Bigotgate

[Govangirl]

I've just watched the news and thought for a minute that either another volcano had erupted over Britain or maybe the world had imploded! There everybody was enjoying the lovely wee cosy debates on TV and the exciting technological red, blue and yellow squiggly lines that they show us across the screens on an irritatingly regular basis when Wham! A wee racist wumman gives her view on the way to buy a loaf, a politician actually gives a real view and that's the whole political landscape changed and the election sewed up! What the!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please, by all means have folk changing their vote but do it based on policy / education / crime / health / the economic situation / the environment / anything but hysterical media stirrers frantically competing for wind-up rights!

[EMDEE]

What a storm in a teacup! GB did walk into it though, he should have been aware of microphones in the vicinity.

Was John Major not also caught by a microphone in 1993 calling three of his cabinet members "bastards"? That too was meant to be a private conversation.

[Bobh]

Firstly it was a GB advisor who led the woman to GB for a chat. The microphone was put on Brown with his agreement. His advisor forgot to remove it. It just reiterates the saying 'never trust a politician'.

I thought it was shocking what he did and said. The woman -Gillian Duffy, was shocked by what she heard when the tape was played back. She was open, honest and certainly not offensive. He shook her hand warmly then went in to typical Brown mode- not prepared for a question on imigration, who put this woman to me, the press will use it, quote 'she a bigoted woman'.

If i ever thought about voting Labour this saga would be the last straw on this ocaasion.

[Govangirl]

Are you really shocked Bob? Do you not agree that after Cameron's also farcical street meeting yesterday regarding special education that he too got in his car and had a wee rant about the plebs he's forced to chat with? The only 'crime' here is that GB was wearing a mike as stupid as it was but stupid is all that it was. What I find offensive is The Sun paying fifty grand to this wee woman for an exclusive interview with her tomorrow. So now it's Murdoch that's pulling the strings - again.

Personally, I think it's hilarious that there are still folk out there who believe ANY of these jokers actually care about the man on the street. I really do.

[£3.73]

Heah Heah Govangirl !

I guess people will be talking about this and not what the IMF is doing.

ie. getting countries over a barrel and offering them dodgy bailout loans with conditions - like slashing their public sector spending ! Greece being the latest casualty, maybe Spain & Portugal to follow, Other countries like post "act of god" Haiti have already succumbed quietly this year !

The truth is, I don't actualy have to rant and rave on here any more. The increasingly farcical series of events unfolding should be enough to convince anyone with half a brain that this ain't Kansas no more. (and it probably never really has been).

[History]

What a storm in a teacup! GB did walk into it though, he should have been aware of microphones in the vicinity.

Definitely a storm in a teacup. I don't see what all the hoo hah is about.

A voter comes up says what she thinks and GB goes into his car and says what he thinks. No big deal other than he's sorry he got heard and the voter is more affronted than offended. She then said she wanted left alone and followed that up with an interview with the SUN newspaper who didn't think her story newsworthy and according to their spokesman decided not to print it.

No fool like an old fool.

[Bertie]

History, I think you'll find that The Sun decided not to run the story because she refused to endorse their prefered candidate for the area not because it wasn't newsworthy (which it wasn't).

[Govangirl]

Bertie, maybe I'm just too cynical but I would bet they have that interview tucked up nicely under Murdoch's pillow and they will produce it at a much better opportunity, i.e depending on who does well in tonight's debate or more likely, the day before polling day.

[Bertie]

GG cynical?

Seriously, I don't think you're being cynical at all, in fact you're absolutely spot on. They'll keep it sitting there until there's a more appropriate time to use it. However, one thing you can be sure of, it will be a time that suits The Sun and no one else and the newsworthiness and the relevance of the story will be an afterthought.

To change tack slightly, I thought last night's debate was the best of all three.

[Bobh]

Why all the bitterness towards the Sun newspaper. It apparently outsells every other paper in the UK. I buy it amongst others and i enjoy it. I tought it was GB being bigoted not the Sun newspaper.

[bassett]

History, I think you'll find that The Sun decided not to run the story because she refused to endorse their prefered candidate for the area not because it wasn't newsworthy (which it wasn't).

I think you will find that she did not sell her story to the Sun,but to the Mail.

[Bertie]

I don't think I showed any bitterness to The Sun and I certainly never called them bigoted. I simply pointed out that, as most newspapers do, they have their own agenda and will use whatever material they have as and when it suits them. Also, as Bassett pointed out, I got the wrong newspaper anyway. In my defence, not being a reader of The Sun, I was simply responding to History's comment.

[History]

Hi Bertie

I am certainly confused now. I watched the review of the papers on one of the channels talking about the elction and the reviewer definitely said that the SUN had interviewed the woman and didn't think her story was "newsworthy and would not be running it in their next edition"

Don't suppose it really matters anyway. She is entitled to her opinon and if she IS offended who cares. Small blips like that won't change what voters have believed all their lives. There are much more important matters affecting voters.

I think Gordon Brown was too quick to apologise. He could have said that he wasn't talking about her but on the quiet he could have invited her for tea at No 10 . (While he still lives there)?

[Bertie]

You're not the only one History as I'm sure I noticed something on the front page of the Express yesterday too!!

Anyway, The Sun, Mail or Express.....what does it really matter. It kept us going for a couple of days.

[Govangirl]

I don't think I showed any bitterness to The Sun and I certainly never called them bigoted.

Well, I have and I do! And it certainly was the Sun that got her story and it is probable this election will be decided by Sun readers who believe the Murdoch.

And although I don't think this woman was a bigot, she did make a bigoted opinion.