The demise of Lord Oakeshott, live on air
Occasionally one is executing one’s task on Channel 4 News and something happens that you cannot quite believe.
Last night I was minding my own business ahead of the programme wading through the technicalities of the Government’s deal with the banks on lending and bonuses.
The deal seemed to fly in the face of statements made in opposition by Vince Cable and others that any deal which set a “gross” lending target would “completely let the banks off the hook”. Yet here was a deal that did exactly that…so far as this amateur could divine. I did a long pre-recorded interview with Mr Cable arguing the point.
I suggested the only deal that hold water was one which set a net target, a target in which the banks actually lent MORE money. In setting the gross target of £190 billion, it was as Mr Cable had pointed out in opposition, perfectly possible, in clawing back loans from small businesses etc – for the bank actually to lend LESS.
Then the Treasury rang offering Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander live. We accepted…you never know what a live guest will bring.
Well, between bidding for him and his appearance, the Lib Dem’s senior treasury figure in the Lords declared the deal “arrogant and incompetent”. Strong words in the language of Parliament.
Danny Alexander appears and declares Oakeshott politically dead: resigned..maybe sacked? For a moment you wonder whether you have heard right. Then it dawns on you, you have a story…tricky when at the same time you’re trying to fathom whether Oakeshott is right. My sense, from reading my faithful FT this morning, is that he is.
Now today we have the Lib Dem leaders of core UK Councils damning the Coalition’s “savage” local authority cuts. Things are getting interesting.
Concentrate boy! You never know what’s going to hit you next!
Related posts:
- Lord's expenses: the flight to redaction
- Higher education reform – protests live on air
- Assailed by the whiff of toxic debt
- Arise Lord Sugar of Clapton!
- Why the banks have stopped lending
There are 28 comments on this post
Must be some local elections coming up. Will the Tories stand aside a la Oldham so their new chums don’t suffer too much?
The first link has hhttp in the url not http so it’s not working. Thought you should know. Going to read those links now, thanks.
Thanks for that – working now
Well, I’ve said it before and I say it again: There is never a dull moment with Channel 4 news. If it’s not live resignations, it’s former advisors to Blair bursting into the studio or original Whiter Shade of Paling from the studio floor – not forgetting the odd Jon-rolling along the studio catwalk.
What will tonight’s show bring, one wonders?
I have a cunning plan together with one of your cameramen – sorry, operators – for tonight Jon, so watch out! The power of twitter…
Tune in, turn on, drop out!
Bankers’ Angela Knight conveniently out of the country at time of Osborne’s announcement. Entitled to have a few days with her son in France, she told this morning’s R4 Today prog, no doubt brought on to defend her chums against the robust debunking of the ConDem agreement (not sure if it was Lord O).
Saw Danny A on box last night. Who does he think he is? So young yet so out of touch with the popular mood, unlike his contemporaries – and others – in Egypt.
I can’t wait for the day when Brits wake up from their selfish cowardice ways, and show Egyptians how to overthrow a regime of colluding Ministers & Bankers that are terrorising the nation of Britain. It will be very interesting.
we do not need to .We get free and fair(except for postal voting) elections at least every five years
However Adrian, our ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral system (for the most part) perpetuates a two party system in which both parties follow similar policies of toadying to the parasitic bankers. Where’s the choice?
Lobby , it is certainly better than this weak coalition system,but if you read any of my blogs you will know my views on Bankers
Jon,
There are occasions when there is humour in even the most dour of situations. This is one of them.
Now we also have the LibDem leader of Hull Council getting stuck into the appalling reactionary Eric Pickles, as are many other local councils (see today’s Murdoch Times).
Frankly, I hope this motley crew government of ex public schoolboys, bankers’ accomplices and fellow travellers tear lumps off each other. You can just imagine Cameron and Clegg circling the custard pie fight waggling their arms and pleading, “Calm down! Calm down!”
Danny Alexander? He’d get knocked out by the first custard pie.
What an awful, tragic farce this lot have produced. It would be funny if they weren’t destroying millions of lives while blaming the victims. Cowards, the lot of them.
Good luck in your work today. I look forward to the 7.00 pm news broadcast when I get home tonight. Try to keep a straight face
Phillip,your latest comedy one minute blog,reminiscent of the “Young Ones” or is it “Bottom”.If you are not careful,you will burst a blood vessel and need Margaret’s assistance.
If this lot can not get us out of the mess created by your lot of spivs ,bankers ,lawyers and yes public schoolboys/girls , we really are in a mess
Phillip i’m surprised you read Murdoch’s Times , but did you note the article on cuts and just how many staff it takes to run the services of certain councils?Debyshire my authority 17,000,Cornwall 19,500 etc.Before any do any cutting , they should let their electrate know the break down of where those staff are utilised,and i bet we would have a great surprise as to the relationship between backroom staff and frontline services.
It is time a responsible organisation like channel 4 was doing this , especially Kathy and Faisal.Then you might have an interesting programme Jon asking council leaders to explain and why the cuts are where they are
More on the LibDems: most of party’s MPs oppose Lansley juggernaut moving heavily towards NHS: http://bit.ly/eP98xa
And a call to action from former physician and W yre Valley independent MP Richard Taylor suggesting a new political party – provisional name NHS Concern – to stand at May’s local elections in opposition to end/privatisation of NHS: http://bit.ly/eKuFvF
Come on we don’t really want the banks to suffer. They need the strength.. everyone knows that. Just a little tweek here and there to put a small lillipution dart into the bankers side.
