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  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 7,505

    A hero who tried to fight off the Huntingdon train attacker has been refused a refund by Ryanair after his injuries left him unable to fly.

    Stephen Crean, 61, had planned to fly to Austria on Wednesday to watch his beloved Nottingham Forest take on SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

    But Mr Crean was left unable to travel after being stabbed six times in the attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on Nov 1.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/09/huntingdon-train-victim-denied-ryanair-refund-after-injury/

    Completely on brand for Ryanair.
    I assume he had travel insurance?
    Would they pay out for I tried to stop a madmen stabbing people? I could see lots of Travel Insurers (they are absolutely bastards) saying well that was your choice so it wasn't an accidental injury.
    "we dont cover terrorist offences"
    "it wasnt a terrorist incident"
    "dunno, sounded like one"
    Are you talking about the BBC coverage of Hamas....or the train attack?
    My poor attempt at the conversation with the travel insurance between Mr Crean and his insurer trying to get his money back for the ryan air flight he cant take.
    I assume my travel insurance would cover me from being unable to fly for medical reasons, but the cost of a Ryanair flight is likely to be below the value of the excess
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 6,605
    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    I agree he doesnt need to resign. Use stuff like this to change a culture. It gives you authority to clear the rot.
    Maybe he should have just apologised for breaking the rules, like his boss has just done.
    Style would have been to hold a press conference.

    "I wish to formally apologise for having a curry. No, that wasn't it. I wish to formally apologise for having a party at No. 10. No, that wasn't it. I wish to formally apologise for getting by property tax on my third home wrong. No, that wasn't it...."
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 83,043
    rkrkrk said:

    Nigelb said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Anybody who thinks Trump didn't want his supporters to march on the Capitol and try and reverse the election results should not be trusted with scissors...

    C’mon, Trumpy was just advising all those sightseers queuing to see the Capitol to fight like hell for their place in the line, just got out of hand is all.
    Who hasn’t shit on the desk of one of their lawmakers having unexpectedly gained access to a seat of government?
    Of course.
    But I'm quite OK with the idea that someone senior at the Beeb takes responsibility for a piece of sub par journalism.

    That would be another thing that sets it apart from most media.
    Agree with that. But I dont like the implication that US govt has lent on UK govt to lean on BBC.
    Sure.
    But at the end of the day, the government has no fondness for the present chair, and the BBC did screw up in a high profile manner.

    Just move on (and quietly let it be known to the Beeb that its future US coverage need not be overly deferential to the orange slug).
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 21,081

    Tres said:

    Scott_xP said:

    By splicing it up they made it sound like Trump instructed his supporters to go and attack the Capitol building.

    He did though
    The BBC clearly didn't trust their audience to come to that conclusion on their own without sexing up their report.
    It was literally three sections of his speech spliced together and intercut with crowd footage so you couldn't see the joins, followed by footage of the 'subsequent' marching off to storm the Capitol that actually happened before the speech.
    Every news report of every politicians speech is history is made my splicing together different sections of the speech intercut with other footage. It's like why Match of the Day doesn't simply rebroadcast the whole 90 minutes of a match. EDITED HIGHLIGHTS
    If your match highlights had shown Manchester United winning a game by 3 2, when the final score was actually 4 3 to Arsenal, your boss might be wanting a word.
    I think in this case it’s more that they showed Arsenal winning 2-1, rather than 4-3. No one sane doubts that Trump wanted his supporters to do as the BBC suggested but he didn’t actually say that.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:05PM

    A hero who tried to fight off the Huntingdon train attacker has been refused a refund by Ryanair after his injuries left him unable to fly.

    Stephen Crean, 61, had planned to fly to Austria on Wednesday to watch his beloved Nottingham Forest take on SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

    But Mr Crean was left unable to travel after being stabbed six times in the attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on Nov 1.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/09/huntingdon-train-victim-denied-ryanair-refund-after-injury/

    Completely on brand for Ryanair.
    I assume he had travel insurance?
    Would they pay out for I tried to stop a madmen stabbing people? I could see lots of Travel Insurers (they are absolutely bastards) saying well that was your choice so it wasn't an accidental injury.
    "we dont cover terrorist offences"
    "it wasnt a terrorist incident"
    "dunno, sounded like one"
    Are you talking about the BBC coverage of Hamas....or the train attack?
    My poor attempt at the conversation with the travel insurance between Mr Crean and his insurer trying to get his money back for the ryan air flight he cant take.
    I assume my travel insurance would cover me from being unable to fly for medical reasons, but the cost of a Ryanair flight is likely to be below the value of the excess
    Travel insurances these days is awful, the list of exceptions and T&C's is endless. Stuff like yes we cover hiking, page 287, section 28, subsection 94, paragraph 36, not above x metres above sea level i.e. basically walking up any moutain larger than a dog poo.

    Go check what most don't cover when it comes to phones, ipads, etc.
  • AramintaMoonbeamQCAramintaMoonbeamQC Posts: 4,000
    Sandpit said:

    the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Tim Davie’s and Deborah Turness’s resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation’s most cherished institutions.”

    "Tim Davie's and Deborah Turness's resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation's most cherished institutions."

    Our full statement below: pic.twitter.com/Gp5TOPjJiW

    — Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) November 9, 2025

    So how many of the twentysomething Hamas supporters in the newsroom do we think are about to get fired?
    I don't know but the savings will probably by diverted into the Transgender and Drag Queen Department. I think there are still a few programmes without a Drag Queen, so Fiona Bruce is probably getting replaced by La Voix once he's finished Strictly.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 33,676

    Does anyone know why the Channel 4 app has started audibly warning me that "for contractual reasons this programme does contain some commercial messages" when I watch American sitcoms?

    They are worried you can't read? They are worried you might complain if you have subscribed for ad-free programmes?
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 45,785
    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 21,081
    Tres said:

    Tres said:

    Scott_xP said:

    By splicing it up they made it sound like Trump instructed his supporters to go and attack the Capitol building.

