Election Year or Fear!

[ramAnag]

I'm not sure I can remember a time when opposition parties were not constantly trying to discredit and undermine the Government. It's sort of their job isn't it

Which is all part of the problem. Although if the Tories could remember that the mess we’re in stems from 14 years and five PM’s worth of shambolic leadership and Reform would recognise that Farage, for all his outspoken bluster and bandwagon riding, has offered no solutions whatsoever, it might help.

The Lib Dem’s and the Greens doubtless disagree with many aspects of Government policy but I don’t think they simply indulge in a constant stream of self serving negativity.

[Andy_Faber]

Which is all part of the problem. Although if the Tories could remember that the mess we’re in stems from 14 years and five PM’s worth of shambolic leadership and Reform would recognise that Farage, for all his outspoken bluster and bandwagon riding, has offered no solutions whatsoever, it might help.

The Lib Dem’s and the Greens doubtless disagree with many aspects of Government policy but I don’t think they simply indulge in a constant stream of self serving negativity.

Labour certainly have the high ground here, because I'm pretty sure the chance to utter the phrase 'It stems from 14 years of shambolic leadership' will never arise for any of the other leaders - 5 years if they're very lucky.

The Greens disagree with a lot of sensible/obvious/irrefutable things if they fall in behind their crackpot leader but their existence may hold the key to the balance of power at the next election, likewise the lib dems and whatever other fringe parties pop up

[ramAnag]

Labour certainly have the high ground here, because I'm pretty sure the chance to utter the phrase 'It stems from 14 years of shambolic leadership' will never arise for any of the other leaders - 5 years if they're very lucky.

The Greens disagree with a lot of sensible/obvious/irrefutable things if they fall in behind their crackpot leader but their existence may hold the key to the balance of power at the next election, likewise the lib dems and whatever other fringe parties pop up

You have a point, but one example this morning rather made mine. The Tories have been banging on for weeks about how terrible it is that Rachel Reeves is, allegedly, planning income tax rises in the forthcoming budget, yet when it was ‘leaked’ earlier today that income tax rises will not feature, they immediately changed their tune to how disgraceful and chaotic it is that Rachel Reeves has had to change her mind.

[swaledale]

There you go MA - Google it

Indeed and if you could just google Telegraph Corrections, the Newspaper itself lists its corrections.

But as it appears you are either not able to do this, or refuse to do so because it would put an end to your constant and rather tiresome attempts to discredit my basic point, I've copied and pasted some of those corrections from the Telegraph website.

Note INovember 11, 2025

An article ‘Police force accused of LGBT bias’ (Nov,8) stated in a picture caption that ‘Officers from the Wiltshire force took part in Swindon’s Pride parade in the summer’ this was incorrect. We are happy to correct the record.

November 5, 2025

An article “Reeves to ban luxury cars for benefit claimants” (Nov, 2) stated that those who receive the higher rate of PIP, worth £187.45 per week, can agree to send the money to Motability instead. The scheme in fact allows people on the highest rate of mobility PIP, worth £77.05 per week, to use their mobility payments to lease a car. We are happy to correct the record.

November 3, 2025

An article “First-cousin marriage has ‘benefits’, says NHS guidance despite birth defect risk” (Sept, 28) reported that NHS guidance had highlighted the benefits of first cousin marriage. The NHS document concerned was in fact an article published for informational or educational purposes. We are happy to correct the record.

October 25, 2025

An article “Fewer than one in five shoplifting cases solved” (Oct,24) incorrectly stated the proportion of shoplifting offences resulting in a charge had fallen on the previous year. In fact, the proportion increased on the previous year, but fell to 18 per cent between April and June, down from 19.7 per cent in the same quarter of the previous year. We are happy to correct the record.

October 24, 2025

An article ‘Britain could get more anti-Semitic than Arab states’ (Oct, 19), stated in the standfirst that ‘Hamas may have killed more Palestinians since the ceasefire than Israel in the whole war’ which was incorrect. We are happy to correct the record.

October 22, 2025

An article ‘British trader uses post-Brexit loophole to relocate to France and bypasses UK creditors’ (Dec, 1) suggested that Mr Peter Magurran had been accused of illegally shutting down his UK-registered company, Sinke Plumbing. We wish to clarify that the closure of Sinke Plumbing was triggered by Companies House issuing a compulsory strike off and not as a result of any application by Mr Magurran to dissolve his company. We are happy to correct the record.

