Monday, June 08, 2009

It's Been a Blast

Well, it's 1.40am and we have just signed off on PlayRadioUK. I have to say we all had a blast. Hope you all enjoyed it - I am sure you will let me know if you didn't! At least we ran a results programme which told you the individual results all over the country, unlike the major broadcasters who seemed to think that it was uninteresting that Rochdale went Tory, or that UKIP won in Hull, or the Tories won in countless areas of Wales. Strange. All we got were endless talking heads.

Now it's a 90 minute drive to Westminster.

I'll be on Jon Gaunt's Suntalk programme tomorrow (Monday) at 11am. Hope to post something before then, if I wake up in time.

66 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is the worst night EVER for Labour
Best Moment- Dan Hannan reading Dr Zeaus
Worst Moment- BNP winning a seat in the European Parliament

Fitaloon said...

Great Show Iain. Between yourseleves and Political Betting we got everything we needed without the pitiful bleating of the Labour Bots they call MP's. G

Kenny said...

Very enjoyable programme, as you say it was much more informative than any of the the MSM. However you really, really need to learn how to control a fader and arrange your mics appropriately.

Anonymous said...

BNP victory in Yorkshire but, as the BBC notes, "the BNP won more than 120,139 votes in the Yorkshire region, slightly less than in 2004". This is not a watershed moment in British politics. I've blogged about it: http://joshuachambers.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/what-does-a-bnp-mep-mean/.

SimonStClare said...

Great show Iain, listened throughout the evening and very enjoyable it was too; you and the team should be proud. But may I recommend PG rating next time?

Yak40 said...

Labour councillor David Boothroyd caught altering David Cameron's Wikipedia entry"

The left always cheats, just another example.

The Young Oligarch said...

Great programme , Iain .

Thanks .

James Burdett said...

Great Program Iain, was much better than anything else.

Keith Willey said...

Brilliant thanks...if rather unfair to the Lib Dems who you`d never have guessed, from listening to your show, actually picked up a seat!

Hey ho, as you say!

Enjoy a good rest, you deserve it, because despite my gripe above, it was a fantastic listen.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Don't get too excited about Wales ... 36% in the 1979 Euro Election just 21% in 2009.

Political Noob said...

Must have been watching Dan Hannan when you signed off, got quite confused at the music playing when I got back ... lightweights the lot of you.....

Anyway, is there any possibility that David Cameron will make a pact with the UKIP to give the Conservatives a "clear run" at the general election in return for the promise of a referendum on Europe?

Way past my bedtime.

Spedo Shorts said...

I hope you and Guido Pox are proud of yourselves..Seig Heil in Britain :-(

Gareth Evans said...

David Jones MP's take on the result in Wales:

http://davidjonesblog.com/2009/06/08/two-more-than-a-rugby-team/

Adrian said...

Well done guys.

6% of the electorate turned out to support Gordon and co. Let's remember that when we're listening to his supporters trying to spin the result!

Treble exes all round said...

Holy horrors!

Even Guido's got elected!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8088410.stm

Anonymous said...

It cannot be disputed that Nick Griffin's victory in the NW was squarely down to Labour - disenfranchised voters on the left were seduced by a far-left party. Furthermore the only individual you can name for his calamity is Gordon Brown, with his "British jobs for British workers" mantra and utterly insane leadership. If he had any respect for the country, his party, or himself, then he would resign immediately. He has brought shame upon this once great nation.

Dave J. said...

Brilliant show, Iain: informative and endlessly entertaining. Both the opposite of the BBC, of course.

Werner Patels said...

The show was well-done -- and since it was on internet radio, I could easily sit here at my computer, work on my projects while listening to the show (and waiting on hold to be put on the show ;-) ).

Iain will go places, I'm quite sure of that.

Stuart Dickson said...

Mebyon Kernow beat Labour in Cornwall.

From the BBC:

"Notable results in Scotland saw the SNP taking first place in Edinburgh with the Tories second, Labour third and the Lib Dems fourth.