    He did though
    The BBC clearly didn't trust their audience to come to that conclusion on their own without sexing up their report.
    It was literally three sections of his speech spliced together and intercut with crowd footage so you couldn't see the joins, followed by footage of the 'subsequent' marching off to storm the Capitol that actually happened before the speech.
    Every news report of every politicians speech is history is made my splicing together different sections of the speech intercut with other footage. It's like why Match of the Day doesn't simply rebroadcast the whole 90 minutes of a match. EDITED HIGHLIGHTS
    If your match highlights had shown Manchester United winning a game by 3 2, when the final score was actually 4 3 to Arsenal, your boss might be wanting a word.
    What do YOU think was happening on Jan 6 2021?
    That’s irrelevant. The edit was misleading. If they had explained the cuts were from different parts of the speech it would have been fine.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 83,043
    We need a few architects like this in the UK.
    Great thread.

    I stumbled across the work of Arthur E. Stamps III this morning and, wow, my eyes have been opened!

    He's was (is?) an architect in San Francisco who wrote scores of academic papers on the mass public's aesthetic preferences & the failure of "design review" to serve them.

    https://x.com/CSElmendorf/status/1987313369150529750
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 80,315
    Grand Prix of the season.

    Interlagos fantastic as always
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 33,151
    I am not in favour of the privatisation of the BBC or of Channel 4 at this time. They'd both be torn apart by US media giants like carcasses by vultures. It would be a disaster.

    I am in favour of the BBC being run to make a profit for the nation, and perhaps for the eventual part-privatisation of Channel 4, but with strict foreign ownership laws in place for all.
  • TresTres Posts: 3,192
    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    This Labour government are so incompetent they'll probably appoint Farage.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 6,605

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    And worked at GB News ! I used to like him but he’s turned to the dark side .
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 12,495

    A hero who tried to fight off the Huntingdon train attacker has been refused a refund by Ryanair after his injuries left him unable to fly.

    Stephen Crean, 61, had planned to fly to Austria on Wednesday to watch his beloved Nottingham Forest take on SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

    But Mr Crean was left unable to travel after being stabbed six times in the attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on Nov 1.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/09/huntingdon-train-victim-denied-ryanair-refund-after-injury/

    Completely on brand for Ryanair.
    I assume he had travel insurance?
    Would they pay out for I tried to stop a madmen stabbing people? I could see lots of Travel Insurers (they are absolutely bastards) saying well that was your choice so it wasn't an accidental injury.
    "we dont cover terrorist offences"
    "it wasnt a terrorist incident"
    "dunno, sounded like one"
    Are you talking about the BBC coverage of Hamas....or the train attack?
    My poor attempt at the conversation with the travel insurance between Mr Crean and his insurer trying to get his money back for the ryan air flight he cant take.
    I assume my travel insurance would cover me from being unable to fly for medical reasons, but the cost of a Ryanair flight is likely to be below the value of the excess
    Travel insurances these days is awful, the list of exceptions and T&C's is endless. Stuff like yes we cover hiking, page 287, section 28, subsection 94, paragraph 36, not above x metres above sea level i.e. basically walking up any moutain larger than a dog poo.

    Go check what most don't cover when it comes to phones, ipads, etc.
    That's why insurance via memberships is important - that's what covers my cycling and mountaineering.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902
    @steverichards14

    It’s ironic but predictable that the BBC duo -who tried so hard to please the right wing papers-are removed by the right wing papers.

    A big danger now for BBC- Samir Shah- a weak Chair- will appoint successors in an attempt to please the right wing papers…while failing to address main problems- lack of clear purpose in BBC News, lack of accountability amongst its many managers below the top two..and fear of Mail/ Telegraph/ Times/ right wing Twitterati.

    https://x.com/steverichards14/status/1987597868258021708?s=20
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294
    Tres said:

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    This Labour government are so incompetent they'll probably appoint Farage.
    Nonsense.

    Marjorie Taylor Greene, obviously.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 7,009

    Sandpit said:

    the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Tim Davie’s and Deborah Turness’s resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation’s most cherished institutions.”

    "Tim Davie's and Deborah Turness's resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation's most cherished institutions."

    Our full statement below: pic.twitter.com/Gp5TOPjJiW

    — Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) November 9, 2025

    So how many of the twentysomething Hamas supporters in the newsroom do we think are about to get fired?
    I don't know but the savings will probably by diverted into the Transgender and Drag Queen Department. I think there are still a few programmes without a Drag Queen, so Fiona Bruce is probably getting replaced by La Voix once he's finished Strictly.
    Not a good example. Anyone replacing Fiona Bruce would be an improvement.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 83,043
    edited 7:12PM
    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 26,447

    I am not in favour of the privatisation of the BBC or of Channel 4 at this time. They'd both be torn apart by US media giants like carcasses by vultures. It would be a disaster.

    I am in favour of the BBC being run to make a profit for the nation, and perhaps for the eventual part-privatisation of Channel 4, but with strict foreign ownership laws in place for all.

    It should be a subscription model for those who want it.

    I shouldn't have to pay a subscription to the BBC, to stream Sky Sports.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902

    If they had explained the cuts were from different parts of the speech it would have been fine.

    As noted upthread, that's how editing works...
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 62,275
    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Reading through the day's missives, an enormous amount of, to be blunt, hatred but let's call it contempt for Rachel Reeves. I seem to recall she was considered the answer after Anneliese Dodds who was also subject to the usual vitriol was sacked by Starmer.

    My take on Reeves? She looks overwhelmed and perhaps rightly so - the scale of what she faces would daunt most of us and let's be fair Hunt did the sum total of nothing in his time at No.11.

    Back we go to what should/can she do - Budgets are political as much as economic exercises and Conservatives will be watching to see how effective Badenoch's response is in the House.

    How do you reduce borrowing if you can't make meaningful cuts . We can have a pop at "public sector" pensions but it's chicken feed and we are committed to rises in defence, welfare and presumably no one wants further cuts in local Government etc and short of defaulting on our debts, the small matter of billions of debt interest payments per annum will need to be dealt with.

    There's always those on benefits who we can demonise by calling them "lazy" or "scroungers" or whatever makes us feel better.

    The short term aim is probably to slow the borrowing train - bringing it to a stop will take years. Tax rises, both direct and indirect, will have to happen and for all people whinge about it, until and unless Reeves does something radical such as taxing property and land it'll be income taxes, fuel duty, gaming duty etc where the "pain" will be felt. I'd like to know where she sees borrowing in 2028/29 compared to now.

