Thread by @althecat

Another superb episode of ⁦#Newscast with @adamfleming⁩ @chrismason and special guest ⁦@PippaCrerar⁩ who’s just taken up the job of political editor at the ⁦@guardian⁩. One of the best ever. bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0…

The ambient traffic noise which you can hear as it’s recorded in college green, a park adjacent to Westminster is a nice touch making it feel both intimate and very real, a great strength of this broadcasting marvel.

Bit sorry not to have some @bbclaurak and @BBCkatyaadler in there, but three voices may well be the magic number for these things.

This “Westminster Picnic” edition addresses the last year and is predicated on the idea that the Tory leadership contest and the new Govt formation that will follow in early September will begin a new year in UK politics.

And what a year it has been. The show covers the big issues in politics of the 12 month period, beginning with Owen Patterson lobbying scandal which broke at COP26 while I was there and featured a particular bizarro press conference with Boris full of rugby metaphors.

It was a UK media only presser, which was a little annoying given that the UK was holding the presidency- and notable for barely addressing #climateChange. Afterwards Boris who had flown up for it promptly headed (scurried?) back to London to address his demons.

Soon after the #PartyGate story which ultimately led to his downfall broke in a story from @PippaCrerar, that would ultimately lead to @BorisJohnson’s premature downfall nearly a year later,

After discussing the inside journalism story of Party Gate’s genesis, the show pivots to the Ukraine War in which the UK had been so embroiled, and which @BorisJohnson had probably hoped would save his premiership.

Which it probably would have in most countries, certainly the US, but there are special properties in Westminster style politics which are also evident in NZ and Australian politics which I think are related to the traditions of Parlt. news coverage adopted from the UK.

Their discussion of the Ukraine War does not address the nature and impact of the “special relationship” with the US which is a subject that UK Media choose not to dwell on much, probably because it makes Britain look a smaller than it would like.

Next up is the “cost of living crisis” aka rampant energy shock driven inflation which appears now set to push the UK into a deep recession.

Followed by a recap of the demise of @BorisJohnson’s lies about the issues @PippaCrerar raised in late 2021 finally caught up with him.

In a sense this can all be summed up in the old aphorism: “If at first you set out to deceive, oh what a tangled web you will weave.”

Which I think pretty much sums up all of the world’s current ills.

Truth really matters. Especially in politics and international relations. And when it is willfully discarded, or spun, for political reasons it sets in motion a pathological process which all too often leads to disaster.

It would be good if this simple understanding about the importance of faithfulness to truth in high office had a Renaissance for us all.

And the rise and fall of @BorisJohnson 2016-2022 provides us with a great object lesson to remind us of this.