Militant students at Warwick

[P. G. Tipps]

I Wonder what tipster would have said, if, for instance, the soviet authorities had announced, in 1985, that it was allowing and encouraging street demonstrations to help moves towards a more open and democratic society?

Any thoughts about Cable street, PGT?

A) I would have thought there is a whole world of a difference between those struggling for a free society and those who have little regard for it, and may even wish to destroy it,TS.

B) Surely the events in Cable Street in the 1930s (to which I can only assume you refer) tend to support my point-of-view? I'd rather avoid such gatherings if there are trouble-making Fascists, Communists and Anarchists around hell-bent on doing battle with each other and the police!

[P. G. Tipps]

Perhaps he will tell us.

Happy now, ahinton ... ? :-)

[teamsaint]

A) I would have thought there is a whole world of a difference between those struggling for a free society and those who have little regard for it, and may even wish to destroy it,TS.

B) Surely the events in Cable Street in the 1930s (to which I can only assume you refer) tend to support my point-of-view? I'd rather avoid such gatherings if there are trouble-making Fascists, Communists and Anarchists around hell-bent on doing battle with each other and the police!

Hmmm.

The main risks to a free society in the UK are certainly not on the streets, at the moment.

Re the 1930's,perhaps freedom would have been better served by allowing the facists freedom to do their worst, (which was what the authorities wanted to allow) as happened elsewhere.

On second thoughts, perhaps not.....................

[Richard Barrett]

allowing the facists freedom to do their worst, (which was what the authorities wanted to allow) as happened elsewhere.

I often observed during my own "trouble-making" student days at the end of the 1970s that the police seemed to be more concerned with protecting the NF from counter-demonstrators than protecting the latter from the skinheads. In the end what fascists want (and this they have in common with the Farage gang) could be described as "the status quo, but more so".

[Serial_Apologist]

I often observed during my own "trouble-making" student days at the end of the 1970s that the police seemed to be more concerned with protecting the NF from counter-demonstrators than protecting the latter from the skinheads. In the end what fascists want (and this they have in common with the Farage gang) could be described as "the status quo, but more so".

Exactly.

The suppression of free speech and right to demonstrate starts off with a mainstream labour politician having her replies on Any Questions last night interrupted at every second sentance by the "impartial" Dimbleby while Pickles was allowed to spout utter garbage uninterrupted - replicating how Balls and Osbourne respectfully were likewise treated on the Andrew Marr Show last Sunday - and environmental campaigners by police, as was incontrovertibly evidenced in the undercover police agent Mark Kennedy documentary of 2011 "Confessions of an Underground Cop", which taught any doubter everything that needs to be known to understand what freedom of choice and freedom to campaign therefore means in this society. And I'm quite sure our boys in blue are busy learning lessons from their brethren over the Pond on dealing with uppity citizens of the wrong category.

[ahinton]

Happy now, ahinton ... ? :-)

Satisfied that you have provided an answer, perhaps; less so, however, in the light of what little that "answer" contains in terms of addressing the question.

[ahinton]

Exactly.

The suppression of free speech and right to demonstrate starts off with a mainstream labour politician having her replies on Any Questions last night interrupted at every second sentance by the "impartial" Dimbleby while Pickles was allowed to spout utter garbage uninterrupted - replicating how Balls and Osbourne respectfully were likewise treated on the Andrew Marr Show last Sunday - and environmental campaigners by police, as was incontrovertibly evidenced in the undercover police agent Mark Kennedy documentary of 2011 "Confessions of an Underground Cop", which taught any doubter everything that needs to be known to understand what freedom of choice and freedom to campaign therefore means in this society. And I'm quite sure our boys in blue are busy learning lessons from their brethren over the Pond on dealing with uppity citizens of the wrong category.

Indeed. At least those boys in blue and their superiors can be sued for damages when things go seriously wrong on their watch, however; there are a handful of organisations where even that cannot be done and only the government is responsible for ensuring that (by which I don't mean the current one but all of them, so I'm not making any kind of party-political point by so saying).

[P. G. Tipps]

Satisfied that you have provided an answer, perhaps; less so, however, in the light of what little that "answer" contains in terms of addressing the question.

I clearly addressed both questions and even labelled the answers separately to avoid the usual false allegations that I never answered the questions.

The fact that you may not agree with my answers to teamsaint, or even completerly failed to understand the answers, does not mean the questions have not been addressed, ahinton!

[P. G. Tipps]

Exactly.