October 21, 2025

An article ‘German police investigate author over tweets criticising Netanyahu’ (Oct, 19) reported that Mr Todenhöfer had been arrested and that his home had been raided. This was incorrect. Mr Todenhofer was not arrested and whilst the court issued an order to search his apartment, office, car, as well as to confiscate electronic devices these actions have not yet been carried out. The article has been amended and we are happy to correct the record.

An article “Cummings: China stole secrets in major hack” (Oct, 16) referred to a data security breach. We have been asked to make clear that the unnamed data storage company subject of the alleged breach is not Global Switch.

October 20, 2025

An article “‘Harry Pothole’: TV crew spells end to blight” (Oct,15) reported that a TV crew had repaired potholes in roads in Lustleigh, Devon. This was incorrect. The production company had in fact funded repairs to a footpath. We are happy to correct the record.

An article “Legal battle delays Reeves’s bond market growth push” (Oct,18) stated Ediphy’s turnover as being £541 last year. In fact, this was the 2023 figure. Its turnover figure last year was £744,333 . We are happy to correct the record

October 17, 2025

An article ‘Greta’s Gaza flotilla is nothing but a ship of fools’ (Sept, 27) stated that the convoy had been at sea for six weeks. At the time of publication it had not been at sea for this period of time. We are happy to correct the record. tv times

October 16, 2025

An article ‘Tennis has a padel problem - and LTA is stuck in the middle’ (October, 15) made reference to Padel Hub which has asked us to make clear that the business model and pricing structure examples given in the article are not an accurate representation of its business model and pricing structure. We are happy to correct the record.

The headlines to the articles ‘BBC to cut evening TV news to save money’ and ‘BBC to slash evening TV news in fresh spending cuts’ (Oct, 16) were inaccurate. Requested changes to the BBC’s operating licence concerned current affairs programming, not news. We are happy to correct the record.

October 15, 2025

An article “Farage pledges to expel hundreds of thousands of migrants” /”We will stop this scam on the British people” (Sept, 21) stated the cost of 800,000 “Boriswave” migrants gaining ILR will be at least £234 billion during their lifetimes. This figure was from a third party organisation which has confirmed it is disputed and will be updated. We are happy to correct the record.

October 14, 2025

An article ‘Britain paying highest electricity prices in the world for second year running’ (Sept, 30) and its headline have been amended to reflect the revision of the official data relied upon regarding electricity prices which showed Britain was second to Slovakia in 2023. It was incorrect to state it was paying the highest electricity prices for the second year running. We are happy to correct the record.

An article ‘Dirty Dancing Star’s gripe over trained talent’ (Oct 6) reported that a Strictly Come-Dancing professional had criticised the BBC for hiring celebrities with dance experience. In fact, Nadiya Bychkova was suggesting that celebrities with previous dance experience have an advantage over their rivals. We are happy to correct the record.

October 7, 2025

An article “National Gallery sells leather benches over safety fears” reported the National Gallery’s leather benches were from the Victorian era. This was inaccurate, the benches date from the late twentieth century.

September 30, 2025

An article “We’re running out of time to stop post-Covid mass migration from becoming permanent” (Sept, 12) stated that in 2022-23 nearly three quarters of immigrants on a “skilled worker” visa earned below the average UK salary. The research the author was referring to looked at how many visas were issued in 2022-23 for different job types on skilled worker routes and compared them with salary data for those occupations. The article therefore should have read that they were likely to be earning below the average UK salary. We are happy to correct the record.

September 23, 2025

Sergei Chernikov – apology

An article ‘Trump official who shut down counter-Russia agency has links to Kremlin’ (June, 3) erroneously stated that Mr Sergei Chernikov – and by association, his niece Ms Yulia Kirillova – had current ties to the Kremlin and to President Putin personally. This is false. In fact, neither Mr Chernikov nor Yulia Kirillova has any association with the Kremlin or President Putin. Mr Chernikov has lived away from Russia since 2008 and has not returned since 2020. It was also incorrect to state that Mr Chernikov once served as Deputy Governor of the Nenets region in Siberia, or that he received a personal note of thanks from Mr Putin for supporting his electoral victory in the 2000 election campaign. The article also omitted certain publicly available relevant facts, including that President Putin publicly condemned the key shareholders of Bashkir Soda Company (in which Mr. Chernikov held shares) prior to its expropriation. We apologise to Mr Chernikov, acknowledge the reputational harm caused and are happy to set the record straight.

