Ofcom has hired a new Director of Communications: former Remain campaigner and Labour adviser David Chaplin. Impartial comms to be expected?
Chaplin began his political career working for two former Labour MPs Christine McCafferty and Gordon Marsden from 2004 to 2009. He later became a comms adviser to now-Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander from 2013 to 2015. Labour stooge…
In June 2015, Chaplin took up the role of Strategic Communications Director for the official Remain campaign. Another job well done…
Chaplin was also an executive committee member of left-wing think tank Fabian Society from 2009 to 2019, where he co-authored a report suggesting the BBC follow a “European Coverage Quota” in the fight against the “increasing rise of Euroscepticism”. He’s now about to be at the top table of an organisation responsible for policing the internet…
Hamit Coskun, who was convicted under the Public Order Act for burning a copy of the Quran, has won his appeal against the conviction at Southwark Crown Court. Robert Jenrick joined Coskun at the Crown Court this morning to show his support, while the Free Speech Union posted on X:
“Had the verdict been allowed to stand, it would have sent a message to religious fundamentalists up and down the country that all they need to do to enforce their blasphemy codes is to violently attack the blasphemer, thereby making him or her guilty of having caused public disorder. Instead, the Crown Court has sent the opposite message – that anti-religious protests, however offensive to true believers, must be tolerated.”
A win for free speech and against blasphemy law…
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff says the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza is underway. Now the onus shifts to Hamas:
“CENTCOM has confirmed that the Israeli Defense Forces completed the first phase withdrawal to the yellow line at 12PM local time. The 72 hour period to release the hostages has begun.”
The clock is ticking…
Entries in the comments…
PCS members working for the Metropolitan Police Service have voted to strike over pay. They’re disputing the “two-tier” system that means officers get treated more “favourably” than their members…
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said:
“Our members in the Met Police have had enough of being treated like an afterthought. Their almost 100% vote for strike action sends a strong message. Police staff will not tolerate being treated as second-class citizens within their own workplaces.”
More than 140 members will walk out on 5 November. Operation standstill…
The BBC has published an article this morning on the government’s plans for Digital ID to be forced onto 13-year-olds. It’s an article about Cooper’s morning round…
It says:
“Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the consultation plans, saying “lots of 13-year olds already do” have a form of digital ID.”
In the meantime BBC News at Ten last night completely ignored the massive China spy scandal that is currently engulfing Labour. The Licence fee providing its usual value for money. How did this one get past BBC Verify?
Speaking to Adam Boulton on Times Radio about kicking the Golders Green suspect, Heidi Alexander said:
“I thought that if I was in the shoes of that police officer, then if I’m honest, given the situation, and the fact that he had a backpack on his back, and they were worried about whether that might go off, I could, if I was a police officer, frankly, I could see myself having taken similar action.”
