AS many of you may know, I have another life as host of the TNT show on indyLive. Every Wednesday, at 7pm, we talk to a special guest for a full hour. Over 75 shows, we have interviewed the brightest and the best, including those ignored by mainstream broadcasters.
All our guests are distinctive, but the show on October 6 was exceptional. I had the rare pleasure of quizzing eminent philosopher, AC Grayling, for 60 minutes. Our postbag bulged with positive comments and praise after the show.
In many ways, Anthony Grayling represents the best of thinking on the left of British politics. He loathes the present UK Government and wants it replaced as soon as possible.
Yet he despairs that the left cannot reach an accommodation with other progressive parties to bring this about. For him, it is inconceivable that the Labour Party leadership is not striving every muscle to make this happen. As he points out, this is a government with minority electoral support when compared to the other parties combined, but it commands Westminster because of the skewed first past the post voting system.
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This Tory government has driven a coach and horses through the minimal protections afforded by the British constitution. Thus, they may command at will.
Where are Labour’s plans to correct a constitution made mad through abuse? They have been promising to abolish the House of Lords for almost a century and are no closer to doing so. Indeed, by making new appointments to it, they endorse its place as arguably the world’s largest non-elected, law-making body. Labour lacks the drive and ideas to enlist public support, so languishes behind the most disastrous UK administration in living memory.
Labour is soft on Brexit exploitation and regards the decision as a “done deal”. In effect, they hand the Tory government a free pass to interpret Brexit as they wish. In turn, this means that Labour is locked into the wishes of the far right.
Amongst these Brexit abuses, we now discover that the UK never meant to honour the Northern Ireland protocol that it negotiated and signed.
Think about the wider implications of this move. Countries around the world will now be asking themselves if any agreement they now have with the UK is worth the paper it is printed on. Those with any sense will be looking for other – more ethical – trading partners. And who would blame them?
This comes at a time when the British government is hauling its sorry ass around the world trying to set up trade deals under the heading of “Global Britain”. Why on earth would any state in its right mind agree to trade with a country that has declared it feels free to break any agreement with it? Unless of course we are talking about questionable or desperate regimes. Even then, they are likely to demand and get huge penalties for any breach of contract. In one fell swoop, “Global Britain” has become “Global Pariah”.
Grayling told me he regards Brexit as an unmitigated disaster. He sees it as a colossal failure of the British state. And it has changed his mind on independence for Scotland. In 2014, he was opposed to a separate Scottish state. His reasons then were largely emotional. Born in Africa, he saw Britain in its entirety as the mother country.
Brexit changed his mind. He told me that not only does he now favour an independent Scotland, but also that he would campaign for it. The Yes movement ought to grab this offer with both hands. Articulate, connected, heavyweight thinkers from outside Scotland who support independence are as scarce as rocking horse droppings. The Yes movement needs him.
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Moving on, here is a question for you. Who is Steve Carson? I’ll give you a clue. He says BBC Scotland is doing “fantastically well”, despite falling viewing figures. Mistaken he may be, but Irishman Steve heads up BBC Scotland. So, his views – however wayward – affect your viewing.
Reporting to him, presumably, is Gary Smith so-called head of news and current affairs. Unsurprisingly, Gary believes his The Nine show is “very good”: again, despite poor viewing figures. To put this assertion into context, some data suggests the TNT show, on occasion, has more viewers.
Do remember “a fish rots from the head down” when you next see poor quality output from BBC Scotland. Don’t blame the reporters.
In case you feel I am being hard on the Beeb; know that they have refused invitations to give their side on the TNT show. That invitation remains on the table.
Journalist Jackie Kemp is Wednesday’s guest on the TNT show. Join us October 20 at 7pm on IndyLive
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