September 16, 2025

The original standfirst, which appeared under the headline of this article - ‘Taxpayer-funded company helps foreign artists secure visas for £100’ - reported that 948,000 creatives had arrived in Britain on a ‘global talent visa’ by the end of 2024. This was inaccurate. As correctly reported in the article the figure of 948,000 refers to the total number of legal arrivals into the UK during that period, to which the global talent visa contributes.

September 01, 2025

An article “Labour-led council’s speed bumps ‘too short’ after locals campaigned for them for years” (Aug, 31) wrongly attributed the decision in respect of speed bumps to a ‘Labour - led council’. In fact Norfolk County Council, which is Tory-led, is responsible for roads in Norwich. We are happy to correct the record.

September 01, 2025

An article “Epping hotel judge ran socialist think tank” (Aug, 30) referred to Lord Justice Bean but was incorrectly illustrated with a picture of Mr Justice Eyre. We apologise for this error and are happy to correct the record.

August 26, 2025

An article “This jewellers’ new chief is overhauling strategy and it’s starting to pay off” (Aug,21) stated that Mr Ratner called Ratners jewellery ‘total crap’. He was in fact describing another of its products, not jewellery. We are happy to correct the record.


August 15, 2025

An article ‘Ex-Harvard professor says trans rights are ‘social contagion’ and its headline have been amended to reflect that when Prof Doyle spoke of a ‘social contagion’ he was referring not to trans rights as previously reported but the surge in the number of children presenting as transgender. We are happy to correct the record.

I've not cherry picked these in anyway, just copied the latest that appear, I haven't even read them.

[swaledale]

Nothing to do with me agreeing with Swale, although I unapologetically do on this matter. All to do with your apparent reluctance/inability to differentiate between corrections and upheld complaints. Google it!

I've posted a few direct from the Telegraph website just to make him STFU!!

I'm genuinely puzzled as to why he has been like a deranged dog with a bone on what I thought was a relatively straightforward point. That yes the BBC made an error of judgement, but a paper like the Telegraph which makes numerous similar errors (although in many cases they can be shown to be deliberate exaggerations, knowing full well the intended headline will register with far more people than the correction will do later on) making claims that the BBC is effectively not fit for purpose is pure hypocrisy.

But then as the saying goes, people believe what they want to believe.

Anyway hopefully that brings this particular bout of foolishness to an end!

[Andy_Faber]

You have a point, but one example this morning rather made mine. The Tories have been banging on for weeks about how terrible it is that Rachel Reeves is, allegedly, planning income tax rises in the forthcoming budget, yet when it was ?leaked? earlier today that income tax rises will not feature, they immediately changed their tune to how disgraceful and chaotic it is that Rachel Reeves has had to change her mind.

yes all very childish/predictable on both sides.

[Andy_Faber]

I've posted a few direct from the Telegraph website just to make him STFU!!

I'm genuinely puzzled as to why he has been like a deranged dog with a bone on what I thought was a relatively straightforward point. That yes the BBC made an error of judgement, but a paper like the Telegraph which makes numerous similar errors (although in many cases they can be shown to be deliberate exaggerations, knowing full well the intended headline will register with far more people than the correction will do later on) making claims that the BBC is effectively not fit for purpose is pure hypocrisy.

But then as the saying goes, people believe what they want to believe.

Anyway hopefully that brings this particular bout of foolishness to an end!

It does, because we can now all agree that The Telegraph (who as a by the by we aren't forced to pay for) and BBC (who we are) peddle lies to suit their agenda, Telegraph more, but BBC it would appear more costly (potentially)

[ramAnag]

It does, because we can now all agree that The Telegraph (who as a by the by we aren't forced to pay for) and BBC (who we are) peddle lies to suit their agenda, Telegraph more, but BBC it would appear more costly (potentially)

Much more costly to buy the Telegraph than a TV Licence though Andy and the BBC does give you access to much more for your money.

