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Nick Robinson on the Government versus the BBC
No comments on Nick Robinson on the Government versus the BBCI’ve just finished listening to Nick Robinson’s BBC Radio 4 series ‘Battle for the Airways’ which looks at the history of relations between the government and the BBC. The series is available to listen to here: Battle for the Airways The eight 15 minute programs each look in turn at particular incidences of conflict since the founding of the corporation, taking in Suez and the Falklands, up until the present day. There is a lot of…
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Random Thoughts for 20th February 2013: Richard Briers, Caedmon and Ella Fitzgerald
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me between 12th February 2013 and 19th February 2013: The Liberal Democrats are the only fair tax party – Danny Alexander “In government, Labour increased tax on low income households; in government the Lib Dems have led the largest programme of tax cuts for working people for a generation. If…
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Random Thoughts for 24th January 2013
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me between 9th January 2013 and 24th January 2013: 150 great things about the Underground This month we celebrated 150 years of the London Underground. So I am linking to this fantastic blog (hat-tip Liberal England ). Looking through it I was blown away by the richness and extent of the…
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Random Thoughts for December 2012
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me. As there haven’t been any for awhile this is a catch up post for December 2012. A year of zoo babies A feature of these Random Thoughts posts throughout 2012 has been new arrivals at Whipsnade Zoo. Here is a round up of all the baby animals born at…
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Random Thoughts for 22nd October 2012: Anglo-Saxons, Kiron Reid, Croydon North & the new theatre at Shakespeare’s Globe
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occurred to me between 15th October 2012 and 22nd October 2012: BBC Radio 3 – The Essay: Anglo-Saxon Portraits This week I’ve been getting into Radio 3’s series of essays looking at the Anglo-Saxon’s. This is one of my favourite periods of English history, but one that I know less about. So I’ve been…
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Random Thoughts for 8th September 2012
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuff that has occured to me this week: Mark Thompson: An appeal for the NHS Some say that as a result of the coalition government the NHS is being “abolished” or “destroyed”. Mark is calling for evidence — “I am appealing for someone to prove to me that these claims about the NHS being destroyed…
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BBC gives unqualified praise to a Liberal politician
…just a shame the politician in question has been dead since 1898. Yes, this is BBC Two’s fabulous ‘The Great British Bake Off‘ whose mini in-programme historical documentary — which gives viewers a little break from the egg, flour, caramel, tears, competitiveness, and vanilla essence — this week highlighted the role of sweet-toothed W. E. Gladstone in lifting the Sugar Tax in 1874 and making good cheap sugar affordable to the working classes. This was an application of…
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Random Thoughts for 30th June
This is the latest in my series of Random Thoughts posts with links, things found on the web and other stuf that has occured to me between 25th June and 30th June: Bill Rammell has a new job at university – no politics involved An interview with the new Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire. David Boyle to head Cabinet Office review of choice in public services This is some of the best news…
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Now the BBC thinks I am Scottish
One thing that I have made frequent reference to on this blog this year has been the story of how I became poster boy for Lib Dem misery. I spoke at the time of my fear “that from now on when anyone at the BBC wants some stock footage of a Lib Dem looking miserable it will be that picture of me looking at my phone”. Well that fear has become more real than I…
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The Viking Sagas
I thought I’d take a break from all this politics and make a recommendation for some weekend viewing. If you haven’t already seen it I do urge you to go watch the BBC4 documentary about the Icelandic sagas on iPlayer. This one hour programme packs a lot in. You get a brief history of Iceland and its culture, social commentary, lessons in the importance of story telling, fascinating insights into the cultural legacy of the…
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Should I take out an injunction or demand royalties?
I should either take out a super injunction or demand the payment of royalties – that seems to be the advice from friends and colleagues for dealing with my new found minor fame. I am not sure they are being entirely serious. When I wrote about how I had become a poster boy for Lib Dem misery last Friday I expressed the fear that that in the future when someone at the BBC wanted to…
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How I became a poster boy for Lib Dem misery
Just over a week ago I failed to be re-elected to Luton Borough Council. Since then I’ve handed in my Town Hall pass, done a substantial amount of tidying and throwing things away, got drunk, caught up on my sleep, and had time to reflect on my new situation. I now am ready to write up the experience, starting with how it felt like I had become a poster boy for “Lib Dem misery”. In…
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BBC axes Electric Proms
The BBC announced a number of changes to music radio yesterday. The most high profile being Jo Whiley’s move from Radio 1 to Radio 2. However, the one that has disappointed me is the announcement that they will be ending their concert series the Electric Proms. I am not altogether surprised. Last years concerts were limited to only three, admittedly big name, acts. So I did wonder whether the writing was on the wall. Still…
