Finally someone does call attention to Mark Steel's politics

Mark Steel, just one of the sneery socialist comedians that the BBC like to employ at our expense, was finally challenged about his political leanings by Ian Hislop on "Have I Got News For You". Do watch it if you get the chance, he really, really didn't like being called out. I wonder if Ian Hislop has read my November 2007 piece about BBC bias that included this passage:

"Whilst I am on the subject, the death of Alan Coren the other week (a death that really upset me, as this was a comedian whose writings and radio performances I have been enjoying since I was at school) has meant that the News Quiz has lost its last semi right of centre voice and with Mark Steel's Socialist Worker humour ever more to the fore the programme is getting closer to being crossed off my must listen list. Mark Steele is a regular BBC commentator on Radio 5 Live where his political affiliations have never been mentioned (so far as I am aware), despite his being invited to discuss politics on a semi-regular basis. Simone Clarke was denigrated by the media for being a supporter of the BNP a party whose views many would find no more repugnant than those of the SWP."

So not a Stalinist but a Troskyist, but I don't think an apology from Ian Hislop is in order. Now where is that pause button, a screen dump of Mark Steel's flabbergasted face would make a nice desktop background.