Daily Politics Sells The Pass

These are not the happiest times for the BBC’s lunchtime current affairs vehicle Daily Politics: stuck in the rut of media establishment talking points, it has become little more than an echo chamber for the sealed and privileged world of the Press and Pundit Establishment, all desperately trying to make viewers believe that the world is as they define it, while an increasing number of those viewers know it isn’t.

And today brought the ultimate expression of this futile charade, as the show kicked off by asking if Labour was the new “Nasty Party”, the day after a Tory minister, Steve Baker, and prominent back bencher Jacob Rees Mogg, gave the impression that they had conspired to mislead the Commons. The question comes on the back of the Tories giving a vice-chair position to someone who wants the unemployed to be sterilised.

That vice-chair, Ben Bradley, also wants to see more Police brutality and the introduction of a new game called “Splat the Chav”. But we have the suggestion pitched that Labour is the new “Nasty Party”. But this was a mere hors d’oeuvre for a more substantial entrée, as the discussion moved to bullying. Who would they get to discuss bullying in the Labour Party? Whose superior insights could be leveraged for televisual delight?

An authority on bullying, cos he's spent years doing it

As if you need to ask: the odious flannelled fool Master Harry Cole, formerly tame gofer to the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines at the Guido Fawkes blog, and who is now alleged to be the “Westminster Correspondent” for the Super Soaraway Currant Bun, was the expert invited to pontificate on the subject. Those of us who have experienced Master Cole’s shouty, bullying, overbearing behaviour at first hand may beg to differ on this.

Master Cole is an exemplar in only one respect: he demonstrates the sealed world of the Press and Pundit Establishment, its disconnect with the world outside, the uncaring, irresponsible, sneering and devious determination of the right-wing press to shit on the little people, and its disregard for democracy, especially the kind of democracy which does not accord with its instructions. He is not fit to be put before the cameras.

An authority on ... oh, she'll make up some shit to suit

But the Daily Politics was not finished yet: the mouthwatering dessert was the presence of (thankfully) former Tory MP Louise Mensch to discuss politics and associated happenings Stateside. The same Louise Mensch of whom Think Progress’ Casey Michael talked recently in the article “The bizarre rise and dramatic fall of Louise Mensch and her ‘Blue Detectives’”. Her credibility disappeared down the plughole long ago.

Yet there she was, waved into the studio, and invited to impart her wisdom to the world. Only as an afterthought did host Jo Coburn ask if her outpourings did not, perhaps, spill over into the world of conspiracy theory from time to time. But Ms Mensch crossed the conspiracy median long ago on her erratic trip along the freeway of punditry. That much the BBC must have known, had a little research been entered into beforehand.

Meanwhile, council tenants have their homes sold from under them, public sector workers face more pay freezes and journeys to food banks, Government contracts are given to basket cases like Carillion that uses the money to line its own directors’ pockets, the car crash that is Brexit continues to blight our country, and crime rises as Police numbers are cut again. But Daily Politics has The Commentators Who Count. Pass the sick bucket.