And the Tories were first in East Renfrewshire - the area which covers the Westminster seat held by Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy - with the SNP second and Labour third."


Bye bye Alistair Darling.

Anonymous said...

I have been up working all night and occasionally checking on progress. The coverage on both BBC and Sky has been pitiful. Wish I had tuned in to you now

BrianSJ said...

Really very good show, Iain, thank you very much.

jd said...

Thanks Iain - good to be able to get some results somewhere, and you kept me entertained and informed anyway!

Fausty said...

Yes, very enjoyable, although it took me a hour to load the player! The station's servers must've been struggling to cope with the traffic.

Now let's hope we see a rash of resignations today. :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks Iain - so much better than the MSM.

Martin S said...

Very poor results for Labour: "But it wasnae my fault, ye ken?" is Brown's defence

It was a great show Iain. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Great show, Iain. Though I see that - at a glance - it seems the Sky News website has fulfilled one of your prophecies and placed more emphasis on the BNP gains, rather than the situation with the actual government.

Anonymous said...

Spedo Shorts:

I hope you and Guido Pox are proud of yourselves..Seig Heil in Britain :-(

You should be blaming the main parties for the rise of the BNP and not Iain and others who have actually tried to engage them in debate and show them for what they are.

Labour's piss poor Euro election campaign continued to treat us like mushrooms and has left us all covered in sh*t as a result.

The BNP won't go away just because you yell "scum" at them or turn your back on them. You will have to persuade those who voted for them that their policies are wrong. It's called democracy.

JuliaM said...

It's a total rout, even the BBC have been forced to concede that the left have crashed to an unprecedented defeat all across Europe 'despite the economic situtation', as the news announcer put it.

Hahahahaha!

Lawrence said...

Great show Iain. I had the TV on tonight as well, but switched the sound off after a bit once it was clear there were no results coming through, just left-of-centre people trying to justify the fees they'd be receiving. Can't wait for the General Election - will definitely be tuning in to your show, and won't be wasting any time on the MSM.

tally said...

I was listening from Sydney with head phones on. The wife could not understand why I was wetting myself laughing at only politics. Great show Ian and to all those that made it happen. Well Done.

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed the show,congratulations to you,Hopi Sen and your team and the citizen teams for doing a brilliant job, dare I say making politics fun,the only problem I had was getting onto the show took 10 mins,but hey ho leaves on the line etc,well done Iain.

zendo said...

Fantastic show Iain. I am in Las Vegas and came away from the poker room to listen to you for a few minutes and stayed for the whole programme.
You fully deserve our gratitude.

Plato said...

Excellent show Iain - if you can get PlayTalk to fix the logon issues and capacity for the next big one I'm sure you'll get a huge audience.

Deserves a nomination for a radio award - funny, informed and knowledgeable, everything that the MSM weren't despite a budget of millions.

Anonymous said...

Spedo Shorts

One of the great things I love about you socilaists is your love of the ideals of tolerance and democracy.

You love tolerance except when you ban everything you don't agree with and you love democracy except when people don't vote for you.

Hypocracy of the highest order. Labour has (at last) been sussed. Bye bye.

Barnacle Bill said...

Great show Iain, although I never made it to the end, my grandson had worn me out earlier!

wv - fidden = Scottish liar?

Steven said...

Iain,

I have been reading this blog for many years now and have always greatly enjoyed reading your analyses and opinions of unfolding events. Your blog is clearly the king of blogs, setting the standard for all others. However, I am becoming slightly concerned that too many of your blogposts are now being used to advertise ventures elsewhere, such as your radio show. Whilst I understand the need to advertise, and your blog being the primary avenue for this, those of us who simply wish to read your blog miss out a little as blogposts fall to the wayside. I will remain a dedicated reader but hope that you could perhaps refocus your efforts on blogging rather than advertising.

I hope you are well. Many thanks.

Anonymous said...