    It seems demographic changes are forcing economic and societal changes and the old models simply don't work any more. I also think, post Covid, atittudes to work have changed and it is no longer (for most) the be all and end all. We work to live, we don't live to work and while some on here will doubtless disagree, I think that's where more people are and if your lifestyle supports a lower income (and again lifestyle aspiration is moving on from tangible materialist symbols of "happiness" to something else) so be it.

    You reduce borrowing by making the economy grow again.

    This government has its eyes fixed on nothing further in front of them than their own shoes.
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067
    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 7,009

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    He will be earmarked for the next head of BBC Scotland, where his political impartiality will be valued.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 46,383
    Nigelb said:

    Leon eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    Tut, a bit of a newcomer compared to our Somerset folk I daresay.

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/09/hes-one-of-us-modern-neighbours-welcome-cheddar-man
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294
    edited 7:13PM
    Space news -

    Blue Origin second launch of New Glenn live - https://www.blueorigin.com/missions/ng-2

    Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WpN-c9VCQ
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 33,151

    I am not in favour of the privatisation of the BBC or of Channel 4 at this time. They'd both be torn apart by US media giants like carcasses by vultures. It would be a disaster.

    I am in favour of the BBC being run to make a profit for the nation, and perhaps for the eventual part-privatisation of Channel 4, but with strict foreign ownership laws in place for all.

    It should be a subscription model for those who want it.

    I shouldn't have to pay a subscription to the BBC, to stream Sky Sports.
    But what if your subscription to the BBC was actually a share of the BBC that yielded a yearly dividend?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:13PM
    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765
    I see the BBC has once again become the main lead story on the...erm... BBC.

  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 83,043
    edited 7:15PM
    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.

    You're entitled to your view, but I disagree.
    Fund it from taxation.

    It's reporting in the high street dodgy retail scandal alone is worth the license fee this year, having done more than the entirety of the UK's police forces to investigate the problem.

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 40,947
    rcs1000 said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Reading through the day's missives, an enormous amount of, to be blunt, hatred but let's call it contempt for Rachel Reeves. I seem to recall she was considered the answer after Anneliese Dodds who was also subject to the usual vitriol was sacked by Starmer.

    My take on Reeves? She looks overwhelmed and perhaps rightly so - the scale of what she faces would daunt most of us and let's be fair Hunt did the sum total of nothing in his time at No.11.

    Back we go to what should/can she do - Budgets are political as much as economic exercises and Conservatives will be watching to see how effective Badenoch's response is in the House.

    How do you reduce borrowing if you can't make meaningful cuts . We can have a pop at "public sector" pensions but it's chicken feed and we are committed to rises in defence, welfare and presumably no one wants further cuts in local Government etc and short of defaulting on our debts, the small matter of billions of debt interest payments per annum will need to be dealt with.

    There's always those on benefits who we can demonise by calling them "lazy" or "scroungers" or whatever makes us feel better.

    The short term aim is probably to slow the borrowing train - bringing it to a stop will take years. Tax rises, both direct and indirect, will have to happen and for all people whinge about it, until and unless Reeves does something radical such as taxing property and land it'll be income taxes, fuel duty, gaming duty etc where the "pain" will be felt. I'd like to know where she sees borrowing in 2028/29 compared to now.

    It seems demographic changes are forcing economic and societal changes and the old models simply don't work any more. I also think, post Covid, atittudes to work have changed and it is no longer (for most) the be all and end all. We work to live, we don't live to work and while some on here will doubtless disagree, I think that's where more people are and if your lifestyle supports a lower income (and again lifestyle aspiration is moving on from tangible materialist symbols of "happiness" to something else) so be it.

    You reduce borrowing by making the economy grow again.

    This government has its eyes fixed on nothing further in front of them than their own shoes.
    And you make the economy grow by cutting OpEx and increasing CapEx.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 58,171

    Space news -

    Blue Origin second launch of New Glenn live - https://www.blueorigin.com/missions/ng-2

    Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9WpN-c9VCQ

    This had better be on time or scrubbed early. Staying up until midnight to watch with a 5am alarm tomorrow.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 7,009

    A hero who tried to fight off the Huntingdon train attacker has been refused a refund by Ryanair after his injuries left him unable to fly.

    Stephen Crean, 61, had planned to fly to Austria on Wednesday to watch his beloved Nottingham Forest take on SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

    But Mr Crean was left unable to travel after being stabbed six times in the attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on Nov 1.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/09/huntingdon-train-victim-denied-ryanair-refund-after-injury/

    Completely on brand for Ryanair.
    I assume he had travel insurance?
    Would they pay out for I tried to stop a madmen stabbing people? I could see lots of Travel Insurers (they are absolutely bastards) saying well that was your choice so it wasn't an accidental injury.
    "we dont cover terrorist offences"
    "it wasnt a terrorist incident"
    "dunno, sounded like one"
    Are you talking about the BBC coverage of Hamas....or the train attack?
    My poor attempt at the conversation with the travel insurance between Mr Crean and his insurer trying to get his money back for the ryan air flight he cant take.
    I assume my travel insurance would cover me from being unable to fly for medical reasons, but the cost of a Ryanair flight is likely to be below the value of the excess
    Only of you don’t take any luggage, want to choose your own seat or priority boarding.
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    He will be earmarked for the next head of BBC Scotland, where his political impartiality will be valued.
    He’s batshit crazy. Shame. I used to like his appearances in Coast.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 35,549
    Scott_xP said:

    @steverichards14

    It’s ironic but predictable that the BBC duo -who tried so hard to please the right wing papers-are removed by the right wing papers.

