Pope Francis

When I was a civil servant I had the entire series on my bookshelf amid the civil service codes.

Love it, Ariadne.

Wasn't he a wonderful creation Ariadne?

"...the Daily Mirror is read by people who think they run the country; The Guardian is read by people who think they ought to run the country; The Times is read by people who actually do run the country; the Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who think they run the country; the Financial Times is read by people who own the country; The Morning Star is read by people who think the country ought to be run by another country; and The Daily Telegraph is read by people who think it is." (Sir Humphrey)

The Daily Mail does position itself as the newspaper for women – a unique slant among UK newspapers.

Mice

That applies to all of them. Left or right politics.

They haven't asked me either! I wonder why.

I too look at it from time to time (especially before a quiz night when I need to catch up on sleb scandal) but what infuriates me about it, is that it is very cleverly written, the photos are excellent, often the content is very similar to other broadsheets, but the difference as Greatnan says, is the choice of stories, the slanted way they are reported and the selective nature of what they choose to include and what they choose to omit.

The DM has never asked me to do a report, and I look at it on line every day, along with most of the other UK papers that are available on line.
I think it is highly amusing to see how its headlines are slanted in certain directions (i.e. immigrants, welfare claimants, single mothers, house prices)
I draw the line at the Sun and the Express though.

Lilygran

In my book that makes them hypocrites. Who cares what the 'chattering class' whoever and whatever they are think anyway.

Or say they do...

DM would have a problem if they only used journalist who say they like it since the entire chattering class hate the DM

Why does Yasmin Alibhai-Brown say she hates the Daily Mail and they are dispicable, yet every now and then she pops up with a comment IN THE D.M.

Why the hell does the Daily Mail ask somebody who 'supposedly' loathes them to do a report?

Not that I am surprised. She is hardly alone!

Yes, she is often on The Wright Show and whilst I don't always agree with her I do admire her outspoken views.

She is indeed.

Greatnan perceptive article by Yasmin Alibhai Brown about that very subject. Worth reading - she's a brave columnist.

Well mishap youth is not always best experience can bring wisdom!

He's so old though- how can he make a real difference to anything? He looks exhausted already. Sorry - that is a very ageist remark! - bit brave to put that on Gransnet!!!!

But you really need someone young to take on the establishment - full of fire and reforming zeal and energy.

I wonder if he knows what is wanted of him by the grass roots.

If Britain were to be consistent in its care for human rights, it would not be doing business with the dreadful Saudi regime. It seems the profit motive dictates the conscience of the British government. Blair did well out of it.
I am hoping Pope Francis will try to further the well-being of women throughout the world, but he is already an old man and I am not sure he will be able to take on the entrenched 'men in frocks' who seem to rule the Vatican from behind the scenes. Still, I am willing to give him a chance.

Irrespective of whether the new pope should have made a statement re the Falklands, I agree with Greatnan - I don't think it was worth all those people on both sides being killed, maimed or traumatised for life.

People will no doubt cite the rights of the Falklanders and the recent vote in which 99% of them voted to stay as part of the UK.

If we were consistent in protecting the rights of people, we would not have allowed the removal, at the US's request, of around 2,000 inhabitants of Diego Garcia in the early 70's. The island was commandeered for US military purposes - the islanders were given no say at all in the matter and were shipped off to Mauritius. They were told that they could return at some point, but a Marine Protected Area was then established, which included Diego Garcia, and they have been told they can never return.

Ganja and since Mrs T has come up, it doesn't necessarily follow that a male pontiff won't do much for women. Remember how much Mrs T did for us?

Oil exploration in the surrounding area Greatnan makes the Falklands/Malvinas of great interest to the governments of the UK and Argentina. Also, in the case of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, it distracts people from some serious problems that are troubling her government.

The Falklands conflict (apparently it wasn't a war) got Mrs T re-elected. I rather missed the whole thing as I was busy being self-obsessed because I was pregnant at the time.

I don't care who owns the Falkland Islands. I never thought they were worth all those young lives. But still, they did get Thatcher some excellent PR.

....as long as he doesn't start interfering with the Falklands issue.

He's not going to do much for 50% of the human race is he? May be next time round.....

Article in New York Times does not make the Catholic clergy in Argentina during the military dictatorship look good. The new pope may have some difficult questiions to answers about that time. As someone else has said of the conclave: "They've picked a winner". Expect more of the same old...