Off Topic Politics Thread

[Le Tissier's Laces]

Good example of something;

BBC Politics Live today doesn't have a Conservative rep, they have replaced them with Reform UK.

There is no Conservative rep, no Lib Dem rep, no SNP rep.

Only Labour and Reform UK.

Shows how the BBC are actively promoting Reform.

It really doesn't.

Last three episodes -

Thursday had 1 Labour, 1 Conservative, 1 from the IPPR and 1 from the Daily Telegraph.
Monday had a 2 x Labour, one journalist and an ex-Tory advisor.
Tuesday had leader of the House of Lords, the Reform guy and two journalists.

It changes every day and every episode.

To say that BBC are "actively promoting Reform" is really silly. You're better than that.

 

[StJabbo1]

It really doesn't.

True, but Farage, Tice and Reform as a whole do seem to get an inordinate amount of air time, appearances on Question Time an example. Their often blatantly inaccurate statements and sound bites don't get the aggressive repudiation they deserve.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

True, but Farage, Tice and Reform as a whole do seem to get an inordinate amount of air time, appearances on Question Time an example. Their often blatantly inaccurate statements and sound bites don't get the aggressive repudiation they deserve.

Because they're controversial and make for good TV. People want to hate-watch them and that creates viewers.

 

[StJabbo1]

Because they're controversial and make for good TV. People want to hate-watch them and that creates viewers.

Good TV is a stretch for me, I suppose it's viewer numbers that drive the guest list. I'd like to see James O'Brien get a wider audience and appear on panels with Farage & Co. That would make for lively TV.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

Good TV is a stretch for me, I suppose it's viewer numbers that drive the guest list. I'd like to see James O'Brien get a wider audience and appear on panels with Farage & Co. That would make for lively TV.

It's not meant to be viewer numbers, it's meant to be voter share (Reform have 14.3%). But of course they're trying to make 'good TV' as well.

I get the concern, but there's no sense that the BBC are 'promoting' Reform. They're a relevant political party now, and the up and comers, like it or not (for me, it's not, but that's irrelevant).

There just seems to be a trap that people are falling into, where they don't actually want the BBC to be impartial, they want the BBC to agree with them. That's not going to happen, and nor should it.

 

[StJabbo1]

It's not meant to be viewer numbers, it's meant to be voter share (Reform have 14.3%). But of course they're trying to make 'good TV' as well.

I get the concern, but there's no sense that the BBC are 'promoting' Reform. They're a relevant political party now, and the up and comers, like it or not (for me, it's not, but that's irrelevant).

There just seems to be a trap that people are falling into, where they don't actually want the BBC to be impartial, they want the BBC to agree with them. That's not going to happen, and nor should it.

I take your point and don't think the BBC are promoting Reform. Of course it's a not for me to.

 

[Shandy_top_89]

It really doesn't.

Last three episodes -

Thursday had 1 Labour, 1 Conservative, 1 from the IPPR and 1 from the Daily Telegraph.
Monday had a 2 x Labour, one journalist and an ex-Tory advisor.
Tuesday had leader of the House of Lords, the Reform guy and two journalists.

It changes every day and every episode.

To say that BBC are "actively promoting Reform" is really silly. You're better than that.

Happy to be corrected (didnt see Monday).

It is personally the first time I haven’t seen them run with a member of the official opposition and I found it monumentally odd. If I’m wrong I’m wrong and fair enough.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

Happy to be corrected (didnt see Monday).

It is personally the first time I haven’t seen them run with a member of the official opposition and I found it monumentally odd. If I’m wrong I’m wrong and fair enough.

But of course they need to do some episodes with someone from Reform. They're the fourth (?) biggest party, and the quickest growing. If they didn't invite someone from Reform every now and again, then that wouldn't be impartial, whether we like that or not.

 

[Shandy_top_89]

But of course they need to do some episodes with someone from Reform. They're the fourth (?) biggest party, and the quickest growing. If they didn't invite someone from Reform every now and again, then that wouldn't be impartial, whether we like that or not.

Issue wasn’t with Reform being there, rather the absence of any other opposition party.

I thought they ran with Lab and Con with the occasional other party rep, to only have Lab and Ref seemed off to me because I haven’t seen them run without an official opposition member before, I read it as then dropping the Conservatives and replacing them with Reform which I would have interpreted as non impartial.

If it’s something they do from time to time then fair enough but I didn’t realise they did that.