    A big danger now for BBC- Samir Shah- a weak Chair- will appoint successors in an attempt to please the right wing papers…while failing to address main problems- lack of clear purpose in BBC News, lack of accountability amongst its many managers below the top two..and fear of Mail/ Telegraph/ Times/ right wing Twitterati.

    https://x.com/steverichards14/status/1987597868258021708?s=20

    Is Alexander Johnson available?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 58,171
    Even if we hate Trump’s guts, can we at least all agree that the BBC editing his speech from:

    “March to the Capitol, peacefully and patriotically”

    To:

    “March to the Capitol, and fight like hell”

    Is not just misleading, but deliberately and deceptively so on their part.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 7,781
    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    Pah, 3000 years, there’s the chap in who lives Cheddar gorge who is a direct descendant of “Cheddar Man” who was found from over 9,000 years ago.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 46,383

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    He will be earmarked for the next head of BBC Scotland, where his political impartiality will be valued.
    Hmm, he's already working for GB News apparently.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:22PM

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902
    edited 7:21PM
    Looks like Dems are going to cave on the shutdown. Meanwhile the Mad King wants to punish States that tried to feed people this weekend. While he parties in Florida.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 33,151
    Taz said:

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    He will be earmarked for the next head of BBC Scotland, where his political impartiality will be valued.
    He’s batshit crazy. Shame. I used to like his appearances in Coast.
    I forgot Neil Oliver. Shame he's at the fruitier end of the right wing spectrum now (though I don't agree that he's batshit crazy) as he might have made quite a good Reform leader in Scotland.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765
    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,149
    Sandpit said:

    Even if we hate Trump’s guts, can we at least all agree that the BBC editing his speech from:

    “March to the Capitol, peacefully and patriotically”

    To:

    “March to the Capitol, and fight like hell”

    Is not just misleading, but deliberately and deceptively so on their part.

    Depends. What’s the context of the “fight like hell” comment?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?
    As usual, the idea was chopped up and fucked about with until it was useless.

    The big problem was in getting world wide rights.

    A common pattern was for the BBC to commission a program. And pay for the full cost of the program. And get just the UK broadcast rights. The company making the program would then sell it round the world - all profit...

    The fact that various people in the BBC commissioning the program would be related to/married to/friends/etc of the company so commissioned was completely irrelevant.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 21,328

    the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Tim Davie’s and Deborah Turness’s resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation’s most cherished institutions.”

    "Tim Davie's and Deborah Turness's resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation's most cherished institutions."

    Our full statement below: pic.twitter.com/Gp5TOPjJiW

    — Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) November 9, 2025

    Complete nonsense as you'd expect from the BoD. However the decision to fire the top man is well overdue. Just listen To Mishal Husein on radio 4 yesterday. The BBC have no courage and bend with whichever way the rich and influential pressurise them to do. As she said they were happy to refer to Palestinian casualties as numbers whereas Israeli ones had names. She now works for Bloomberg. The BBC used to have the best talent around but now they are mere shadows of what they once were
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067
    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.

    You're entitled to your view, but I disagree.
    Fund it from taxation.

    It's reporting in the high street dodgy retail scandal alone is worth the license fee this year, having done more than the entirety of the UK's police forces to investigate the problem.

    The annual license fee revenue is circa £3.85 Billion. A decent news investigation is hardly worth that.

    Obviously you disagree, you said that. However the tide is very much turning against the BBC and its model of funding. Broadcast TV is in decline and it will continue. The license fee is less and less sustainable. It’s days are numbered.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 40,947

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    The BBC rarely owns non-UK broadcast or streaming rights to drama, sports or entertainment shows. Unless there's a huge global audience for Bargain Hunt I doubt what could be served to a worldwide audience would actually get more than a few million paying subscribers.
  • TresTres Posts: 3,192
    edited 7:25PM
    Sandpit said:

    Even if we hate Trump’s guts, can we at least all agree that the BBC editing his speech from:

    “March to the Capitol, peacefully and patriotically”

    To:

    “March to the Capitol, and fight like hell”

    Is not just misleading, but deliberately and deceptively so on their part.

    'If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore'

    i guess he just meant fighting peacefully
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    Yeah, that’s different though !!!
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 46,383
    edited 7:26PM

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    That's an odd argument for the conservative wing (speaking generally, not of you) to make ... you'd think our right-wingers would be fervently in favour of the licence fee system. Seeing as how the Party is so much in hock to the over-50s.

  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 7,009

    Taz said:

    nico67 said:

    kinabalu said:

    nico67 said:

    How pathetic . Talk about an overreaction . Apologise for the dodgy edit and move on .

    Scared, aren't they. Probably a threat of "tariffs".
    So will the government now ask Trump who he wants as head of the BBC ? I expect no 10 is so terrified of the right wing papers and the stain on humanity to pick someone willing to deliver the news which doesn’t annoy the WH .
    Neil Oliver has worked with the BBC and has some experience of heading up an institution (president of NT for Scotland)..
    He will be earmarked for the next head of BBC Scotland, where his political impartiality will be valued.
    He’s batshit crazy. Shame. I used to like his appearances in Coast.
    I forgot Neil Oliver. Shame he's at the fruitier end of the right wing spectrum now (though I don't agree that he's batshit crazy) as he might have made quite a good Reform leader in Scotland.
    If he’s not batshit crazy, there’s no place for him in Reform.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765

    Lewis Goodall
    @lewis_goodall
    ·
    35m
    BBC DG really is like the old joke about chancellors. There are those whose careers end in failure and there are those who get out in time.
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?
    As usual, the idea was chopped up and fucked about with until it was useless.

    The big problem was in getting world wide rights.

    A common pattern was for the BBC to commission a program. And pay for the full cost of the program. And get just the UK broadcast rights. The company making the program would then sell it round the world - all profit...

    The fact that various people in the BBC commissioning the program would be related to/married to/friends/etc of the company so commissioned was completely irrelevant.
    Isn’t that what happened with the Disney Plus/Dr Who hookup that failed so badly ?
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 46,383
    edited 7:28PM

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    Graun just published this, as it happens, if anyone is interested. Haven'#t read it as I DGAF about Traitors (still don't know or care what it is about) but the blurb stuck in my mind:

    "Fandom memes, influencers and TikTok deal helped secure industry’s holy grail: gen Z loyalty"

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/08/how-the-celebrity-traitors-reversed-tvs-most-troubling-trend
  • TazTaz Posts: 22,067
    edited 7:32PM

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    But ITV doesn’t sponge off people who want to own a TV and receive live signals for its funding.

    Prosecutions of people for not paying the license via the SJP are a disgrace and allow for no mitigation. Davie supported this.

