Prospects for Wednesday, 4 June
- 4 Jun 08, 11:08 AM
From today's output editor, Robert Morgan:
Good morning everyone,
The US election gun has been fired. It's to be Obama versus McCain. Peter and Ben are in Washington. Let's discuss how we do the story today.
There are a few other stories around today. There's the Polish attacks story, PMQs, Darling's evidence on 10p tax to the Treasury Select Committee, another 42 day meeting of Labour backbenchers tonight, the future of the NHS, and David Hockney's latest outburst.
Playout? Mel Ferrer?
Robert
Comment number 1.
At 4th Jun 2008, Peter_Sym wrote:I agree that whenever Immigration stories are covered by the 91热爆 it does seem to involve sending a journalist to Peterborough or similar and ask people about the impact of Polish agricultural workers. I've never seen a story (for example) in inner city Bristol concerning the huge wave of Somali migrants who incidentally seem to have very little benefit on our economy... certainly I've yet to come across a somali NHS dentist (unlike my practice that has 7 Polish ones)
On a related note however, much as I appreciate the many positive things Poles have done for our country (especially the Polish Hurricane pilots in the battle of Britain and the Polish Paras who dropped to rescue our guys at Arnhem) a bank holiday for them, when we refuse to have one for our own armed forces is likely to encourage even more resentment and promote the idea that we favour immigrants over our own people.
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Comment number 2.
At 4th Jun 2008, thegangofone wrote:Attacks on Poles are wrong. I think Mr. Kawczynski is my MP (Edinburgh) - would not vote for him though. There are a LOT of Poles here.
But I do think the issue was not the Poles or their colour but just the vast quantity that came in one go. More like 1.6 million that 16000. It was not their fault the government did not plan.
As I may be about to fall off the economic ladder I will be competing with people who can undercut me for work. Landlords can pack more Poles in so accommodation will be competitive to find. I can understand why some sections of the community are upset. I know the minimum wage is going to have an effect but doubt it will change much.
If I end up on the street for reasons totally unrelated to Poles I will probably try to get back to England. All due respect to the Scots I would rather freeze there. Maybe I will get back into IT but the credit crunch seems to be the latest distorting factor.
Vroom vroom MI5!!
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Comment number 3.
At 4th Jun 2008, Rieven wrote:Peter Sym is absolutely correct and I have often wondered why the 91热爆 'bashes' Eastern European migrants who arguably are the best thing we have had happen to us and neglects the Somalis who are in general bad news. It is not really fair is it 91热爆?
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Comment number 4.
At 4th Jun 2008, grumpy-jon wrote:Re-#1/2/3.
All interesting and IMO valid points. Shame that these and many other opinions have been brushed under the carpet, by the 3 established parties with their electoral pact not to debate immigration. This has, and will continue to move consideration of immigration to the extremes.
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Comment number 5.
At 4th Jun 2008, richarddorset wrote:Do something on Germaine Greers article in The Times about registering fathers on birth certificate ("A dad's role will never equal a mum's". )
She is still living in the seventies, and trots out unsubstantiated claims like there is no tomorrow, just to suit an outdated feminist agenda. Calls herself an academic too! I always thought they were supposed to be analytical and somewhat objective. She is neither, and her so called analysis is pure prejudice and opinion.
The world revolves around single mum's and it is all the man's fault in her eyes. Sounds like a lot of the champagne socialists in the Labour Party to me - Hodge and Harman to name but two.
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Comment number 6.
At 4th Jun 2008, kevseywevsey wrote:So Obama wins the donkey race...Americans will rue the day!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up been governed by your inferiors". Plato
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Comment number 7.
At 4th Jun 2008, barriesingleton wrote:'THERE ARE A FEW OTHER STORIES AROUND TODAY.'
Are you sure Robert? I have been listening to wall-to-wall USA charades. Were I the winner, my win bought with a fortune, or the loser, having also lost a fortune, I would be too embarrassed to show my face. One surely has to accept that the same process and mentality that gave the world Dubya - twice - is about to lay another egg from the same duct? Meanwhile, in another part of the global wood, Westminsterism bumbles on, wallowing in its own ordure, pre-configuring our 'democracy' before the punters get near it. That's the story I want to put a spotlight on. America can go hang - as it surely would if Bush had not brought it so low.
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Comment number 8.
At 4th Jun 2008, david F wrote:It Is true that the 91热爆 have mounted a very unfair campaign against Polish immigrants and i feel it is very unfair indeed. The truth is there are somewhere between 2-3 million illegal immigrants in the UK ( even the 91热爆 office, not fit for purpose according to 2 previous Labour home secretaries, do not know just how many!) Polish workers are good workers, they work much harder than most have great skills and do jobs most British men or even other immigrants are too bone idle to do. They come here in good faith, have done this country a great service and filled a real skills gap and we treat them like dirt.
It is Disgraceful and the 91热爆 needs to look at itself and appologise.
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Comment number 9.
At 4th Jun 2008, TorturedSyntax wrote:When Jeremy's eventually back , can he cheer us all up by inviting attack-dog John Read on to the programme for a wee friendly chat about John's view on how Gordon and the Labour party are performing.
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Comment number 10.
At 4th Jun 2008, grumpy-jon wrote:Re-#8.
A charming if impressionistic eulogy of the Polish race, David; and one which I'd agree with to a great extent. But in a democracy, policy on whether or not unknown millions of immigrants are allowed into a country, should be arrived at by public debate, and voter-decisions based on political parties offering alternative policies. Unfortunately, this has not been the case with immigration in Britain.
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Comment number 11.
At 5th Jun 2008, mullerman wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 12.
At 6th Jun 2008, mullerman wrote:How come the 'Somalis bad news' gets left on and my amusing Poles / bike / bruises ditty gets removed? Having any immigrants from war torn countries is bad news, they bring their problems with them. They should be sent back to sort out their own mess not bring them over here.
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