What’s happening with the business hacks at the BBC?
They seem to have come over all right-wing tabloidy.
A bizarre report by the BBC today claims the UK economy will be given a ‘£135bn annual boost’ by a hard Brexit.
In its article, the BBC extensively quotes infamous Thatcherite economist Patrick Minford, who is the lead author of a report urging the hardest of hard Brexits from pro-Brexit campaign group Economists for Free Trade.
So far so UKIP. Although it’s a bit weird to see a rogue economist normally quoted in the pages of the Express or the Sun being so prominently and uncritically quoted by the BBC in its business section.
But bizarrely, the BBC report also apes those gutter rags by completely censoring failing to mention any of the extremely negative consequences of the group’s proposals, as predicted by Professor Minford himself.
Namely, for example, that the hard Brexit proposed by the group will eliminate UK manufacturing:
And the BBC report also completely omits the fact that Professor Minford is happy to see the UK car industry “run down” after a hard Brexit:
Or that – according to Minford – there will be large increases in wage inequality after a hard Brexit. Or to put it another way, poorer workers will be paid less.
Minford’s methodologies have also been widely debunked – something else the BBC fails to mention.
It’s hard to overstate just how extremely right-wing Minford is when it comes to economics.
As just one example, he thinks not only that the NHS should be privatised but that the NHS should be “rationed severely and brutally to the vast majority who ought to be paying for themselves”.
Obviously, as hard-line Thatcherites, Minford and his group don’t much care about the destruction of UK manufacturing, the NHS or massive increases in wage inequality.
But why doesn’t the BBC report the stated negative affects of a hard-Brexit, as stated by Minford and his group of hard-Brexiters themselves?
Perhaps the BBC thinks we’re all such Thatcherites now, the rest of us in the country don’t care about manufacturing, the NHS or wage inequality either?
If so, they need to get out of their Westminster bubble, and start listening to people who aren’t blinded by Tory propaganda …
.
For those interested in the more technical aspects of the economics of hard Brexit, here’s a good critique of Professor Minford’s methodology from the London School of Economics:
The ‘Britain Alone’ scenario: how Economists for Brexit defy the laws of gravity
curi56 said:
Reblogged this on HUMANSINSHADOW.wordpress.com.
LikeLiked by 1 person
laurettalottiepearson said:
Reblogged this on laurettalottiepearson.
LikeLike
Pingback: BBC censors quotes: UK manufacturing “eliminated” and car production “run down” after hard-Brexit | paulh121
Ross Johnson said:
Not even the leave side respects Minford. When Gove was asked which economists supported his leave view, he refused even to name Minford, Bootle and the rest, saying instead that the British people “have had enough of experts” (Youtube; Sky News 3 June 2016). This refusal did stop Faisal Islam from raising all your points.
LikeLiked by 1 person
mohandeer said:
Reblogged this on Worldtruth.
LikeLike
xraypat said:
Just when you think it couldn’t get worse….it does😱😱😱
LikeLike
M A Gatiss said:
Didn’t you carry on reading where they reported Monique Ebell’s response dismissing Minfords paper? This is more biased than the BBC piece
LikeLike
M A Gatiss said:
From the same article
“Economist Monique Ebell from the National Institute of Social and Economic Research (NIESR) says Prof Minford “ignores decades of evidence on how trade actually works”.
Ms Ebell’s own research showed that if the UK left the single market but made unilateraltrade deals with major developing economies and the Anglosphere, it would only claw back about one-third of the 20-30%reduction in lost total trade by leaving the EU.
Ms Ebell says many of the trade barriers thatProf Minford argues to be removed are subtle, non-tariff barriers, such as agreed common standards.”
Doesn’t look like they ignored the negatives opinions to me.
LikeLike
Peter Martin said:
We should always be wary of taking these kinds of figures too seriously, but, even so, there is a rational argument for doing this. Even if the EU impose tariff barriers to us after Brexit, we may do better by not retaliating.
This not only gives us a moral high ground it could leave us better off or at least no worse off. This is perhaps counter intuitive but there is a theorem by Abba Lerner who has well accepted socialist credentials that there is a symmetry between tariffs on exports and imports.
The question has to be : Is he right?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lerner_symmetry_theorem
LikeLike
Tog said:
Reblogged this on sideshowtog.
LikeLike
Pingback: BBC censors quotes: UK manufacturing “eliminated” and car production “run down” after hard-Brexit | sideshowtog
davidcransonblog said:
Reblogged this on David's Blog.
LikeLike
wildswimmerpete said:
“that the NHS should be “rationed severely and brutally to the vast majority who ought to be paying for themselves”.” Aren’t we already doing that via National Insurance contributions?
LikeLike
jo said:
Yes ,so it was never free just cheap…when are they going to say no one pays NI anymore as its private ? …never because its all a big scam. Anyway I personally have had enough of the whole brexit rubbish,the bottom line is we owe USA more than europe so europe is going to have to wait while we pay 3 trillion plus off to the US demand..then no doubt we will join again but call it NEOEU ,where we all waste money on trying to save the planet from global meltdown while the ‘owners all bugger off to space stations and watch ”im a celebrity get me out of here earth’ for the winners to get places on the ‘big brother mars create our utopia and die ‘ special special.
LikeLike
jo said:
aand thats the optimistic version lol
LikeLike
Carabin said:
It doesn’t seem in the least bizarre to me. I am in agreement with M A Gatiss above – this BBC article seems perfectly fair and balanced, as was the corresponding interview on Radio 4 this morning. Besides, it seems rather odd to say that Professor Minford is talking nonsense, then complain that you didn’t hear enough of it!
