The local BBC are broadcasting a live TV debate between the “Four Main Candidates” – none of whom has anything interesting to say – on 22 July at 22.15. I am excluded lest I say something voters might actually care about. Like the need to end the war in Afghanistan, where our troops are dying to protect a government of corrupt warlords and heroin dealers, in the interests of the right of US companies to build oil and gas pipelines over Afghanistan from Central Asia.
I have of course been Ambassador to neighbouring Uzbekistan and know what I am talking about. Much better to exclude me therefore.
With Michael Crick of Newsnight following Chloe Smith around Taverham and Drayton yesterday like an obedient if over-excited lapdog, the media are treating the by-election as the coronoation of the blessed Chloe. Time I think that some of the less convenient facts about her were exposed – like her attempt to be MP for Ipswich, which will be very unpopular here in Norwich. The media know about this, but are keeping it quiet not to upset their putative new masters.
So I had fun with this. Hope you do too.
http://www.putanhonestman.org/
Incidentally, yesterday Chloe was walking along the main road with five minders, while six minor lackeys including Iain Dale ran ahead from house to house rousing the inhabitants and asking them if they wanted to meet Chloe Smith. She went for at least half a mile and not one person took up the offer. The voters may be less inclined than the media to assume they have to vote for her.
The BBC, dependent on politicians good will when it comes to the franchise process, are effectivley promoting voter apathy and despondency by their stance on covering the sleaze parties.
In their desperation to make out that all is OK and best forgotten, they have not reconed with the voter, whi I suspect will ‘do different’.
It is quiet sad to see the BBC commandeering poor ol’ Michael crick around, telling him who to interview and who not, poor chap might loose his job if he dare talks to Craig and he looks very confused by the orders from above.
Dear Craig
I would make an offical complaint to the BBC, if they are not going to act fairly then burn up their cash.
I would also say to other bloggers to do likewise.
If they won’t give you time then use up their time.
Keep going mate; I hope you win.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
“Like the need to end the war in Afghanistan, where our troops are dying to protect a government of corrupt warlords and heroin dealers, in the interests of the right of US companies to build oil and gas pipelines over Afghanistan from Central Asia.”
“I have of course been Ambassador to neighbouring Uzbekistan and know what I am talking about. Much better to exclude me therefore.”…
http://tinyurl.com/av3tcd
and here…
tinyurl.com/loqeo4
Dear Craig
If you get elected then don’t do a BBC interview.
Say sorry but the real press comes first then walk away.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Wot? Use the armed forces to defend Britain and no more neo-colonial invasions to pinch other nations’ wealth?
The grey suits will be splitting and morphing into green nintendos, intent only on destroying the voice of SENSE and TRUTH coming from Norwich North.
Wishing you well, Craig.
This is just so stupid, why bother even having a by election when the media wish for someone to win anyway. There is clearly a public interest in view of corruption and cleaning up politics. There is nothing to police the executive, that is what the legislature is supposed to do.
Jack Straw visits Brickmakers, whatever for? William Hague goes to Hellesdon, why bother? There appears to be clearly a frustration where no-one gives a monkies about what Norwich North wishes which is simple policies and utilising taxes. Simple an MP’s dinner or an operation for someone possibly a few weeks early.
Since the British media won’t talk to you, why not hold a little demonstration outside the venue where the four government-approved candidates are being interviewed, and invite foreign media to hear your side of things? If the authorities are foolish enough to try to arrest your supporters, that might bring even more welcome publicity. So be equipped with small fly posters suitable for showing to live cameras if the opportunity arises.
No problem. According to Paddy Power and Ladbrokes you are in the top 4.
You’ve been found out. I wasn’t in Norwich yesterday. Or the day before. You make it up as you go along, don’t you?
I was out all day yesterday with the Conservative campaign and can vouch for the fact that Iain Dale was not there.
It seems to be one conspiracy theory after another with our friend Mr. Murray.
Am I the only one that is starting to tire of it now?!
“The Guardian 13 July 2009. Poll shows rise in support for troops in Afghanistan – ICM poll shows growing support for UK presence in Afghanistan” – because most people know and accept that the Taleban is an evil bunch of misogynistic bastards who need to be put in their place.
Iain Dale
Do you think ‘our’ adventures in Afghanistan have nothing to do with protecting a “government of corrupt warlords and heroin dealers, in the interests of the right of US companies to build oil and gas pipelines over Afghanistan from Central Asia.” ?
Iain Dale slags off Craig Murray on his own blog and here states…
“You’ve been found out. I wasn’t in Norwich yesterday. Or the day before. You make it up as you go along, don’t you?”
But then goes on to admit
“And when I was with Chloe on Friday and Saturday she had no minders (apart from Angela Browning), we didn’t canvas a main road”
Well that’s hardly mass deception on Craig Murray’s part is it?
All he has to do is edit the word yesterday and add that you didn’t dare even show your faces in a main road?
What was the problem? Surely not too many Norfolk Mawther’s throwing rotten tomatoes?
Tony
Good luck Craig, I hope your victory will be the start of something positive in UK politics, it’s badly needed!