 

[Puck]

To be fair to the BBC they're also in quite a difficult position at the moment because they're in unprecedented territory - I don't think the numbers in Parliament and the numbers in the opinion polls have ever been so wildly different. I mean, there's a YouGov poll out today that has Reform 7 points clear of Labour with the Conservative party in fourth place.

 

[Shandy_top_89]

To be fair to the BBC they're also in quite a difficult position at the moment because they're in unprecedented territory - I don't think the numbers in Parliament and the numbers in the opinion polls have ever been so wildly different. I mean, there's a YouGov poll out today that has Reform 7 points clear of Labour with the Conservative party in fourth place.

Previously they have usually focused it for the most part on the most recent election results, imo current polling shouldnt be seen as a substitute.

So really you are looking at Lab and Con with alternating appearances from Lib Dem (third in seats, fourth largest vote), Reform UK (third largest vote, joint sixth in seats), Green (fifth largest vote and joint seventh in seats). You could then have SNP and Plaid on when discussing Scottish and Welsh specific issues.

My issue was that they were putting Reform ahead of the actual opposition in coverage preference.

 

[Ian Thumwood]

Reform get too much civerage but it is a case of guving them enough rope.

BBC civerage is generally liberal ir centrist. They tend to favour Guardian journlists but ignire paoers like The Morning Star which never gets an invite to discuss politics in BBC.

 

[Puck]

Previously they have usually focused it for the most part on the most recent election results, imo current polling shouldnt be seen as a substitute.

So really you are looking at Lab and Con with alternating appearances from Lib Dem (third in seats, fourth largest vote), Reform UK (third largest vote, joint sixth in seats), Green (fifth largest vote and joint seventh in seats). You could then have SNP and Plaid on when discussing Scottish and Welsh specific issues.

My issue was that they were putting Reform ahead of the actual opposition in coverage preference.

I know there are political broadcasting rules, particularly during election periods, but I don't know what they are. I would guess they're based on number of MPs. I half-remember hearing something about there being more funding for parties with 6 or more MPs. But the current political situation is difficult because there's never been a situation before where the official opposition are 4th in the polls and there's never been a situation where a party with only 5 MPs is fairly consistently leading the opinion polls. And of course it's not just the opinion polls - the recent local elections were broadly in line with what the opinion polls are saying.

Taking this to a more extreme hypothetical, it's not impossible we could get to a point where Reform are consistently polling in the 30s, possibly even the mid-30s, and are perhaps 10 points ahead of Labour, while the Conservatives dip to single figures. In that situation it seems to me it would be fairly ridiculous to treat the party that's likely to form the next government in the same way you'd usually treat a party with 5 MPs.

 

[shoot_spiderman]

I know there are political broadcasting rules, particularly during election periods, but I don't know what they are. I would guess they're based on number of MPs. I half-remember hearing something about there being more funding for parties with 6 or more MPs. But the current political situation is difficult because there's never been a situation before where the official opposition are 4th in the polls and there's never been a situation where a party with only 5 MPs is fairly consistently leading the opinion polls. And of course it's not just the opinion polls - the recent local elections were broadly in line with what the opinion polls are saying.

Taking this to a more extreme hypothetical, it's not impossible we could get to a point where Reform are consistently polling in the 30s, possibly even the mid-30s, and are perhaps 10 points ahead of Labour, while the Conservatives dip to single figures. In that situation it seems to me it would be fairly ridiculous to treat the party that's likely to form the next government in the same way you'd usually treat a party with 5 MPs.

I can hear screaming

I think it’s me

 

[Shandy_top_89]

I know there are political broadcasting rules, particularly during election periods, but I don't know what they are. I would guess they're based on number of MPs. I half-remember hearing something about there being more funding for parties with 6 or more MPs. But the current political situation is difficult because there's never been a situation before where the official opposition are 4th in the polls and there's never been a situation where a party with only 5 MPs is fairly consistently leading the opinion polls. And of course it's not just the opinion polls - the recent local elections were broadly in line with what the opinion polls are saying.

Taking this to a more extreme hypothetical, it's not impossible we could get to a point where Reform are consistently polling in the 30s, possibly even the mid-30s, and are perhaps 10 points ahead of Labour, while the Conservatives dip to single figures. In that situation it seems to me it would be fairly ridiculous to treat the party that's likely to form the next government in the same way you'd usually treat a party with 5 MPs.

It’s still 4 years from the election though, they are a long way from being the next government yet.

At most they should be getting more coverage than the Lib Dem’s at this point, similar is fine.

