Pleased people are asking aloud about the weird editorial choices BBC News makes. When trying to reconcile the BBC in your heart with that before your eyes, perhaps ask whether the weird choices involve punching up or down; do they embed or do they challenge establishment power?
I doubt the BBC's place as a wellhead of establishment power has changed. I think, instead, the world around the BBC has. Social media, Brexit, internationalism, etc, all challenge establishment power in lots of new ways such that the BBC's wellhead status now gets exposed.
I will never forget @BBCr4today (having persuaded me to come on under false pretences) then attacking me for being too rude about Government figures. A perfect illustration of how it sees its role: speaking 'truth' not to power but to those trying to keep power accountable.
Spare a thought for @GoodLawProject's brilliant director of comms who I can imagine grimacing now: 'It's why they never have you on, Jolyon. Why be so rude about them?' Well, some problems you can't change from the inside.
Absolutely right to say the BBC is not a monolith. Lots of great journalists there (although lots of great ones leave) most of whom are also frustrated at how they see the BBC failing at its journalistic mission.

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More from @JolyonMaugham

1 Jan
Desperate stuff. The clown-show of a Government has run out of lateral flow tests - and apparently we're to blame?? The truth is, we have worked with at least three UK based testing companies to help them tackle this Government's sleazy VIP procurement. telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/3…
Of course Government wants someone else to blame for its failures. But the only antigen LFT contract we have challenged is this one - where billions went to a Chinese startup for LFTs that were recalled in the US amidst suggestions of falsified data. latimes.com/business/story… Image
In case you doubt the dishonesty of this Government when it comes to testing contracts see their denial - "completely false" - of our revelation of a VIP lane and then the undeniable proof. People not fit to run a church raffle have blown £37bn. ImageImage
Read 4 tweets
22 Dec 21
Once upon a time we thought it was a good thing for bigots to think twice before sounding off. Now the Government, aided by the sections of the press, attacks those who criticise bigotry.
Of course, the targets of bigotry are always those without power. And so the Government's stance, aided by sections of the press, entrenchs the ability of those with power to punch down at those without.
And there is no loss of free speech. Free speech is the right to speak; not to speak without consequence. The framing of it as a right to speak without consequence has as its intent the demonising of those who push back against the bigots - those without power (and their allies).
Read 7 tweets
11 Dec 21
"We are not going to ditch The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms - we are going to keep it but ignore it when we want to."
If you have a law but assert a right to ignore it, is it still a law?

That's a particularly sharp question when you are talking about a law which is a final backstop against breaches of international human rights norms. You are going to assert a right to ignore those? Really?
Turkey, Ukraine, Albania, Georgia and Russia are all signatories to The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Just in case you were wondering where asserting a right to ignore the Convention would position us in the international community.
Read 4 tweets
10 Dec 21
🧵 We are expecting to issue proceedings against the Met in relation to its refusal to investigate the parties at Number 10 whilst the country was in lock down. More details here glplive.org/tory-xmas-tw-1… 🧵
There is no denial that a number of 'gatherings' took place and no attempt has been made to justify them by reference to the narrow exceptions that the law permits.
The Met gives two reasons for refusing to investigate. It says (1) there is an absence of evidence and (2) it has a policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of the lockdown regulations.
Read 10 tweets
10 Dec 21
We’re publishing this comic on #humanrightsday2021 when the rights in this country are at extreme risk.

What we’re communicating is what is at stake for people like Tia and Ray and Marcus when #HumanRights are threatened. (1/9)
We want to thank @LankellyChase and @recovery_focus and all the young people who gave us the opportunity to tell the story they wanted us to tell. (2/9)
Don’t forget that the holiday season can be particularly hard on young people's mental health. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health issues, check out the resources on our hub page. (3/9) eachother.org.uk/young-people-a…
Read 9 tweets
10 Dec 21
Mental health recovery and what that means is determined by you not by other people. And you can find things that’ll help you in so many places. Thread⬇️

(via @EachOtherUK)
Ray’s parents split up when she was very young, her dad was in and out of prison and was absent from her life which affected her more than she realised. She fought with her mum a lot and ended up estranged from her, and living with her grandparents. (2/8)
But her grandfather had struggles of his own, with alcohol and mental health, so Ray ended up in care. (3/8)
Read 8 tweets

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