It’s not just Crick!
I caught the Daily Politics today & they had brief interviews with 5 of the Norwich North candidates – Cons, Lab, Lib Dem, UKIP and Greens. With some of the comments along the lines of (iirc):
– ‘independently minded’ from Lab;
– ‘against sleaze’ from Greens;
I couldn’t help but feel that, with comments like these begging a response and given Craig’s interesting candidacy, the Daily Politics seemed to be going out of their way NOT to mention Craig at all.
It’s getting to the point where I’m seriously considering not paying the BBC licence fee; just de-tune the tv, spend the money on DVDs, get my news from t’internet and say goodbye to a bunch of near-hysterical overpaid jobsworths.
“most people know and accept that the Taleban is an evil bunch of misogynistic bastards who need to be put in their place”
Afghanistan is their place and they’re already there. The point is that most people do not know – and if they did would not accept – the real reason for our presence in Afghanistan.
eddie
The Taliban. You might be interested in this report:http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/talkingtothetaliban/
@eddie:
“The Guardian 13 July 2009. Poll shows rise in support for troops in Afghanistan – ICM poll shows growing support for UK presence in Afghanistan”
The poll showed absolutely nothing of the kind. Despite the spin the paper’s front page tried to put on the figures, the accompanying graphic showed that most people are OPPOSED to continued UK involvement in Afghanistan’s civil war.
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/ writes:
“After a long whine about how the BBC has excluded him from a live TV debate (they clearly see him as the joke candidate he is)”
*they clearly see him as the joke candidate he is*
Can you explain this “they”?
Who are “they”!
And why do “they” “clearly see” ?
Iain Dale.
So apart from the fact Iain wasn’t there yesterday, the fact Chloe wasn’t surrounded by minders and the fact they didn’t canvas a main road even when Iain was there Craig’s telling the truth?
What a joker.
Mrs Dale does not appear to know where she is, or when…
http://twitter.com/iaindale/statuses/2629331518
James Manning – you might want to define the word “truth”, I suspect that Craig’s idea as to the meaning of the word differs from that of the rest of the population.
“And when I was with Chloe on Friday and Saturday”
That explains it then. Craig must have wrote it on Sunday meaning to put it on his blog…he was so busy he didn’t get around to doing it until today…Understandable really.
Iain Dale
You said…”I wasn’t in Norwich yesterday. Or the day before”…What happened?. Did Chloe Smith think you were useless and gave you the sack?. Do tell us.
“And when I was with Chloe on Friday and Saturday she had no minders (apart from Angela Browning)”
I wonder if Angela Browning was given Chloe some tips on how to claim expenses?…
http://tinyurl.com/kwfplo
Man this Ian dale sounds more hysterical, by the minute; “you have been found out” he exclaims!!
Well slap my thigh, has he found the smoking gun that outs Craig as the sixth man after Anthony Blunt, supplying nuclear secrets to USSR?
Nope!
Has dale found out that Craig wrote up the Iraq Dossier; injecting forty five minutes until Saddam’s mushroom clouds?
Nope!
Well what has dale found out?
Oh, well, Craig has mixed up the days!!!!!
Now that is some getting found out, boy what a debagging awaits Craig, only Lord knows!!!
These conservatives are an excitable lot, aren’t they? Excitable enough to appoint; Grammar Police, Hall Monitors, Poster Prefects, and now Time Sheet Attendants.
Never mind running around door to door begging and pleading with the occupants for cooperation and a couple of kind words on the Telly for that nice tv man; “yes my dog always prefers to bite the conservative candidates, rather than the labor candidates, and he is ever so particular about who he bites”.
Nope, dale is happy he has found out the mix up in the time sheet!!!!
Pitiful, just pitiful, even more pitiful the anonymous post that dale thought he can shove in just to register his disdain even more.
Back on the subject; did the Tories really think they can shove the left overs of Ipswich down the Norwich throat, and get away with it too?
Man lies. Other man says: “You lied.”
Friends of man say: “Yeah, well, so what if he lied? It might have been true. And then… BOY! You’d have been so very, very sorry, if it had been true!”
Other man says: “Great supporters you have.”
OK, Here’s your follow up leaflet:
Chloe Smith
so bad
even
Ipswich
rejected her!
Regards
Stuart
Gosh, Craig Murray might (or might not) have mis-remembered on which day Iain Dale was in Norwich trying to be Chloe Smith’s minder. What an evil liar that man Murray is!
You’ve been found out, Iain Dale. You are resorting to hysterical, petty quibbling. You’re getting pretty scared and wobbly, aren’t you?
Mrs Dale always finds a lot to be shrill about when there is something to hide. In this case the inconvenient fact is that her candidate is not “a Norfolk girl through and through”. That is a misrepresentation. She wasn’t born there.
These things tend to matter in Norfolk.
@Derek P –
This might interest you:
http://www.bbctvlicence.com/index.htm
If enough people switch off and stop paying for a licence the BBC will no longer be the propaganda mouthpiece of the government. Hit them where it hurts.