    Often vulnerable and mostly women.

    https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/feb/29/tv-licence-fee-scandal-1000-people-week-casually-criminalised
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 58,171

    Sandpit said:

    Even if we hate Trump’s guts, can we at least all agree that the BBC editing his speech from:

    “March to the Capitol, peacefully and patriotically”

    To:

    “March to the Capitol, and fight like hell”

    Is not just misleading, but deliberately and deceptively so on their part.

    Depends. What’s the context of the “fight like hell” comment?
    The two halves of the sentence in the BBC documentary were 45 minutes apart in his speech, he was saying at the end that the (political) fight goes on. The BBC (and other US channels) have edited the speech in order to accuse him of inciting a riot, when he was quite clear in what he actually said that he wanted everything to be peaceful.
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 7,505

    A hero who tried to fight off the Huntingdon train attacker has been refused a refund by Ryanair after his injuries left him unable to fly.

    Stephen Crean, 61, had planned to fly to Austria on Wednesday to watch his beloved Nottingham Forest take on SK Sturm Graz in the Europa League.

    But Mr Crean was left unable to travel after being stabbed six times in the attack on the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) Doncaster to London Kings Cross train on Nov 1.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/09/huntingdon-train-victim-denied-ryanair-refund-after-injury/

    Completely on brand for Ryanair.
    I assume he had travel insurance?
    Would they pay out for I tried to stop a madmen stabbing people? I could see lots of Travel Insurers (they are absolutely bastards) saying well that was your choice so it wasn't an accidental injury.
    "we dont cover terrorist offences"
    "it wasnt a terrorist incident"
    "dunno, sounded like one"
    Are you talking about the BBC coverage of Hamas....or the train attack?
    My poor attempt at the conversation with the travel insurance between Mr Crean and his insurer trying to get his money back for the ryan air flight he cant take.
    I assume my travel insurance would cover me from being unable to fly for medical reasons, but the cost of a Ryanair flight is likely to be below the value of the excess
    Only of you don’t take any luggage, want to choose your own seat or priority boarding.
    If he was going to Austria for the weekend he can take underseat luggage. In any case, you can take 10kg in the cabin or the hold for about £20. With an underseat on top. Priority boarding and seat selection are of no value unless you have children.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 45,785
    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    One of Leon’s many florid boasts was descent from Woden, I think these lads might have a stronger claim (insofar as descent from a mythical being can be a thing).
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:31PM
    Carnyx said:

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    Graun just published this, as it happens, if anyone is interested. Haven'#t read it as I DGAF about Traitors (still don't know or care what it is about) but the blurb stuck in my mind:

    "Fandom memes, influencers and TikTok deal helped secure industry’s holy grail: gen Z loyalty"

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/08/how-the-celebrity-traitors-reversed-tvs-most-troubling-trend
    That's one show. Da yute also watch Love Island on ITV in their millions. But all their youth focus stuff like BBC3 is total ghost town. They totally failed at things like YouTube.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 33,151

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
    Britbox was (and is) a good idea, but the BBC pulled out of it for some reason.

    I subscribed for a while and it was a nice service but ended up feeling unloved and not 'premium' so I unsubscribed. You get it free with paid ITVX these days.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:32PM

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
    Britbox was (and is) a good idea, but the BBC pulled out of it for some reason.

    I subscribed for a while and it was a nice service but ended up feeling unloved and not 'premium' so I unsubscribed. You get it free with paid ITVX these days.
    They only pulled out of the UK version. It still exists globally as a stand alone service.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765

    Melanie Phillips
    @MelanieLatest

    BBC executives, like many if not most of its journalists, believe that their left-wing mindset is the political centre-ground and thus embodies balance, fairness and truth. Anyone who challenges that mindset is therefore axiomatically regarded as an extremist or hopeless partisan and is self-righteously ignored.

    The BBC embodies a hermetically-sealed thought system. It has betrayed its core Charter principles of truth and fairness and is a disgrace to journalism. The case for de-funding it is now overwhelming.
    https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/defund-the-bbc


    https://x.com/MelanieLatest/status/1987589887881875701


    Narrator: Nigel Farage has been on QT more times than there are stars in the galaxy.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 16,851

    Sandpit said:

    the Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Tim Davie’s and Deborah Turness’s resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation’s most cherished institutions.”

    "Tim Davie's and Deborah Turness's resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal. Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation's most cherished institutions."

    Our full statement below: pic.twitter.com/Gp5TOPjJiW

    — Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) November 9, 2025

    So how many of the twentysomething Hamas supporters in the newsroom do we think are about to get fired?
    I don't know but the savings will probably by diverted into the Transgender and Drag Queen Department. I think there are still a few programmes without a Drag Queen, so Fiona Bruce is probably getting replaced by La Voix once he's finished Strictly.
    “I remember the good ol’ days of the BBC back in the 1970s when we didn’t have any of this nonsense with drag queens everywhere. No, we had proper entertainment, like Dame Edna Everage and Danny La Rue!”
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 33,151

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
    Britbox was (and is) a good idea, but the BBC pulled out of it for some reason.

    I subscribed for a while and it was a nice service but ended up feeling unloved and not 'premium' so I unsubscribed. You get it free with paid ITVX these days.
    They only pulled out of the UK version. It still exists globally as a stand alone service.
    Ah, I didn't know that, thanks.
  • FossFoss Posts: 2,017

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    If you want to look at actual numbers then this is the ofcom reporting powerbi for tv released this summer:

    https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNzQzOGVhNjEtZDMxNS00ZWM3LTkzZDctNjY1YmY0MjE5OWMwIiwidCI6IjBhZjY0OGRlLTMxMGMtNDA2OC04YWU0LWY5NDE4YmFlMjRjYyIsImMiOjh9

    I’d start with ‘Broadcast TV viewing’ > ‘Viewing by Channel Group’ > ‘Average weekly reach (%)’ and then the age breakdowns.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 58,171

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
    Britbox was (and is) a good idea, but the BBC pulled out of it for some reason.

