So why was the story run ? Particularly as truly serious and quite obscene examples of inappropriate spending of public money are seen every day, when one opens the morning newspaper.

And then I remembered the Ian Duncan Smith story. That too, began, with po-faced claims of malfeasance and yet, when the full story came out, it was evident that this decent man and his wife had been pilloried for no good purpose.

And then we have the latest non-story. The Tory candidate for the Henly bye-election, whose crimes against humanity are that, (a) someone at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ didn't much like him when he worked there for a short time a few years ago and (b) that he used to wear a bow tie.

Now I'm not sure what one calls such reports, or the state of mind of the reporter concerned:- but they ain't good journalism.

Re #16.
11th June and you're still being moderated, Clowns. R R R Respect.You've obviously been a very naughty boy or girl. Have you looked out in the street to see if there's a white van full of agents monitoring your calls?

Number 10

Surely there are a lot of people within the tory party who also work for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ as well. Chris Grayling springs to mind. And not forgetting that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Political editor used to be chairman of the young conservatives, and Andrew Neil- probably one of the most politically biased people on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ- a staunch Thatcherite.

There is an argument that can be made that the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is biased to one side or the other- surely we just have to accept that people who want to work in this industry, like the rest of us, have opinions, but if the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ has a range of views, and tries to look at issues fairly, and as objectively as possible, I don't see a problem.

Millbank centre???

what is it?

part of the bbc and when?

It is nice to see someone wearing a bow-tie.