Excellent show Iain - well done to you & the team. Listened to all 8 hours approx. from Sydney. BTW had no server or logon issues & the sound was perfect (using videolan free viewer). Was surfing the other channels on a second monitor & they were way off the pace. Mike.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know where to go on the net for local and borough results like what was being read out by ID and the team last night?
Can only find overall district results on every site. I want to see the nuts and bolts of the results!

john in cheshire said...

Iain, I am almost embarassed to say that I listened to your programmed from beginning (even run up to the beginning), to the end. Every half an hour or so throughout the evening I was intending to switch off but I can honestly say I was captivated. Well done to all of you.

John L said...

Well done on your marathon session last night and thanks for an entertaining and informative programme. The occasional technical hitches added to the feeling of engaging informality.

Pleased to note your approach to the BNP and agree with your strategy of engagement. A problem ignored is not a problem solved!

Anonymous said...

Great show. Even though I don't like the Lib Dems, I do think it could have benefitted from a Lib Dem co-host.

Dan Tubb said...

Good program. Much better coverage than elsewhere. But would have liked to hear more analysis from your panellists, they where actually quite switched on. I did enjoy their insights when you did briefly put emailed questions to them.

I would rather give my license fee to you than the Biased BBC. On the BBC you never hear the presenter snigger like a school boy for 5 minutes straight before bursting out that he is partial to a town called bell end.

Unknown said...

Listened for the entire show and thought that it was superb!

FYI - the inevitable Downfall video - European Election Edition - has already been posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PO5Gh3QGFI

Anonymous said...

Where on earth can you find the break-down of your local results?

Anonymous said...

Windows Media unable to recognise file so I had to rely on BBC?!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for a superb radio show Iain - my son and I listened throughout.

Now the morning after the night before and still Brown is there,after another terrible weekend for this country.

When you watch again the D Day speeches – turn the sound off and just look at Brown sitting there – three other men on either side of him are calm and measured,at ease with themselves (OR AT THE LEAST PROJECTING SUCH AN IMAGE – a very important part of being a LEADER) and then here is the “leader” of 62 million people,looking and acting like a cat on a hot tin roof.

For a British Prime Minister to be booed on the beaches of Normandy (the very crucible of real gallantry), by his own countrymen – surely that is a new low point for this man.These were not yobo’s or thugs booing him – these were D Day veteran’s and their families….oh that it has come to this!

I suppose the question must be;

What event/situation would make James Gordon Brown think to himself “enough is enough;I must now resign and let a new person do the job”?

And I cannot think of any situation other than a General Election result on a Friday morning prompting this.

I fear we are to witness and experience – for we are the guinea pigs on which his madness is foisted – his clinical insanity for perhaps another 11 months.

I am trying to get a job and there are so few jobs due mostly to the lack of confidence as Britain burns while Brown gurns, that I may well be unemployed for far longer than would be if there was at least a change of Labour leadership/a General Election.

A very sad and a very worrying day for our beautiful country

Simon Cooke said...

Thoroughly enjoyed last night and the friday show - loved the way information came through and the slightly amateur feel of the show!!

Well Done

Simon Cooke (AKA SimonMagus)

Fulk Nerra said...

Who is voting Labour? Is Labour becoming the immigrant party nationally just as it used to be on Clydeside? I well remember the days when Labour was known in Glasgow as the Irish party.

Rex said...

What on earth were the BBC & Sky playing at. For the time that I watched they were giving a confused picture and seemed to be avoiding the reality.
I used to think it was only countries like China and Russia who did things like this.

Can anyone explain their motives?

beagleslovefags said...

yes well done Iain. Much better and more informative than the BBC with their ridiculously over-complicated graphics and Labour biased coverage.

Alex said...

Listened to the whole show until 1 am (even the 20 minute pre-show gossip). L liked the raw news format. The MSM shows always feel as though the results have been filtered through lots of editors, and the formats are built around the talking heads and flashy graphics, not the results. Your shows were a breath of frexh air.

Mirtha Tidville said...

