Wednesday 20 August 2014

Farage running scared of Panorama & Conor Spackman

Farage has made an idiot of himself in his panic over the latest BBC UKIP hating  Panorama investigation into UKIP's financial affairs. The main BBC investigative journalist is a large Irishman called Conor Spackman who cut his journalistic teeth in Northern Ireland during the so called troubles. He still seems to be based in Northern Ireland as his Panorama UKIP investigative team also seem to be based. A Google search for background information on Mr Spackman shows very little presumably to guard his personal safety. He seems a man used to dealing with tough nuts.

I reproduce below Farage's silly complaints to BBC Panorama boss Elizabeth Byrne. Its all good stuff for the diminshing band of UKIP faithful and increasing band of UKIP Tory moles.

"Dear Elizabeth, RE: Panorama Rehash of Times Campaign Against UKIP

"Thank you for your letter, the contents of which I have given careful consideration to and quite frankly are a rehash of a series of overtly hostile articles published in the Times during the run up to the May 2014 European Elections in which I hope you will note that over 4.3 million people voted for UKIP and we are now the biggest British party in the European Parliament.
"Having established that your line of questioning is in no way original or "fresh to the market", it is apparent from the tenor of your questions and the approach being taken by you that you are adopting a specific agenda which clearly conflicts with the well accepted BBC principles that a programme for public consumption should be fair and balanced.
"Regretfully, the concept of Panorama as judge and jury on (last century and ten-year-old) allegations which have been well dealt with by me in the past does not fulfill the BBC's charter obligations, or for that matter, its role.
"Accordingly, I can give you no further assistance and should point out to you that should you wish to proceed with this programme, I expect you to read out, without interruption, in full and without censorship, the entire contents of this letter.
"As you well know, our party is now in receipt of at least two new supporters for every ex-Conservative supporter and I wonder if it is your Labour contacts that have interested you in this project, which has previously been utilised by a panicking Conservative Party.
"A Panorama programme aimed at explaining the workings of the EU, as your Charter obliges you to do, would be far more beneficial to the British people than a tedious BBC hatchet job at the behest of your pro-EU contacts.
"Finally, if you fail to read out and place on screen this letter in any programme you choose to broadcast, this will be brought to the attention of the BBC governors and of course OFCOM.
"This letter is my final word on the matter so please do not continue the correspondence with me."
This is pure gold for the Panorama wordsmiths.
Firstly Farage has not dealt with the various allegations UKIP financial impropriety stretching back over the last 10 to 15 years. He has frequently resorted to bullying litigation that has ended up costing UKIP a great deal of money. He has never provide clear ansers to questions such as where are full details of his claimed expenses over the last 15 years. Why he continued to employ his wife when as a result of the 2010 parliamentary expenses scandal even died in the wool Tories gave up putting their wives on the public payroll as 'secretaries'.
His demand for Panorama to read out his letter in full is simply a demand for the BBC to cede editorial control to Farage in this matter. It is completely unacceptable to the BBC who rightly prize their editorial control on all their output above everything else. Their board of governors will rightly back them 100% in this matter as will OFCOM.
I expect Panorama to say something along the lines that they asked Mr Farage for an interview but his demand for editorial control was unaccepable. This has never been conceded to any politician let alone the leader of a party without a single MP. It will simply encourage BBC that there is a story here and they will dig deeper. Better to have waited until after the programmed has been broadcast and reply to any relevant allegations then. Most of Farge's letter is irrelevant bluster that he should keep for his pantomime performances in Brussels. It will cut no ice with the BBC, Mr Spackman or the wider British establishment. It makes UKIP look more and more like a cult and less and less a serious political party.. 


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Its Conor McIntyre where did you get Spackman" from?? (BTW He is Donal's brother and a highly respected journalist.