Now JON,the things you have taught me( and you didn’t even know that you were doing it)was to never mind my own business , always think laterally and see what is at the back of the view through the camera , literally and metaphorically for what is focused upon is a single perspective.Let it all sink in. In and out of focus.You can’t afford a PHD in focus , you may miss what is going on around you.
Correct Margaret , we do not want the banks to suffer.We need them strong and earning , and supporting businesses .
We want the greedy bankers to suffer , just as they have made everyone else suffer.I am afraid that this government as the last will fall because of its inability or reluctance to deal with the problem.
I will leave it to Jim to describe my view of bankers.He puts it into much better English (if not the Queens English)
“Britain must move from retribution to recovery” – G. Osborne, Esq., yesterday. What retribution? Did he mean that technical-slapped- wrist the last Government imposed, or the tut,tut, naughty, naughty he whispered a couple of months ago?
And what recovery? I don’t recall him saying that the banks must lend this extra money at reasonable rates. Seems it’s carte blanche there. So who’s going to benefit – industry? Like hell. Only the banks.
Mr. Osborne, retribution may be distasteful to you but a pretty high percentage of the electorate disagrees. As does Lord Oakeshott. He’s sackable. We’re not. We’ll be ready and waiting in 4 years’ time with retribution for YOU!
This was tweeted @afneil Andrew Neil yesterday:
‘Gross targets “would completely let the banks off the hook”. V Cable on bank lending, March 2010. G Osborne Feb 2011: unveils gross targets’.
P’haps Master Alexander will explain for us.
It is a nice little article, if not factually correct.Lord Oakeshott,did not resign live on air.It was confirmed by Danny Alexander that he had resigned,but i had heard that earlier on an opposition news.So it is not quite the scoop being made out , nor is it of any importance.He is of the other place where all the non entities go for their paid retirement at public expense.If you asked why is he there in the first place and not part of a proper elected chamber , now that might be a scoop.
Well said Oakeshott, well said! That man for PM.
Bankers are despicable; greedy, selfish and mean barrow boys who add nothing to our existence.
The UK has to get back to adding value to products; engineering and suchlike. Moving documents around from desk to desk, even if separated by oceans, adds absolutely NOTHING to Human existence, merely filling the pockets of greedy shysters who have no altruistic feelings whatsoever.
Society does not need investment bankers/hedge funds/derivative traders; these useless appendages to basic banking services add nothing merely being parasites. They need to do proper jobs; latrine cleaning and shelf stacking comes to mind.
How about giving each of them an allotment to grow the food people will no longer be able to afford – fruit, vegetables – and making them donate it? Their hands are already dirty so a little real soil wouldn’t hurt at all; and all that fresh air & exercise might even improve their health. Body & mind, as they say …
Oliver i totally agree.The only reason they are accepted by government , and that is of any description,is because of the income they bring into the treasury.A lot like immoral earnings.Why do you think they do not make prostitutes illegal?Because they would have to make bankers and the other parasitic traders illegal too.The only difference is pimps and brothel keepers are not allowed to live of those earnings but governments can .
Same with arms-sale to Saudi, Adrian. Interesting to see Rosemary Hollis, she of BBC4 Today this week who admitted that it was ‘trade’ with SA which has helped ‘to keep Britain’s defence (!) industry alive’, on tonight’s news. Pity Jon didn’t have time to question her further. She did admit that Saudi was now the country to watch.
We need a new economy. The old one, with endless growth/GDP as its measure of success, is busted. That means, of course, recognising that we live resource-wasteful lives and will have to change our outlook on what makes up a good life.
Meg i agree with your final comment “change our outlook on what makes a good life”
How do you now move the present generation from its belief in money, violence and material want.
I am sure it would make a good blog,but i am afraid most of the problem comes from TV and computers.
Further to my preous comment: it seems a little retribution is planned for sooner than 4 years:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/10/uk-uncut-big-society-bail-in
Not exactly Tahrir Square, but encouraging. Shows just how out-of-touch Osborne and his gilt-edged cronies really are.
Jon, another scoop tonight. Congratulations to Lindsey.
The scenes from Cairo and your interview with the doctor and his son were deeply moving.
Let’s hope those dreams of freedom and democracy work out for the people of Egypt.
A great scoop Saltaire , but was it?LH interviewing a reliable source , the doctor and his son , all knowing and awaiting Murbarak’s resignation.
All totally wrong.Too many false starts and it is a disqualification:)
Jon,
You almost stumbled at the start of your piece on this subject tonight.
You really must control your sense of humour. The lads in the director’s glass box will NOT be pleased
By the way, brilliant interview with the Egyptian doctor. Very moving. I hope the Egyptian people get everything they seek, though I doubt it. Do you think the English police will follow the Egyptian military non-involvement when we hold our demonstration next month, or will it be thuggish “kettling” business as usual?…….Answers on a postcard……..
Jon: I can understand your anger, but you’re sort-of living-in-the-past, where less meant less and more meant more. It’s forgivable, but you have to understand that we’re living in Year One Vince Cable – he has this supernatural ability to mean the exact opposite of what he means. My rule: when it comes to Vince, think the Exact Opposite, but upside down, and at 180degrees, only inside-out. In reverse.
And, crucially, not.