EU Deal - What The BBC Won’t Tell You

The media euphoria surrounding alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson and his jolly spiffing Brexit deal has spilled over from our free and fearless press, most of which hasn’t bothered to tell its readers the bad news, to the BBC, which is also not giving the punters the information that shows Bozo The Clown is interested in perpetuating the myth of Himself Personally Now, and stuff the proles.

While some don't tell the full story ...

While the Corporation, via its senior correspondents like Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg, is telling “The new protocol replaces the controversial Irish backstop plan in Theresa May's deal. Much of the rest of that deal will remain … Many other parts of the deal, such as the money the UK has to pay and citizens rights, were negotiated by Theresa May and will stay the same”, this is not true. What is being offered is worse than the May deal.

... others let us know the grim reality

Let’s start with a little analysis from Keir Starmer, who, as well as representing Labour, is also a lawyer. “Having reviewed what has been agreed, it is clear that the Johnson deal is a far worse deal than Theresa May’s deal. It paves the way for a decade of deregulation. It gives Johnson licence to slash workers’ rights, environmental standards and consumer protections”. And it enables the Tories to point the UK towards US-style standards.

Or, indeed, the lack of them. David Allen Green has more bad news, and more that the Beeb is not telling us. “Johnson has capitulated. The backstop is now the frontstop. The insurance policy is now the policy. DUP correct to be unhappy. Johnson has gained the quick win, but only by losing in substance. A quick win, the easy way”. Meaning what?

“[EU] ultimate objectives untouched by Johnson's capitulation. UK to be just as much Rees-Mogg's (supposed) ‘vassal state’ as before. This is May's deal, but with DUP under a bus”. Nick Tyrone put it bluntly. “Everyone in the political media is backslapping Boris Johnson for achieving the ‘impossible’. All he did was drop all of his red lines with the EU, sign up for he WA the EU originally wanted and hope the DUP and ERG went for it. Half of the last bit he's failed at already”. And the consequence for ordinary Brits?

Adam Bienkov of Business Insider had a hint of what was to come. “Boris Johnson is refusing to release his government’s impact assessments of his Brexit deal. However, previous government analysis suggest it will hit the UK economy by -6.7% with wages slashed and households left thousands of pounds worse off”. That is around three times worse than the worst of the post-2008 recession. Think about that.

Chris Furlong had dug up the figures, confirming the GDP reduction of 6.7% and comparing it with the less bad (but still bad) May deal, which would have reduced it by between 2.5% and 3.9%. Forget the new cars, the home improvements, the foreign holidays, the shopping trips to London. For the 99%, it’s going to be grim.

Small wonder that Lisa O’Carroll of the Guardian had this advice from one of those closest to the negotiations: “Journalist to Juncker, Tusk, Barnier: What would you say to the 48% that voted remain … Juncker: ‘I would like to say to the 48 that they were right’”.

The BBC isn’t telling you that. At a time when the national broadcaster needs to ensure it keeps voters informed, it is once again asleep at the wheel. And that’s not good enough.

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