    I subscribed for a while and it was a nice service but ended up feeling unloved and not 'premium' so I unsubscribed. You get it free with paid ITVX these days.
    They only pulled out of the UK version. It still exists globally as a stand alone service.
    It exists in about six countries as a standalone service, with very little content available and a load of restrictions such as 30-day windows.

    https://help.britbox.com/hc/en-us/categories/360003130374-Content-Availability
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 16,851

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    Ad revenue is collapsing, and ITV don’t want the BBC showing ads as it would cut into their income.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:40PM
    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    The worldwide number of people who would pay the license fee to watch BBC output is huge. Far more than the UK license fee collection.

    Imagine if the BBC had actually sorted out the world wide rights of their content. Encrypted, like all the other services - pay to access. Sold worldwide.

    They would have been up there with Netflix etc. Independence and actual money to do stuff.
    Wasn't that the idea behind Britbox ?

    There are key things they totally fucked up e.g. 4k. iPlayer still doesn't do full 4k properly. Live sports streamingt is a shit show. Why did they reinvent the wheel with BBC Sounds, when there is already 27,000 podcast apps.
    Britbox was (and is) a good idea, but the BBC pulled out of it for some reason.

    I subscribed for a while and it was a nice service but ended up feeling unloved and not 'premium' so I unsubscribed. You get it free with paid ITVX these days.
    They only pulled out of the UK version. It still exists globally as a stand alone service.
    It exists in about six countries as a standalone service, with very little content available and a load of restrictions such as 30-day windows.

    https://help.britbox.com/hc/en-us/categories/360003130374-Content-Availability
    Initially I think they got a reasonable amount of subs in the US (obviously nothing on Netflix, Disney+, etc). It does sound like something that has essentially been abandoned.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:44PM

    Taz said:

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @PronouncedAlva
    SCOOP: Tim Davie is about to announce his resignation as Director General of the BBC, according to a person familiar with the matter.

    He probably had to go. Some of those editorial failings have been very bad.
    The license fee needs to go. Not some sacrificial mug.
    Replaced with what ?

    The Beeb still provides good and unbiased journalism, and a something of a counterbalance to both reporting and streaming which is now controlled largely by US billionaires.

    It still has a role, and I say it should be funded from taxation.
    Personally I don’t care about the BBC and its journalism or its output. I do care that I have to pay £180 a year for the pleasure of receiving live TV signals.

    Local TV news is garbage, mainly lobbyist and pressure groups press releases recycled as news.

    You want it, you value it, fine. You pay for it. Others are also welcome to.with Netflix we have a choice. With the BBC we have no choice if we want to receive live TV signals.

    As for funding then Ads, subscription, pay as you go. Any lf those will do for the means of funding, if people value it so highly they will still pay for it. Demanding people,pay a license fee then prosecuting them through the SJP for not having one is little short of disgraceful.



    The argument used to be no ads so they could be totally impartial, however BBC News outside UK, ads, podcasts, ads, they own 100% of UKTV, ads....
    Ad revenue is collapsing, and ITV don’t want the BBC showing ads as it would cut into their income.
    Huh? They already are showing ads, thats the whole point. They own 100% of UKTV is that is fully ad supported network of tv channels. So all these claims about impartiality over corporate interests, "other brands are available" stuff is just nonsense these days.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 15,538
    rcs1000 said:


    You reduce borrowing by making the economy grow again.

    This government has its eyes fixed on nothing further in front of them than their own shoes.

    I suppose when what's "in front of your shoes" is a deficit of £150 billion or so it does concentrate the mind. Once again we get the "supply side reform" mantra with the accompanying "cut taxes and spending" motif.

    The truth is we're well past either/or, it's going to be both/and at the end of the month and that against a backdrop of endlessly rising social care costs and commitments on defence which need to be funded as do debt interest repayments.

    It's also about the politics "of envy" which used to be rich vs poor but is now old vs young (to a point). The vitriol being thrown about against those who have retired early and are "enjoying life" is astonishing. I retired at 63 - shame on me, at least 20 years too early.

    It's about how people lived and the circumstances of those lives - if you bought property in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s and are selling it now, the chances are you will get many times more than your original investment (far in advance of inflation). You may say that is largely unearned - CGT on primary residences anyone? - but the truth is those generations who are now in their 70s, 60s and 50s had a huge economic advantage but should they be "punished" for that?

    As for "growth", there is a malaise of growth throughout the western world - we aren't China or India who are still maintaining decent growth rates but the days of 4-5% per annum growth are over for most western countries until technological innovation comes along and gives us another kick. That's the reality - stagnant growth and an ageing population requiring more spending in health and social care and all Governments of whatever stripe will have to manage that to the best or worst of their abilities.
  • isamisam Posts: 42,981
    edited 7:42PM

    My dislike of Reeves was kindled when I heard her pre-election chit-chat with Bad Al and Rory Stewart.

    In a generally soft-ball interview, Stewart innocently asked whether her tax plans would be sufficient, and Reeves jumped down his throat and started ranting about Tory effrontery.

    She’s obviously quite a bitter individual, and as we’ve now discovered, destructively useless as well.

    When she is angry she reminds me of early 80s Siouxsie Sioux, albeit sounding like Harry H Corbett
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902
    @mikeysmith

    It’s not an assault on the BBC. It’s an assault on facts.

    The edit was only remotely a problem if your position is that Trump played no part whatsoever in encouraging January 6th. Which he plainly and obviously did.

    I mean, it might well also be an assault on the BBC, but in the grand scheme I’m much less concerned about that than the precedent we’re setting here by allowing reality to be rewritten.

    https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/1987606367277138005?s=20
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:49PM
    Scott_xP said:

    @mikeysmith

    It’s not an assault on the BBC. It’s an assault on facts.

    The edit was only remotely a problem if your position is that Trump played no part whatsoever in encouraging January 6th. Which he plainly and obviously did.

    I mean, it might well also be an assault on the BBC, but in the grand scheme I’m much less concerned about that than the precedent we’re setting here by allowing reality to be rewritten.

    https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/1987606367277138005?s=20

    I see the spin is going to be 100% on this one edit, not the dossier all the other issues, many of which weren't known before, but there were plenty of previous issues there were known. This was just the latest in a long list of stories where the BBC response is always well we got it about right and nobody is held responsible.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765
    edited 7:47PM

    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    One of Leon’s many florid boasts was descent from Woden, I think these lads might have a stronger claim (insofar as descent from a mythical being can be a thing).
    Luckily he is banned otherwise this entire thread would become about how he once shagged Woden's actual daughter in a noom church somewhere in rural France.
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 26,447
    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902

    Scott_xP said:

    @mikeysmith

    It’s not an assault on the BBC. It’s an assault on facts.

