BBC Bias #1

I mentioned this in my post on PMQs yesterday, but it deserves a post of its own as the BBC's Nick Robinson really was out of order yesterday in his remarks about Cameron's decision to go on the tragic story of Baby P.

As a reminder, this is what he wrote on his blog yesterday (points he had made earlier on the BBC's Daily Politics):

"It's clear that David Cameron was much keener to talk about this case rather than about the topic pretty much everyone expected him to raise - the economy. Before PMQs began, he had written a piece for the London Evening Standard which they'd splashed on their front page. This may have been because he felt passionately about it. It may also have been because he wanted to avoid a debate about taxes and the case for a fiscal stimulus - a view that would have been reinforced by today's comments by the governor of the Bank of England which posed some very awkward questions for the Tories.

What's also clear is that Labour backbenchers were relishing the prospect of a political punch-up on the economy. That's why they shouted when the Tory leader chose another subject. That, perhaps, is what was in the prime minister's mind when he suggested that Cameron was playing politics.

My immediate reaction on the Daily Politics on BBC2 was to say that the prime minister had shown a "political tone-deafness" to the mood outside Westminster and that Mr Cameron probably could not believe his "political luck" that he managed to avoid talking about the economy. Labour's John Cruddas and the Lib Dems' Charles Kennedy - who were in the studio with me - agreed. Interestingly, some who were watching in the Commons gallery did not. They thought the Tory leader's visible loss of temper showed him in a very poor light."

This is absolute biased nonsense with Robinson seeking to defend and offer excuses for the shameful behaviour of Gordon Brown and Labour MPs at ever turn.

I just don't get why Cameron would not want to go on the economy. If you were to just listen to Robinson and the rest of the BBC you would think that Cameron is responsible for the shit we find ourselves in, not Gordon who presided over the Treasury as Chancellor for a decade spending vast sums of our money irresponsibly and who has now just dumped his fiscal rules which were the very bedrock of his economic policy (the equivalent to Labour of the ERM to the Tories).

Robinson over blows comments the Governor of the Bank of England made about a fiscal stimulus being a positive temporary measure and says Cameron effectively used Baby P because it meant he would not have to face questions about tax during PMQs. But hang on there Nicky boy... Cameron had his own aces on the economy to go on. He had the prediction that unemployment would be 2 million by Christmas. A nice present from Father Gordon. Cameron also had the Governor's prediction that the economy would contract by 2 percent next year. So if anything, a debate on the economy would have ended as a score draw. In addition, why should Cameron have faced difficult questions? It is Prime Minister's Questions, not Leader of the Opposition's Questions - no matter how much Brown likes to pervert the half hour. Robinson is also insinuating that Cameron ran away from the economy. I'm sorry, but out of the two leaders, it is clear from past behaviour that the only coward, the only man lacking in courage, is Gordon Brown who has repeatedly ducked difficulties and run away like good ol' McCavity whenever the going gets tough. Moreover, it is clear from the beginning of the exchange that Cameron intended to get on to the economy - he even said so - but that he was so taken aback by Brown's response that he could not let the issue drop. Robinson is being disingenuous to suggest otherwise.

As for the excuse he gave for the behaviour of Labour MPs - that they were expecting a heated debate on the economy - this is no justification. These are grown men and women who behaved outrageously. The Speaker, Michael Martin, had the heart and political nous to realise that the Labour MPs were out of order and he had to repeatedly remind them that what was being discussed was the death of a baby. The Speaker has taken some flak for his reported bias towards Labour but even he could see Labour MPs were in the wrong, even if Robinson couldn't and felt compelled to defend the indefensible!

As for Robinson's assertion that Jon Cruddas and Charles Kennedy agreed with his analysis in the Daily Politics studio, i would suggest that he is as "tone deaf" as the Prime Minister. They certainly did not agree with him! They said Cameron was right to bring up the story and that the Prime Minister and Labour MPs had misjudged the mood by their response.

Finally, Cameron losing his rag showed he was passionate about an appalling tragedy. Brown's apparent calmness, prepared script and focus on procedure made him look out of touch, cold-hearted and lacking in empathy. But that's not what Robinson reported. Oh no, no mention of Brown lacking humanity, only Cameron showing himself in a "very poor light." No Nick, Gordon Brown, Labour and you were shown in a "very poor light" yesterday.

The BBC really needs to get its act together. Robinson did not like the outcome of PMQs yesterday because it did not fit into the new narrative he is partly responsible for constructing - that is, 'Gordon the comeback king', 'Gordon the saviour'. Labour weren't the only ones wanting the economy to take centre stage at PMQs - Nick Robinson and the BBC wanted it too. But PMQs showed Brown in a very poor light and reminded us of his failings as a Prime Minister whenever the subject moves beyond his economic comfort zone. It also reminded us, as Guido put it yesterday, that "Gordon is Emotionally Retarded."

I could not have put it better myself!