John Whittingdale appointed Culture Secretary as Sajid Javid moved to Business

[Nick Armstrong]

At least Mr Javid didn't have the chance to **** anything up.

[MrGongGong]

So does anyone know anything about mr Whittingdale?

(apart from the fact that he would probably be unable to get a DBS by association?)

[LHC]

So does anyone know anything about mr Whittingdale?

(apart from the fact that he would probably be unable to get a DBS by association?)

He has been Chair of the Commons Culture, Media and Sports select Committee since 2005, so should actually know a bit about the brief (unusually for a politician). A plus point is that as Chair he was pretty tough on the Murdochs, issuing them with summonses to force them to appear before the Committee.

He has been strong on the issue of phone-hacking, both by News International and at the Mirror Group (Labour's silence on the Daily Mirror's industrial levels of phone hacking has been particularly disappointing). He is though opposed to further restrictions on press freedom and has argued that Leveson exceeded his brief.

No doubt of more concern to readers of this forum, he has compared the BBC licence fee to the poll tax, and would like to see it radically reformed. He may well therefore be seen as an 'anti-BBC' appointment.

[MrGongGong]

He has been Chair of the Commons Culture, Media and Sports select Committee since 2005, so should actually know a bit about the brief (unusually for a politician). A plus point is that as Chair he was pretty tough on the Murdochs, issuing them with summonses to force them to appear before the Committee.

He has been strong on the issue of phone-hacking, both by News International and at the Mirror Group (Labour's silence on the Daily Mirror's industrial levels of phone hacking has been particularly disappointing). He is though opposed to further restrictions on press freedom and has argued that Leveson exceeded his brief.

No doubt of more concern to readers of this forum, he has compared the BBC licence fee to the poll tax, and would like to see it radically reformed. He may well therefore be seen as an 'anti-BBC' appointment.

Thanks

I knew some of that

Does he listen to or go to hear music?

[LHC]

Does he listen to or go to hear music?

Well he claimed that as Chair of the CMS committee, he was lucky because its remit also covered his hobbies "television, films and music", and he is a patron of Youth Music Theatre UK, so perhaps not all bad.

[subcontrabass]

Well he claimed that as Chair of the CMS committee, he was lucky because its remit also covered his hobbies "television, films and music", and he is a patron of Youth Music Theatre UK, so perhaps not all bad.

Also President of Maldon Choral Society.

[french frank]

Well he claimed that as Chair of the CMS committee, he was lucky because its remit also covered his hobbies "television, films and music", and he is a patron of Youth Music Theatre UK, so perhaps not all bad.

"I am lucky that the committee’s remit also covers my hobbies: I love television, films and music, and as committee chairman I have been able to attend some fantastic events. What’s on my iPod? I’m a fan of classic rock, things like Deep Purple and Judas Priest, but I also like more contemporary bands like the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand too."

Page 32 http://design1.dods.co.uk/housemag/H...uly-6-2009.pdf

[Historian]

Also President of Maldon Choral Society.

Not sure how significant that is; it may just 'come with the territory' as he is M.P. for Maldon.

[subcontrabass]

Not sure how significant that is; it may just 'come with the territory' as he is M.P. for Maldon.

" I ask if his legendary love of heavy metal has been overstated, and he giggles. "Er, well, no. Though I do like going to the ballet, and I like classical music too. And I was," he adds, bursting out laughing, "a punk – for a time." " ( http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...rally-truthful )

[french frank]

" I ask if his legendary love of heavy metal has been overstated, and he giggles. "Er, well, no. Though I do like going to the ballet, and I like classical music too. And I was," he adds, bursting out laughing, "a punk – for a time." " ( http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...rally-truthful )

It appears the Conservative manifesto pledged to 'freeze the BBC licence fee'. So, no rise for 10 years. That will have consequences.

[teamsaint]

So does anyone know anything about mr Whittingdale?

(apart from the fact that he would probably be unable to get a DBS by association?)

Go on, do tell, and save pressure on google.......

[subcontrabass]

Go on, do tell, and save pressure on google.......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11310704/Charles-Napier-jailed-for-13-years-after-admitting-hundreds-of-sexual-assaults-on-young-boys.html

[vinteuil]

Go on, do tell, and save pressure on google.......

... well, to save further pressure on the interweb, you might like to know that wiki informs us that -

"Whittingdale voted against the legislation for same-sex marriage in 2013. In 2014 Whittingdale along with six other Conservative Party MPs voted against the Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill which would require all companies with more than 250 employees to declare the gap in pay between the average male and average female salaries"

[Serial_Apologist]

... well, to save further pressure on the interweb, you might like to know that wiki informs us that -

"Whittingdale voted against the legislation for same-sex marriage in 2013. In 2014 Whittingdale along with six other Conservative Party MPs voted against the Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill which would require all companies with more than 250 employees to declare the gap in pay between the average male and average female salaries"

So it seems Cameron has made an excellent start in his choice of cohorts to aid and abet his intention to run a one-nation Tory government.

Anyone thinking of moving to the constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip?

[Dave2002]

It appears the Conservative manifesto pledged to 'freeze the BBC licence fee'. So, no rise for 10 years. That will have consequences.

Is that set in stone? If a non Tory government gets in within 10 years would they be able to overturn this, or are these immutable once "decided"?

Not sure about consequences for the BBC. They could stop paying some of the very expensive TV entertainment loons so much, but they'll perhaps put the members of BBC orchestras on bread and water rations for the next decade instead.

What else might they do?