    The edit was only remotely a problem if your position is that Trump played no part whatsoever in encouraging January 6th. Which he plainly and obviously did.

    I mean, it might well also be an assault on the BBC, but in the grand scheme I’m much less concerned about that than the precedent we’re setting here by allowing reality to be rewritten.

    https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/1987606367277138005?s=20

    I see the focus is going to be 100% on this one edit, not the dossier all the other issues, many of which weren't known before, but there were plenty of previous issues there were known. This was just the latest in a long last of stories where the BBC response is always well we got it about right and nobody is held responsible.
    Indeed. I don't think it's a bad thing that they have resigned, but it is/will be spun as anti-Trump bias and will be used to try and swing the BBC even more to the fascists
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 68,765

    emily m
    @maitlis

    We’re not rushing to broadcast tonight @TheNewsAgents on the BREAKING BBC news - because we want to bring you a deeper dive tomorrow into what we think this story is actually about. And why it’s happened now.

    It’s far more complicated than the headline resignations suggest- dramatic as those are.

    We’ve been speaking to key players throughout this developing story ..


    @jonsopel @lewis_goodall - in your feeds tomorrow

    https://x.com/maitlis/status/1987598792343101550
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:52PM
    Scott_xP said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @mikeysmith

    It’s not an assault on the BBC. It’s an assault on facts.

    The edit was only remotely a problem if your position is that Trump played no part whatsoever in encouraging January 6th. Which he plainly and obviously did.

    I mean, it might well also be an assault on the BBC, but in the grand scheme I’m much less concerned about that than the precedent we’re setting here by allowing reality to be rewritten.

    https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/1987606367277138005?s=20

    I see the focus is going to be 100% on this one edit, not the dossier all the other issues, many of which weren't known before, but there were plenty of previous issues there were known. This was just the latest in a long last of stories where the BBC response is always well we got it about right and nobody is held responsible.
    Indeed. I don't think it's a bad thing that they have resigned, but it is/will be spun as anti-Trump bias and will be used to try and swing the BBC even more to the fascists
    It won't though, all the talking heads will run cover and say Orange Man bad, inferering in UK, booo, it will get bogged down in the details of the edit of that one clip and be decided that nothing to see. We will just get a Labour stooge instead a Tory one and it will be same old same old in a few months time.
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 26,447

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    2023 (73 reg) Suzuki Swift
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:54PM

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    2023 (73 reg) Suzuki Swift
    As I said, a Robin Reliant ;-)

    That's nowhere enough for Rachel Reeves, she is going to have to add some extra taxes to insurance and small car VED....
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 35,549
    Scott_xP said:

    @mikeysmith

    It’s not an assault on the BBC. It’s an assault on facts.

    The edit was only remotely a problem if your position is that Trump played no part whatsoever in encouraging January 6th. Which he plainly and obviously did.

    I mean, it might well also be an assault on the BBC, but in the grand scheme I’m much less concerned about that than the precedent we’re setting here by allowing reality to be rewritten.

    https://x.com/mikeysmith/status/1987606367277138005?s=20

    How many billions does the BBC/ UK need to pay the Trump personal bank account for this egregious hate crime.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 40,902

    We will just get a Labour stooge instead a Tory one and it will be same old same old in a few months time.

    I am not sure that is true
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 56,527
    isam said:

    My dislike of Reeves was kindled when I heard her pre-election chit-chat with Bad Al and Rory Stewart.

    In a generally soft-ball interview, Stewart innocently asked whether her tax plans would be sufficient, and Reeves jumped down his throat and started ranting about Tory effrontery.

    She’s obviously quite a bitter individual, and as we’ve now discovered, destructively useless as well.

    When she is angry she reminds me of early 80s Siouxsie Sioux, albeit sounding like Harry H Corbett
    Mum's convinced Rachel is an "AI robot" (her words) created by Starmer :lol:
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 7,685

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    I pay £210 for a hot (well, warm) hatch. Insurance is weird.
  • isamisam Posts: 42,981

    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    One of Leon’s many florid boasts was descent from Woden, I think these lads might have a stronger claim (insofar as descent from a mythical being can be a thing).
    Luckily he is banned otherwise this entire thread would become about how he once shagged Woden's actual daughter in a noom church somewhere in rural France.
    Can't we have him back? What did he do wrong?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:56PM
    Scott_xP said:

    We will just get a Labour stooge instead a Tory one and it will be same old same old in a few months time.

    I am not sure that is true
    It will, the BBC is world class at surviving different governments without ever changing.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 7,685

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    2023 (73 reg) Suzuki Swift
    As I said, a Robin Reliant ;-)

    That's nowhere enough for Rachel Reeves, she is going to have to add some extra taxes to insurance and small car VED....
    Insurance premium tax has been rising. I assume it will rise until it matches VAT.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 7:58PM
    carnforth said:

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    2023 (73 reg) Suzuki Swift
    As I said, a Robin Reliant ;-)

    That's nowhere enough for Rachel Reeves, she is going to have to add some extra taxes to insurance and small car VED....
    Insurance premium tax has been rising. I assume it will rise until it matches VAT.
    I know, that is why I am so surprised you can get insurance for £240 for anything that has 4 wheels and actually drives.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 13,296

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    I have 3 cars, a top of the range Sportage, a bottom of the range Picanto and a Cobra. All are under £244 insurance. Being 70, accident free and mileage limited to 9000/3000/2000 miles and no business usage helps.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 36,043

    Nice pleasant change on ever increasing prices, time for annual car insurance shopping around.

    Last year my car insurance cost £381
    Renewal quote was £333, so already a discount.
    Best quote was £244

    If only more prices changed like that.

