Sorry, Newsnight

I now feel like an absolute heel. I just had to turn down going on Newsnight against John Prescott tonight. Why? Because I was already committed to doing the Sky News paper review at 11.30. To me, sticking to what I had promised was the honourable thing to do. The last thing I ever want to get is a reputation for ditching one programme for another, just because that programme is better known and has a higher rating. Suffice to say, the Newsnight producer was less than impressed. Just goes to show, you can't please all of the people all of the time. So instead of doing battle with John Prescott, I shall be on Sky with Labour peer Baroness Billingham. I may keep telling myself I have done the right and proper thing, but I reckon an invitation from Newsnight won't be winging its my way for some time.

Move Along Now, Nothing to See

The new editor of Newsnight has replied to my post from Monday, which critiqued the Dragon's Pen section the programme which featured four Labour sympathising personalities. His general attitude is 'move along now, nothing to see' and how each of them wasn't really that left wing. The day the BBC ever features a programme featuring myself, Tim Montgomerie, Danny Finkelstein and Fraser Nelson is the day I will admit he has a point. And pigs might fly. Read what he has to say HERE.

UPDATE: Tim Montgomerie has fisked Peter Rippon's defence HERE. Tim writes:

"Speaking to one of Newsnight's team yesterday they admitted that the programme had "F**ked up". We'd all respect the BBC more if they admitted mistakes more readily rather than attempting to defend the indefensible."

And This Passes for Balance on the BBC...

I didn't see Newsnight tonight for reasons I will come to in the next post, but if I had seen it I would have been spitting the same blood as Tim Montgomerie HERE. Which bright spark of a producer thought of having a Dragon's Den panel of four Labour sympathisers - with not a single LibDem or Tory in sight?

Lord Digby Jones (former Labour Minister)
Deborah Mattinson (Gordon Brown's pollster)
Matthew Taylor (Blair's Head of Policy)
Greg Dyke (former Labour donor)

This panel was put together to identify public spending cuts. I don't think even the stoutest defender of the BBC could mount a defence on this. How is this politically balanced? it's not just unbalanced, it's a downright insult. Perhaps the countless Newsnight staffers who read this blog would like to email me with an explanation. I'd love to hear it.

Ian Hislop Lays Into Bloggers

I never watch Newsnight Review as its guests are usually so far up their own arses they speak a language normal mortals don't begin to understand. But so many people have emaled to ask if I saw it last night that I thought I'd take a look on iPlayer. Reviewing IN THE LOOP and STATE OF PLAY were Michael Portillo, Ian Hislop and the fragrant Clemency Burton-Hill.

I don't now what had happened in the green room, but Ian Hislop clearly took a dislike to Michael Portillo. He then launched into an attack on bloggers, and Guido Fawkes in particular demonstrating a woeful misunderstanding of what had happened in the McBride affair. It's exactly the kind of story which PRIVATE EYE specialises in, yet he seemed to think it not fit to publish either in a newspaper or on a blog! That particualr section is at about 16 minutes in.

Watch the programme HERE.

On Newsnight Scotland Tonight

Busy night tonight, so not much opportunity for blogging. Just off to a Conservatives Abroad reception - strangely held in this country - followed by dinner with Sir Patrick Cormack, followed by a debut appearance on Newsnight Scotland, where I shall be defending the honour of the English. I think. So if you happen to be north of the border (or in Berwick) do tune in at 11pm. I've got a particularly nice tie on today (passes sick bag...).

UPDATE: Much enjoyed the appearance. You can see it HERE until 23.00 on 20 Feb. The piece starts about 14 minutes in.

Can I Have my Blog Headlines on Newsnight Please?

The readership of my blog is bigger than the Morning Star. Should this mean that Newsnight carry my headlines on its programme? No, of course not. But I'd love to know the editorial justification for including the front page of the Morning Star in their paper previews. It's not a conventional daily newspaper. It provides readership for a cult, whose views are no longer relevant, if they ever were.

So here's a message to Newsnight's editor Peter Barron: Peter, do drop the MS from the paper review. It makes your programme look outdated and adds fuel to those who believe the BBC to be institutionally leftist. Surely the Mirror, Guardian and Indy are enough to keep your left of centre viewers happy!