Interesting perhaps that the Telegraph repeatedly just says glibly, ‘we are happy to correct the record’. Shouldn’t the BBC have that opportunity too?

[Andy_Faber]

Much more costly to buy the Telegraph than a TV Licence though Andy and the BBC does give you access to much more for your money.

Interesting perhaps that the Telegraph repeatedly just says glibly, ‘we are happy to correct the record’. Shouldn’t the BBC have that opportunity too?

Don?t see how those first two points are relevant

As you probably recall, one of my many ?hats? is (actually, from recently, was) as editor of a newsagent-stocked magazine. I?ve looked through the Telegraph list that Swale was so desperate to post, and a reasonable amount of examples were no different to the type of minor league cock up I used to happily offer corrections/addenda to with no hard feelings either way. Quantity does not equal quantity and BBC?s misdemeanour was high quality. In media as in real life, no action can be taken with a guarantee of reaction

[ramAnag]

Don?t see how those first two points are relevant

As you probably recall, one of my many ?hats? is (actually, from recently, was) as editor of a newsagent-stocked magazine. I?ve looked through the Telegraph list that Swale was so desperate to post, and a reasonable amount of examples were no different to the type of minor league cock up I used to happily offer corrections/addenda to with no hard feelings either way. Quantity does not equal quantity and BBC?s misdemeanour was high quality. In media as in real life, no action can be taken with a guarantee of reaction

Again you have a point, but it was you that introduced into the debate us all having to pay for the licence fee and I was just pointing out that, in measurable terms, subscription via the licence fee costs around 48p per day (I can actually think of nothing offering better value) whereas daily subscription to the Daily Telegraph costs around 3.64 per day.

When you consider what the two figures entitle you to there really is no comparison and when you consider that the BBC, with all that it produces and a far greater audience, has had to make many fewer ‘corrections’ than the Telegraph - some were far from ‘minor league’ - then it is perhaps time to stop the BBC bashing.

As regards the Trump matter specifically. I totally agree with their stance today. Apologise for the clumsy, unprofessional, slightly misleading and foolish editing, but tell him to go to hell (albeit politely) as far as recompense for reputational damage is concerned.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Indeed the BBC have possibly suffered more reputational damage than the Donald has - although clearly self inflicted. As regards compensation he can **** off.

[swaledale]

Don?t see how those first two points are relevant

As you probably recall, one of my many ?hats? is (actually, from recently, was) as editor of a newsagent-stocked magazine. I?ve looked through the Telegraph list that Swale was so desperate to post, and a reasonable amount of examples were no different to the type of minor league cock up I used to happily offer corrections/addenda to with no hard feelings either way. Quantity does not equal quantity and BBC?s misdemeanour was high quality. In media as in real life, no action can be taken with a guarantee of reaction

Desperate to post???? How did you reach that conclusion? I posted them purely because GP continually implied that my original post was an exaggeration.

Some of those errors are far from minor league and done (IMO) deliberately to exaggerate a point knowing that the original headline would be read by for more people than the correction. My simple point being that a media organisation that practices such exaggeration on a regular basis when publishing news, is not a credible one to be attacking the BBC for its editorial practices.

AS for the BBC misdemeanour being high quality, mm most reasonable people would surely look at it and think, it was foolish and unnecessary, but it terms of offence and reputational damage it ranks the same as prisoners who claim a higher moral standard for just having murdered somebody as against one who is a *** offender.

[swaledale]

Indeed the BBC have possibly suffered more reputational damage than the Donald has - although clearly self inflicted. As regards compensation he can **** off.

Trump has suffered no reputational damage.

[MadAmster]

Trump has suffered no reputational damage.

If your rep isn't a good one, far from it, how can it be damaged?

[swaledale]

You have a point, but one example this morning rather made mine. The Tories have been banging on for weeks about how terrible it is that Rachel Reeves is, allegedly, planning income tax rises in the forthcoming budget, yet when it was ‘leaked’ earlier today that income tax rises will not feature, they immediately changed their tune to how disgraceful and chaotic it is that Rachel Reeves has had to change her mind.

To an extent. though Labour have IMO ****ed up here, I do really wonder which bozo is running this strategy.