The BBC is viewed by many right-wingers as the broadcasting arm of the Guardianistas. The Beeboids argue that this is unfair, and that the BBC is an unbiased, objective, public service broadcaster. The BBC and the Guardian jointly sponsored an ICM survey into public opinion about the Iraq war. Guido can’t 
recall a time when the BBC has got into bed with a newspaper like this – imagine the uproar if the BBC had co-sponsored a poll about immigration with the Daily Mail. Birds of a feather flock together?
Unusually for Guido he flicked through the Guardian first thing this morning. It seems to have developed a mono-mania. Peter Wilby writes The Biggest Media Story in Years – So Why the Silence? Hmm, possibly because it isn’t news that newspapers hack mobiles and has not been since we listened to Diana’s squidgygate recordings over a decade ago. They also strung out another news story rehashing Sunday coverage. Martin Moore from the Media Standards Trust says incredibly supportively This Calls for An Inquiry – But Not by the PCC (nothing to do with the fact that the Guardian’s owner funds the Media Standards Trust). Jackie Ashley kicks out 800 words on Coulson Must Go Or Else I’ll Scream Until I am Blue in the Face. Julian Henry says the same, Coulson apparently has to lose his current job for the same reason he lost his last job or else presumably the Guardian will keep writing articles about him.
Hell, forlornly looking for Tory division, they have even roped in ConservativeHome’s Tim Montgomerie for a piece. Seven articles today about Coulson not being destroyed by a Guardian scoop? Isn’t that overkill? The scoop, such as it was, really boils down to the payouts which happened long after Coulson’s tenure. It wasn’t news that voicemail hacking and worse happened on Coulson’s watch. That is after all why he resigned last time.
It could of course kick-off tomorrow if the select committee skewers Coulson, if he is worth the money he is paid he should be able to get through Tom Watson et al trying to ensnare him. He won’t enjoy becoming the focus…
Far be it from Guido to advise the blogosphere’s esteemed lister-in-chief on how to make a list, nevertheless it has to be said his list of political Twitterers seems deficient: Boris Johnson is #1 by far with over forty thousand followers.
He has also forgotten Derek Draper with some four thousand followers. Derek might not have achieved much, but this now silent Twitter feed was very important to him. Let us not deny him his mega-twittery…
Guido is an unashamed tax cutter who prefers to cut the taxes of the poorest by raising thresholds and cutting the basic rate. Nevertheless the Inheritance Tax cut promise was a welcome tactical success in that it contributed to Brown bottling the election in 2007, the strategic mistake that doomed his premiership. The News of the World has been given a steer that it will be shelved (presumably by Andy Coulson, who according to Guido’s sources at the Screws, “acts like he is still the boss”). Also shelved will be the commitments to cut Stamp Duty and to introduce a modest but symbolically important £20-a-week tax break for married couples.
It will be spun that the dire fiscal state left to them by Brown will prevent the Tories bringing in any tax reduction. The expected onslaught from Labour on all these tax breaks will be more easily deflected if they take a “only when we can afford it” stance. The trouble is, unless they slash the budget deficit they won’t be able to balance the budget in first term. So when will the Tories be able to afford to reduce taxes? What a depressing poverty of ambition, no bright new dawn, just a fiscal fog.
This timid “give no ammunition to Brown and Balls” approach was first publicly advocated by Policy Exchange’s Neil O’Brien last month, he argued “Dropping the inheritance tax cut will earn the Tories the right to tell the public the terrible truth about the debt disaster.” The public already knows the terrible truth, there is only one way out of debt, you cut spending, there is only one way to grow the economy sustainably, supply side reforms and cutting taxes. Nuancing the politics might spin well on the comment pages of the Guardian, it won’t bring jobs and economic growth. Which is more important?
The Time Educational Supplement headlines it clearly Academy Lauded by Brown Put on Notice
School PM Praised for ‘Dynamism’ is One of Two Found Wanting by Ofsted
Two multi-million pound academies have been described as inadequate by Ofsted in the same week. Sheffield Springs Academy and Westminster Academy have both been heavily criticised by inspectors for failing to reach high enough standards and have had their overall performance given a grade four – the lowest possible mark.
Sheffield Springs was visited by Gordon Brown in May, the next week inspectors called. The Prime Mentalist praised the school’s pupils for their “dynamism”, “determination to succeed” and “high morale”. The inspectors on the other hand pointed to teachers failing to meet students’ individual needs, poor leadership and inadequate governance.
Very much like our national situation in a microcosm: failing to meet individual needs, poor leadership and inadequate governance.
