Andrea Leadsom

She said ' it would be helpful if broadcasters were willing to be a bit patriotic' . This is a view of the role of the media shared in a more extreme form by every dictatorship or de facto dictatorship ever and currently in particular by Turkey, China, N.Korea and Russia. It is a crass, stupid, irresponsible ( journalists in Russia for example are frequently murdered because they criticise Putin) comment to make. It smacks of the 'judges are the enemy of the people ' and Ralph Miliband hates Britain' DM approach - but then AL looks like the archetypal DM reader. Anyway, social media are loving her comments - she is a supremely stupid woman who was caught out in lies during the leadership campaign

It's all the negativity and unpleasant personal personal attacks that I object to.

There is a lack of balance in the media especially in the BBC, in my view. Their role is to be impartial but they are so biased it is becoming ludicrous. I fear that democracy is being undermined because the intelligentsia seem to think that they know best and the voting majorities can be ignored or derided.

Not 'get behind the government' but get behind the country, it wouldn't matter which Party was running things during Brexit, but constantly drip drip drip of poison, by running ourselves down is bound to cause unease and anxiety at every level.

Leadsom was my sons boss for the past year.

She was the least effectual, most ignorant Minister they have ever experienced and believe you me they have had some over the years.

suzie she has her sights on the BBC who after the GE suddenly stopped being quite so amenable to the Tories

X posts Gaga and your last paragraph is spot on.

Wow asking Government ministers tough questions undermines democracy? I would suggest the very opposite. During the campaign when Corbyn and his team was vilified and mocked relentlessly on the BBC I didn't notice you gaga complaining about that - did you?

But that's your opinion roses. My opinion is that anybody who wants to do the best for the country, Brexit should be abandoned.

Brexit, especially if unchallenged, is national suicide.

The media must be free to report as it sees fit and to challenge those in power. As all dictators know, the first task on their list is to get the media to do its bidding.

The BBC should hold the government to account. Thank goodness the EU is more transparent and we can find out what's going on.

He has by-passed the old biased mainstream and is speaking directly via social media.

That is how Corbyn was able to get his message across.

So what does "being a bit patriotic " mean? Surely wanting the best for the country can mean opposing the government and their ill-thought out plans and hapless ministers, not just forelock tugging and telling everyone how marvellous they are(when they aren't?)

Yes indeed dd it is my opinion......it just differs from yours.

These are all our opinions, unless presenting copied bits of facts from all kinds of sources, opinions from all kinds of sources, or links.Do we really want to have to put IMHO in every comment?

Exactly suzie . Patriotism is sometimes called the 'last refuge of the scoundrel' isn't it and with good reason.

Bit snarky this morning roses? Get out of bed on the wrong side?

The point is that opinions differ, so why should the BBC only support the "official opinion"?

In any case, as dj has pointed out, fewer people than ever are influenced by MSM.

And what right has she to tell us that we should be 'patriotic' and do what the tories want?
yggdrasil that's an odd remark because I thought the official Tory line was Remain, it was the rebels in all parties who wanted Brexit.

I thought many on GN liked rebels, Jeremy Corbyn is surely the ultimate rebel even though he has become mainstream?

ps above post is IMHO

Yes, Rebel without a cause

Bit snarky this morning roses? Get out of bed on the wrong side?

[sigh] If you read rosesarered's posts they are in fact reasonable even if you don't agree with them.

Whilst not wishing to take sides, do we have to start going down the personal remarks road again?
There was enough trouble the other day.

As you wish, though, that is just my opinion.

My opinion too Jalima ....which is why I will just at any personal remarks
(Well, it's a sunny day, the birds are singing etc.)

Sunny Day? Lucky you

'Bring me sunshine'

Well said, gaga, at 09:12

The media has been so right biased that it's laughable that she imagines that Farage even has a media slot on radio to spout his vile mouth

As I have said before, IMHO, the media is left biased, therefore, it seems it's well balanced over all!

It actually matters very little to the young whether the media is biased or not. They prefer their information straight from the horses mouth as it were by passing the gutter press, BBC etc.

That's an insult to horses ,