for the first time in my life I'm questioning the value of the BBC.

I got that way with the BBC over the Brexit coverage & they have not got any better with the current situation. I subscribe to Readly for magazines & they have, since Autumn last year, added a number of national daily newspapers - I tend to read a selection for alternative viewpoints and more in-depth coverage than the BBC currently offer.


I hear from English politicians is filibustering hot air

Unfortunately they will have been "Media Trained" - all they will give as an answer to any question is the POV that they have been instructed to give or wish to push. Mrs B was at one point the appointed department "Media person" & had to give on-air commentaries on local radio on her (national govenment) department's monthly statistics. She was "Media Trained" and briefed beforehand on the departmental line that was to be pushed to the fore - regardless of question, the answers were turned around to come back to the briefed position & excentuate the positives that were to be highlighted.

The minister who gave an unguarded (proabaly accurate, though) answer this week on live TV along the lines of we have a higher death rate than other countries because we are older, fatter & unhealthier didn't hang around when the interviewer put her unguarded, un-briefed comment back to her.

Nigel B.