When usage of a derogatory term is relevant to the BBC and when it is not

When usage of a derogatory term is relevant to the BBC and when it is not is interesting and gives us further insight into the BBC's political bias.

When the Conservative minister Andrew Mitchell was accused of using the word 'plebs' the BBC went into one of its sanctimonious, affronted fervours. The story was headline news for weeks, if not months. Andrw Mitchell was condemned for elitism and rudeness.

However when there is evidence that a candidate for the Labour leadership, Chuka Umunna, used the word 'trash' to describe most of the denizens of West End night clubs there was no criticism on the BBC and there's certainly been no mention of it in any of the recent glowing pen portraits of the 'British Obama'.

The BBC's political bias here, a in many other instances, is clear and obvious, hopefully John Whittingdale will actually take some action against the BBC for their blatant political bias.

 

 

 

If you want to read more about this 'trash' comment, then The Telegraph has the details.

Chuka Umunna man of the people asked how to avoid mixing with 'trash' on an elite social network

'Chuka Umunna, tipped as a potential future leader, has admitted his is a member of ASmallWorld, which is known as MySpace for Millionaires".

In public, the MP for Streatham has been keen to stress his humble background growing up in south London.

But in private, Mr Umunna is a member of the exclusive online networking club for the global jet-setting elite.

According to The Daily Mail, the MP registered under his middle name, Harrison. In comments on the site from 2006, he said: "Is it just me or is there a serious lack of cool places to go in central London at the weekends.

"Most of the West End haunts seem to be full of trash and C-list wannabes, while other places that should know better opt for the cheesy vibe."

The millionaire former lawyer then called for recommendations for "a trash-free, decent night".'

More here at The Telegraph but not on the BBC who have long salivated at the prospect of the British Obama. 

Of course the BBC will support and propagandise on behalf of whoever is elected Labour leader but they'll be happier with either a black or female Labour leader - Dianne Abbott your party needs you?

Labour's Chuka Umunna knows the 'UKIP vote not about Europe'

Labour's would be Barack Obama doesn't have to listen to the public who voted for UKIP, he knows that the "UKIP vote wasn't about Europe". These arrogant Labour (and Conservative and Lib Dem) politicians will just not listen, because to listen would be to have to realise how much this is about the EU.

Chuka Umunna waffling and Ed Miliband panicking

I particularly enjoyed Jeremy Paxman's skewering of Ed Miliband's lie on the 'millionaire tax cut' from 4:10. Do the Labour party really think the public is that stupid? One major mistake by Jeremy Paxman, on what basis is Chuka Umunna deemed 'highly intelligent'? Why would anyone trust the Labour tossers who got us into this economic mess with the levers of power ever again? Meanwhile when a Labour politician starts wobbling his lips, trying to sound affronted that anyone would think so badly of him, I am reminded of Tony Blair's protestations that he was a 'pretty straight guy'. So this video of Ed Miliband speaks volumes. I have almost no doubt that Ed Miliband has assets less liabilities of over a million pounds, what h is worth as a person would be quite a lot less, I wouldn't give you tuppence for him. Thanks to Guido Fawkes for the video spots.

What a choice! Labour dregs related

According to The Mail these are the 'men' that Ed Miliband will have to choose from to be his best man; not an inspiring choice is it? A brother who won't even say hello to you in the Commons Bar, a former party leader & Prime Minister who proved to be unpopular & inept, a former party leader who failed to become Prime Minister (instead becoming of fun) & decided to sell his soul to the EU or someone so ambitious he probably thinks he could replace you at the next leadership election.... Tough call, maybe best to continue living in sin! Of course there is always Ed 'second choice' Balls but then if Ed Miliband chooses him there is always the problem of the Nazi themed stag night...

Fact-checking The Guardian, the BBC and particularly Labour MP Chuka Umanna

FCA Blog has found even more flaws in the story I fact checked last week. Taka a read of Christie Malry's piece and wonder whether The Guardian and BBC's preference for headlining accusations rather than checking the facts behind the headlines says more about them or Chuka Umanna?

Here's an extract from the FCA Blog article, a point that I had totally missed when I read the Labour party's propaganda piece:

'3) Barclays 2009 consolidated profits include a significant disposal which is taxed differently under UK law
(HT here to The Pedant-General and Alex, who first commented on this over at Tim Worstall's blog)
In arriving at a profit before tax figure of £11.6bn, The Guardian has added the profit from the ongoing business (£4,585m ¹) to profits from a disposed business (£726m ²) and the gain made on disposal of that business (£6,331m ³) to reach a total of £11,642m.
In 2002 (yes, under Gordon Brown), the UK government introduced the Substantial shareholdings exemption, a corporation tax exemption for UK businesses disposing of a substantial shareholding in part of their business.  The idea was that businesses should be more able to restructure their businesses without having to worry about unfortunate chargeable gains implications.
As explained in note 39 to the accounts, this means that the bulk of the gain on disposal isn't chargeable to UK corporation tax at all.'

I can see that FCA Blog (a FCA being a senior Chartered Accountant) will have to become regular reading.

The Barclays tax and profits story - getting at the facts

The BBC's article about Barclays profits is as disingenuous as you might expect. The article is headlined 'Barclays UK corporation tax bill for 2009 was £113m ' with the article starting:

'Barclays has revealed it paid £113m in corporation tax to the UK in 2009, 2.4% of its £4.85bn annual profit.'

The suggestion here is that Barclays are paying tax at a rate of 2.4%. Of course the truth is buried much further down the article:

'According to Barclays' financial results, the bank paid an "effective tax rate" on its gross profits - which comprises corporation tax paid in all parts of the globe - of 25% in 2010 and 23% in 2009.

This compares with the UK corporate tax rate of 28%.

Some 60% of Barclays profits are earned outside the UK and Ireland, meaning they are subject to corporation tax in other countries.

Typically, HMRC will only charge the difference between the UK's tax rate - if higher - and the local tax already incurred.'

So Barclays did in fact pay tax at the correct UK rate on UK profits and extra tax 'on the margin'.

At the BBC, however, facts like that cannot be allowed to obscure a piece of banker-bashing so as well as confusing tax paid on UK operations with global profits, the BBC also allow one of their new favourites 'Labour MP Chuka Umunna, of the Treasury Select Committee' the room to describe this revelation as "shocking".

What is most interesting about the beneficiary of the BBC's attempt to create a UK Barack Obama is that he makes a fundamental error, one that the BBC let slide. Barack ObamaChuka Umanna said 'the relatively low share of tax paid in the UK reflects the government's failure to take the robust action needed to make sure that the banks which caused the crash pay their fair share.' Maybe someone could point out to Chuka Umanna that the 2009 tax paid by Barclays was on profits made and taxed under a Labour government, one whose tax policy was in part set by the current Shadow Chancellor - one Ed 'second choice' Balls.

Right at the end of the BBC article, which most readers would not get to, the BBC does include this

'Tory MP Matt Hancock said that Mr Umunna "has uncovered the uncomfortable truth that under the Labour Government of Ed Balls and Ed Miliband the banks did not pay their fair share".'

This is a typical piece of BBC 'journalsim'; an anti-banking headline, followed by space given to a Labour MP to attack banks and the Conservative government and only at the end of the article allow the facts to intrude. The BBC know that the majority of readers scan the headlines, take in the highlight headings and maybe read the first few paragraphs, that's why they structure their reports in such a way.

Of course the BBC  never mention another corporation that manages to pay no corporation tax; in 2008 GMG, The Guardian's parent company, made £300 million in profit and paid £0.00 in Corporation Tax.