    What car are you driving for £244, a Robin Reliant....
    My Skoda Fabia was more than that! Sadly.
    It’s 21 reg though.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 58,294
    isam said:

    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    One of Leon’s many florid boasts was descent from Woden, I think these lads might have a stronger claim (insofar as descent from a mythical being can be a thing).
    Luckily he is banned otherwise this entire thread would become about how he once shagged Woden's actual daughter in a noom church somewhere in rural France.
    Can't we have him back? What did he do wrong?
    He went full @SeanT

    Never go full @SeanT
  • BartholomewRobertsBartholomewRoberts Posts: 26,447
    Carnyx said:

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    Graun just published this, as it happens, if anyone is interested. Haven'#t read it as I DGAF about Traitors (still don't know or care what it is about) but the blurb stuck in my mind:

    "Fandom memes, influencers and TikTok deal helped secure industry’s holy grail: gen Z loyalty"

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/08/how-the-celebrity-traitors-reversed-tvs-most-troubling-trend
    Watching a show for 2 hours a week for 4 weeks then getting on with the rest of your lives != loyalty.

    For decades this has been my biggest bugbear with people who defend the BBC by claiming one decent show, often years ago, shows how valuable it is. No, it does not.

    It takes more than just 1 show to inspire loyalty and young people today, quite rightly, are not loyal to a failed and frankly boring outdated behemoth from the past.

    Just because someone watched Traitors for an hour does not mean they will now watch Bargain Hunt or the rest of the drivel linearly broadcast.
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,891
    stodge said:

    rcs1000 said:


    You reduce borrowing by making the economy grow again.

    This government has its eyes fixed on nothing further in front of them than their own shoes.

    I suppose when what's "in front of your shoes" is a deficit of £150 billion or so it does concentrate the mind. Once again we get the "supply side reform" mantra with the accompanying "cut taxes and spending" motif.

    The truth is we're well past either/or, it's going to be both/and at the end of the month and that against a backdrop of endlessly rising social care costs and commitments on defence which need to be funded as do debt interest repayments.

    It's also about the politics "of envy" which used to be rich vs poor but is now old vs young (to a point). The vitriol being thrown about against those who have retired early and are "enjoying life" is astonishing. I retired at 63 - shame on me, at least 20 years too early.

    It's about how people lived and the circumstances of those lives - if you bought property in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s and are selling it now, the chances are you will get many times more than your original investment (far in advance of inflation). You may say that is largely unearned - CGT on primary residences anyone? - but the truth is those generations who are now in their 70s, 60s and 50s had a huge economic advantage but should they be "punished" for that?

    As for "growth", there is a malaise of growth throughout the western world - we aren't China or India who are still maintaining decent growth rates but the days of 4-5% per annum growth are over for most western countries until technological innovation comes along and gives us another kick. That's the reality - stagnant growth and an ageing population requiring more spending in health and social care and all Governments of whatever stripe will have to manage that to the best or worst of their abilities.
    It's not "punished" -> it's should they be taxed?

    I'd argue that the value creation from house price rises came from the efforts of society not the individual, so it's reasonable for society to take a bit of that gain.

    But you're right that this can descend into a kind of politics of envy/nasty undertone, when I think the more productive question is how can we fund the obligations we have.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 7,009
    isam said:

    Nigelb said:

    Leon *eat your heart out.

    A German family has lived in the same place for 3,000 years

    Scientists have discovered that the Huchthausen family from the village of Förste (Lower Saxony) has lived there continuously for around three millennia, Bild reports.

    DNA analysis showed that the ancestors of Manfred Huchthausen lived just two kilometers away — in the Lichtenstein Cave, where archaeologists found human remains buried around 1000 BC, along with bronze jewelry, animal bones, and traces of funeral pyres.

    Researchers believe these ancient inhabitants of the Harz region traded salt — the “white gold” of the Bronze Age.

    The local museum director noted that they looked almost identical to their modern descendants.

    “I always thought our family had been here a long time — but three thousand years?” Huchthausen laughed.

    https://x.com/nexta_tv/status/1987519233291416034

    *What did happen to him ?
    He was occasionally entertaining.

    One of Leon’s many florid boasts was descent from Woden, I think these lads might have a stronger claim (insofar as descent from a mythical being can be a thing).
    Luckily he is banned otherwise this entire thread would become about how he once shagged Woden's actual daughter in a noom church somewhere in rural France.
    Can't we have him back? What did he do wrong?
    I was tempted to flag you for wanting him back.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 88,801
    edited 8:02PM

    Carnyx said:

    Luke Tryl
    @luketryl.bsky.social‬

    🧵 While the BBC remains fairly well trusted overall and one of the most trusted media sources in the country, the broadcaster has an image problem with Reform voters who are much less likely than average to say they trust the broadcaster and are split between trust/distrust.

    https://bsky.app/profile/luketryl.bsky.social/post/3m57sw776l22z

    The bigger problem isn't the right wing oldies, its youngsters, the BBC doesn't exist to them.
    Nor does ITV I presume?

    Graun just published this, as it happens, if anyone is interested. Haven'#t read it as I DGAF about Traitors (still don't know or care what it is about) but the blurb stuck in my mind:

    "Fandom memes, influencers and TikTok deal helped secure industry’s holy grail: gen Z loyalty"

    https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/nov/08/how-the-celebrity-traitors-reversed-tvs-most-troubling-trend
    Watching a show for 2 hours a week for 4 weeks then getting on with the rest of your lives != loyalty.

    For decades this has been my biggest bugbear with people who defend the BBC by claiming one decent show, often years ago, shows how valuable it is. No, it does not.

    It takes more than just 1 show to inspire loyalty and young people today, quite rightly, are not loyal to a failed and frankly boring outdated behemoth from the past.

    Just because someone watched Traitors for an hour does not mean they will now watch Bargain Hunt or the rest of the drivel linearly broadcast.
    Its also how poor they are at exploiting hit shows, Strictly and now Traitors being an exception.....I mean the sort of box set high quality drama shows.

    I mentioned the other day I rewatched McMafia the other week. A really good show. And of course they didn't sign up the actors, they delayed, COVID came, then Ukraine / Russia, and now its a dead franchise. Taboo was another from a similar time, they spent a fortune on having Tom Hardy, was part of their big Christmas / New Year schedule....and dead...Compare to Slow Horses, they filmed the 2 two seasons back to back, they signed up Jackson Lamb for 5 seasons from the get go.
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