PS Dizzy's also on the case. Tim Worstall explains why they bother with the MS.

UPDATE Fri 4pm: Peter Barron has emailed a response: "We only very occasionally run headlines from the Morning Star - although I'd never say never. It has however popped up a couple of times recently - due to a new system for putting the front page images on air.
Always happy to put less mainstream headlines on the programme when appropriate - no reason why that shouldn't include blogs too."

Alastair Campbell is a Liar, Says Howard

Paul Linford has a good summary of the Newsnight debate last night in which Michael Howard called Alastair Campbell a liar to his face. I only saw it this afternoon and it was quite a moment. Newsnight were obviously delighted as they sent out an email to their subscribers this afternoon urging people to watch it. It's now on Youtube, courtesy of Chicken Yoghurt. Watch and enjoy. Good on Michael Howard.

Michael Crick: Professional Troublemaker?

There's a very good piece in the Media Guardian today on Michael Crick, the newly appointed political editor of Newsnight. It's ironic given recent events that a lot of it is based around comments made about him on blogs. In the article Crick admits he was wrong to refer the Betsygate issue to the Parliamentary Standards commissioner.

The appointment of Michael Crick - TV journalism's foremost political sleuth-cum-anorak - as Newsnight's new political editor sent many a Tory-leaning blogger and their fans into a frenzy of keyboard-pecking. "How ridiculous!" fulminated Anthoninus on Guido Fawkes' popular politics blog. "I'd switch off my TV if the dumpy little fellow didn't look and act so silly! I think Newsnight needs some sort of disclaimer - 'news for Lefties'." Meanwhile, posting on former Tory candidate Iain Dale's influential blog, Matt Davis seethed: "Crick is a blatantly biased Tory-hater who will undoubtedly misuse his publically [sic] funded job to promote his own political views." And even BBC News' own Editors' Blog was not spared. "I'm sorry, but from watching and listening to Mr Crick's previous output," wrote disgruntled Bernie, "it is clear that he is as pro-Labour as it is possible to get."

So why is Crick - in the delicate words of yet another blogger, an
"anti-Conservative scum bag" - singled out for far more than his fair share of
opprobrium? Well, according to Dale himself, it is because many of the subjects
of his investigations and books are drawn from the top tiers of the Conservative
party. "He's seen by many Tories as a sort of enemy of the people. That is
the perception. Over the years, he has relentlessly pursued Conservative
politicians. During the last general election, Michael seemed to delight in
following Michael Howard around and causing mischief. I remember an event in
Norwich, where my main role was to keep Michael Crick off Michael Howard's back.
But I don't actually think myself that he has a leftwing agenda. He is simply a
professional troublemaker."

While there must be few sights more disheartening for a dodgy politician -
or as entertaining to viewers - than to see Crick careering towards them
clutching a microphone, such routines will be largely a thing of the past in his
new Newsnight job. As political editor there will be far less on-camera
"theatre" and offbeat commentary, and considerably more general reporting on -
and cool-headed analysis of - the big political story of the day. Crick, the
slightly geeky anti-establishment figure who describes immersing himself in
archive footage as "heaven", will now be expected to play the part of
Westminster insider. And what's more, says Iain Dale, his Tory critics will be
ready to pounce at the first hint of bias. "Michael is a very good story-chaser
and story-creator," he says. "But the role of a political editor is to report
and interpret events. The interpretation is the most difficult part because you
can always lay yourself open to accusations of bias. A lot of people will be
watching with eagle eyes."

Read the full article by James Silver HERE.

UPDATE: Read a fantastic interview with Martha Kearney HERE. She takes over as main presenter of The World at One today.

Martha Kearney Leaves Newsnight

Tonight's Newsnight email brings the devastating news that Martha Kearney is quitting her job as Political Editor to take over as the new presenter of the World at One on Radio 4. She will be a great loss to Newsnight as her contacts book is unrivalled and she's one of the nicest journalists I know. The only time we have had a cross word was after her 15 minute profile of David Davis during the leadership campaign. But she was so nice about it that it was me that ended up feeling bad. Quite a talent. I hope she likes her new lunchtime perch.