Anon at 9.47am... your command of English is obviously limited so it seems a fair bet that you are, like spedo shorts, a socialist. The real joy of todays results is that it has pissed of neanderthals like you....bravo..

Iain, well done fantastic coverage, listened to your show and watched Dumblebore without sound at the same time....much better that way!!..many thanks for the hard work

Margaret said...

Didn't manage to listen to the early part - for some reason the family seemed to think that dinner was required! - but enjoyed from about 8.00 onwards with Sky News on TV but silent. I gave up and went to bed at midnight as the overall results giving the number of seats were just so long in coming

I even enjoyed the bits where you forgot to turn up your microphone It sounded as though you were having a great deal of fun, so much better than the po faced announcers on the BBC.

Anonymous said...

I don't think its fair at all to call him a twat.

Stuart said...

What happened to my comment?

Cath said...

Fantastic show Iain, one of the most compelling bits of radio ever. That said, it is a crying shame that your show was about the only way to pick up any level of detail on the results. Well done. SO can't wait till you do the GE.

Thats News said...

”Resign, Brown!” Says Public

DespairingLiberal said...

I really enjoyed both the amateurishness of the hosts and also the wide range of interesting people, being well interviewed and having the time and space to address issues properly without the head-banging constant interruptions for mindless graphics presented by the nauseating ambulance-chaser Jeremy Vine! Sky was of course no better, absolutely riddled with mistakes - their captions were a laugh a minute.

Anonymous said...

It wasn't amateurish 'DesparingLiberal' it was casual yet informative, a perfect format in my opinion. I loved it. Beats the mainstream coverage hands down!

Will W

Anonymous said...

I'd like to second the anon poster at 9:03 AM, these local results were informative but even if you are sat there with pen and paper taking notes (which I wasn't) its difficult to get a feel for the trend, or even parse a result, out of what is essentially a fire hose of digits.

It would be great if next time you could out up some kind of table showing results. Maybe a Google Spreadsheet, or something like Semantic Mediawiki, that can be updated as the night progresses and which is amenable to being graphed, plotted, and transformed.

If this data is already out there, then a link would be appreciated.

Dimoto said...

Congratulations, excellent coverage Iain.

I watched the BBC coverage, with the embarrassing apology for a broadcaster, the terminally incompetent David Dimbleby and his motley panel of "luvvies for Labour", and zero content or prompt reportage. Just how long can this BBC nonsense continue ?

I didn't like your late efforts at "Ross style juvenile smut".
It won't do your credibility any good at all. Time to grow up a bit ?

SHB said...

Throughly enjoyed it.

Now all we need is for the PLP to turn Brown over right now.

Luis said...

Excellent show Iain.

I really enjoyed it. I must a bit I was a bit sceptical beforehand and this is the first time I have listened to PlayRadio.

However I thought the show was great. You managed a good mix between serious political commentary and some lighter moments (I particulary liked the phone in by both the Hamiltons!). Most of all, I completely agree that you put the Beeb and Sky to shame by actually bringing people real results in an efficient way.

A real breath of fresh air compared to the "rent a heads" who sit alongside Dimblebore et al. I also thought you were very enlightened doing it with Hopi Sen and the pairing seemed to work well.

Loved one or two mildly amateurish moments. There was an unzipping sound around midnight! Must have been a laptop bag surely !

If you guys can do such a good show on a shoe string it begs the question what does the Beeb do with its millions ?

Long may it continue.

PS I am of age that remembers Tommy Boyd presenting childrens tv. The only show I can think of is the "Wide Awake Club". Amusing to hear him offering you all coffee.

Martin S said...

Steven, Why are you concerned that someone puts whatever they want on to their blog?

Ian's blog is a traditional blog in that it gives Iain the opportunity to tell his readers what he is doing and where he is doing it.

Martin S said...

Anon. 9:47 AM

The true voice of Labour. Mo wonder Peter Tatchell joined the Green Party.

Doubting Richard said...

Thanks Iain, it was good to talk to finally, having read your blog for so long.