The suppression of free speech and right to demonstrate starts off with a mainstream labour politician having her replies on Any Questions last night interrupted at every second sentance by the "impartial" Dimbleby while Pickles was allowed to spout utter garbage uninterrupted - replicating how Balls and Osbourne respectfully were likewise treated on the Andrew Marr Show last Sunday - and environmental campaigners by police, as was incontrovertibly evidenced in the undercover police agent Mark Kennedy documentary of 2011 "Confessions of an Underground Cop", which taught any doubter everything that needs to be known to understand what freedom of choice and freedom to campaign therefore means in this society. And I'm quite sure our boys in blue are busy learning lessons from their brethren over the Pond on dealing with uppity citizens of the wrong category.

Some members will be calling the BBC 'fascist' next .. .wonder what the state broadcasting and the police are like in good old socialist, peace-luvin' N. Korea ...? :whistle:

[visualnickmos]

Some members will be calling the BBC 'fascist' next .. .wonder what the state broadcasting and the police are like in good old socialist, peace-luvin' N. Korea ...? :whistle:

There is (as of course you know, you old tease!) nothing remotely socialist about North Korea....

[visualnickmos]

Exactly.

The suppression of free speech and right to demonstrate starts off with a mainstream labour politician having her replies on Any Questions last night interrupted at every second sentance by the "impartial" Dimbleby while Pickles was allowed to spout utter garbage uninterrupted - replicating how Balls and Osbourne respectfully were likewise treated on the Andrew Marr Show last Sunday - and environmental campaigners by police, as was incontrovertibly evidenced in the undercover police agent Mark Kennedy documentary of 2011 "Confessions of an Underground Cop", which taught any doubter everything that needs to be known to understand what freedom of choice and freedom to campaign therefore means in this society. And I'm quite sure our boys in blue are busy learning lessons from their brethren over the Pond on dealing with uppity citizens of the wrong category.

I've never rated Dimbleby very highly as a panel chairman. Too pompous, by far - and as for impartiality - Huh - a joke! He's also too ready to ridicule some members of the audience and panellists alike.

[Serial_Apologist]

I've never rated Dimbleby very highly as a panel chairman. Too pompous, by far - and as for impartiality - Huh - a joke! He's also too ready to ridicule some members of the audience and panellists alike.

Agreed; but what is particularly noticeable is the current BBC line of cross-examining Labour representatives, who have no power, on policies, while the government are effectively unchallenged and allowed to get away with it. Given the myth about BBC even-handedness is long established in the populace as a whole, the common assumption will be that there must be a lot more that is fishy about Labour's policies than the ConDems' if the questioning is so heavily weighted.

[P. G. Tipps]

Agreed; but what is particularly noticeable is the current BBC line of cross-examining Labour representatives, who have no power, on policies, while the government are effectively unchallenged and allowed to get away with it. Given the myth about BBC even-handedness is long established in the populace as a whole, the common assumption will be that there must be a lot more that is fishy about Labour's policies than the ConDems' if the questioning is so heavily weighted.

In some ways I feel rather sorry for the BBC, even despite its ruinous 'dumbing-down' of R3. It tries so hard to be politically-impartial (which it should be) that it tends to end up pleasing nobody. Undoubtedly it has become socially 'politically-correct' (just listen to R4 any day of the week!) but, surprisingly, it's much less so than the sometimes excruciating Sky News which continually panders to many trendy minority obsessions at the expense of more mainstream social concerns.

The rather desperate claim that the BBC is biased against either the political Right or Left is wholly wrong, imv, and the fact that both political wings complain bitterly about their coverage and treatment is surely evidence that, if it is biased at all, any bias is in favour of the Soggy Centre! Nick Clegg and the LDs might not agree with with that, though, considering some of the unflattering coverage they have received in the recent past as well ...

Regarding political 'impartiality' I think the BBC tends to do a pretty good (and almost impossible) job and for that it should be commended.

So I, for one, say 'well done the BBC!'

[MrGongGong]

So I, for one, say 'well done the BBC!'

Hear hear I say
Well done for supporting two of the the great character actors of our time and ensuring that the people of the UK treat them as credible leaders, rather than the entertaining pub characters that their authors created.

So lets hear it for Nige and Boris

[Beef Oven!]

Regarding political 'impartiality' I think the BBC tends to do a pretty good (and almost impossible) job and for that it should be commended.

So I, for one, say 'well done the BBC!'

I quite agree. When you have right-wingers and faux-lefties whinging about bias, you know the BBC is spot-on!!

And Dimbleby is a good example. He gets right-wingers criticising him for actively fronting a 'stage-managed Guardianista PC programme', for not 'defending' UKIP's Paul Nuttal from accusations of racism; and the faux-left were annoyed and embarrassed when he nailed Chuka Umunna's arse to the floor when asking if he felt the 260k increase in net migration was too little, about right, or too much. Umunna just repeated his sushi-ology style 'diversity is good for ya' sermon (like we don't know, or need reminding!).