Fair enough being in the mix though, I don’t entirely begrudge them coverage, I do maintain they are actively promoted by our media, whereas the other parties are largely torn down.

 

[Ian Thumwood]

It’s still 4 years from the election though, they are a long way from being the next government yet.

At most they should be getting more coverage than the Lib Dem’s at this point, similar is fine.

Fair enough being in the mix though, I don’t entirely begrudge them coverage, I do maintain they are actively promoted by our media, whereas the other parties are largely torn down.

It struck me that the Liberals are the biggest losers. They have becime the local election specialists but no credibility nationally. A bit like Man Utd.... you wonder if they can recapture their glory again.

 

[ImpSaint]

It's not meant to be viewer numbers, it's meant to be voter share (Reform have 14.3%). But of course they're trying to make 'good TV' as well.

I get the concern, but there's no sense that the BBC are 'promoting' Reform. They're a relevant political party now, and the up and comers, like it or not (for me, it's not, but that's irrelevant).

There just seems to be a trap that people are falling into, where they don't actually want the BBC to be impartial, they want the BBC to agree with them. That's not going to happen, and nor should it.

Its not meant to be voter share. Its supposed to be "in the public interest" and the public are not interested in Conservatives. They are interested in reform. However the comments above yours saying the BBC is actively promoting reform are laughable but hey ho. People are whistling away their worries and Starmer is doing everything he can to promote reform himself by the day.

Starmer is basically just following his own wishes (which many on here may agree with) despite the reaction from outside of Westminster and he is pushing it hard right now because of his own party's pushback. Its basically saying to those that are thinking of rebelling against any of his policies (and there are a growing number) "Get behind me or we're all out next election." Maybe it will work Fingers crossed eh

Lets be real about BBC politics shows like politics live and QT. For a decade or more it has been most weeks Labour + Labour supporter on these panels in the form of a "journalist" or commentariat or comedian. Yet we are still here in 2025 with the right challenging the left despite the 2:1 on most shows against the right.

You are right on people wanting the BBC to be what they want and no unbiased. Its already centrist to left wing enough without outlawing right wing voices as well which is what people want. They only want centrist right wingers given airtime.

At the end of the day this is also why they hate GB News. Because it is "right wing" however if you watch it most of the shows are actually debates with a left v right panelist on them. Sure the p resenters might be right leaning but there is good debate from both sides.

Why does the left hate GB News so much? Because if there was a left wing version and not the centrist facade of the BBC no-one would watch it!

 

[Shandy_top_89]

It struck me that the Liberals are the biggest losers. They have becime the local election specialists but no credibility nationally. A bit like Man Utd.... you wonder if they can recapture their glory again.

They do have the most seats they have had in about a century though and seem to be growing.

 

[Shandy_top_89]

IT snot meant to be voter share. Its supposed to be "in the public interest" and the public are not interested in Conservatives. They are interested in reform. However the comments above yours saying the BBC is actively promoting reform are laughable but hey ho. People are whistling away their worries and Starmer is doing everything he can to promote reform himself by the day.

Starmer is basically just following his own wishes (which many on here may agree with) despite the reaction from outside of Westminster and he is pushing it hard right now because of his own party's pushback. It’s basically saying to those that are thinking of rebelling against any of his policies (and there are a growing number) "Get behind me or we're all out next election." Maybe it will work Fingers crossed eh

(Actually, I can’t be arsed.)

 

[ImpSaint]

Reform get too much civerage but it is a case of guving them enough rope.

BBC civerage is generally liberal ir centrist. They tend to favour Guardian journlists but ignire paoers like The Morning Star which never gets an invite to discuss politics in BBC.

So watch GB News then. Novara and more left wing publications / media outlets very often one of the panel and on there it is just a right leaner and a left leaner. TBH Aaron Bastani has impressed me a lot.

One person who tends to always find me agreeing with him or at least understanding his point on some things I don't agree on is Matthew Torbitt, former Labour advisor.

Then there's Labour activist Chris Worrell who is a good sport, not for me but takes on all comers and makes sure his point is made.

And of course Barry Gardiner is on there all the f***ing time because he would show up at your wedding as soon as the camera came out.

There are lots of proper left wing (from far left through to centrist left) that are 1:1 with the right wing panelist. Just don't watch Matthew Goodwin or Rees Mogg because both of those are rubbish and Matt Goodwin is such a smug tw*t. But Matthew Torbitt put him in his place once when I was watching. lol