LikeLike
jo said:
I am sure without doubt to understand the words ‘fair or balanced’ with understanding, you have to be so.
In that respect not seeing Minford talking biased nonsense,is in fact biased nonsense.
The BBC should not allow biased nonsense under the heading ”here is the news” either. Therefore ‘right to complain’ is justified.
On here reading biased nonsense is a debate ,big difference …called tax funded.
LikeLike
Carabin said:
jo – The BBC (in both this article and the subsequent radio interview) carefully and properly enabled both sides of the argument. That is fair and balanced, and is exactly what they are supposed to do with our money. If you think one side of this particular Brexit argument is biased nonsense then you are of course entitled to say that, and there’s also a very good chance some people might agree with your opinion… assuming that you can actually manage to explain it.
LikeLike
jo said:
lol,,thought ide get you with that brain teaser haha
LikeLike
jo said:
To be frank ,,I no longer care about anything from established news or anything remotely political ,as neither is either. Since Thatchers knicker stains were accepted gleefully by the Bliars and now this dreg feeding thing pretending to be a political party have brought this countries people to the brink, all I care about is removing them all and replacing them with reporters and politicians…fair and balanced is the very very very last thing the poor decent folk of this country will ever see or have,and as for reporting what Minford says as a balancing view thing..well all I can say is bollox as hes a biased badly schooled tit..and definate not value for money 🙂
However everyone to their own I suppose ,and my post was meant as a slant at both the BBC and Minford and the whole state of the whole affair ,which is neither fair or balanced ,its twisted and biased …I blame the taxpayers myself.
LikeLike
Microman said:
jo – “To be frank ,,I no longer care about anything from established news or anything remotely political ,as neither is either.”
If you really don’t care about anything remotely political, then there’s no point in you posting, or in anybody trying to understand your weird posts, or engage with you.
People who do care tend to do the following… read all the source material (not just the headline), think about it, then make a comment in understandable English. Perhaps I can suggest you try this radical idea.
LikeLike
jo said:
No thanks
and please dont assume im posting for debate ..Im venting how I please ,,that is the nature of freedom ..You,,can also try that instead of asking others you do not understand to conform to your way.
Now if you have your way of discussion and people wish to debate with you,,jolly good,,however I do not ..I want to vent against all the sickening twisted shit the pretend media and politicians do..I want real ones ,its really that simple and if they can talk shit daily in a jumbled up way ,,I surley can right truth and satire in a jumbled up way also ,I certainly do not need understanding .
ps if tom says please do not write my way ,I of course will comply ..everyone else can take or leave it..I intend to say bollox liars crooks thieves and human garbage every chance I get and I dont give a monkeys how joined up for the readers it is 🙂
LikeLike
Microman said:
jo – You’re right. Each to their own! But I’m curious – if you don’t care about news or politics, or interacting with other humans, what’s the point of posting on a public web site? You could just write what you think, then delete it. The effect would be exactly the same.
LikeLike
jo said:
I explained …venting …also I do like interacting online with people ..but mainly those who believe untruths or find spelling important and my fave, pointing at others .You have a point about being daft may stifle debate for others but if I read daft my satire writes daft ,apologies
Deleting after writing ..hmmm …ok..I will put this . ..then delete 🙂
I do not give a monkeys about media liars and government bigots
.
.I do like venting my seething disbelief at opinions being called news or actually being reported as expert news ,then seeing balanced and fair used …wtf ..hence I write on a blog that I like the author of …for me sometimes,,if that offends then by all means enjoy that.
LikeLike
jo said:
No Comment …so therefore I will assume …I like Tom because he does work very hard to see the ‘in between the lines’ and I know hes a socialist and proud and so am I. Jonathon pie is like listening to my mind .For every new audi or Bmw on the street I see a new homeless person…thats tory ..I kin hate it ,,my 18 year old daughter says anyone over 40 should be banned voting, it should be 11 to 40 as they are the ones it effects and over 40 its bull as you had your chance..I wholeheartedly agree with her..if this were the way of things this country would never have had a tory gov since ever .
I have lived through Thatcher ruination of the political system followed by my most hated walking person Blair …anyone sooooo selfish to believe an audi is more important than a humans well being makes me want to puke ..it;s a plain and simple choice now …the fact that Tory are driving stuff makes Britain a mocking for the whole world,,,imo hitler may as well as won,you stupid greedy selfish morons…dead hero’s for a judicial world of right v’s living self indulged facists ..go figure 2017 for yourselves ,in Britain no less ffs.
Land of hope and glory .
LikeLike
jo said:
ps..spitting image got it right,Bliar is a tory maleolvant piss and Thatcher ended up thinking she was a baroness,,, hitler of economic reform…started well I must admit against callaghan ,the knob union tit ,he ruining everything for everyone forever it seems..but she was no Macmillan ….. who by all accounts was more a socialist since we have seen since Atlee…Tory gov is the best for us all…but not this lasting foul smell of creepy bags of nothings we today call the tories ..I mean fk people what is this gov ? What deluded ‘we are good people’ supposed to mean when we vote for this shower…they aint tories they are not a government …Blair turned labour into a synagog,,tories have turned politics into a disgrace of authoritarian rule 1984 style …vote them out and hold these people to account for christs sake whoever takes the mantle on.They are human beings in a job for us, not for themselves or their employees ..it isnt a right, its a will…think will you .
ahh wishful thinking..it gets you nowhere doesnt it .
LikeLike