Monday, February 13, 2012

Kent Watch - BBC bigs up Conservative police candidate?

As you will know, from time to time I query the objectivity and quality of news reporting particularly from the BBC in the south east, on some occasions I also question the direction and conduct of our Police, well the two subjects were combined, in a single news report last week.

Tuesday (7th) BBC South East Today had a story concerning retired Col. Tim Collins, who is to stand as a candidate for the new role of elected police commissioner in Kent, with the backing of the Tory establishment, now clearly Col.Tim Collins is a serious candidate, who not surprisingly having retired from military service a hero, might perhaps just be the man to take on the role.

However for me a couple of issues not really connected with Tim Collins, arise from this report and the quandry for me, is about fairness and balance, just to remind you of some of the detail, as I recall, if I've got this right Col. Tim Collins is of the view that he could perform the duties of Police Commissioner, part time stating "It would be a part-time role for me. I don't see there's full time work in it." apparently also making light of the responsibilities of this post suggesting "What we need is someone who can listen to the public" (as I understand the role is also about decisions making, budget, setting the agenda and appointing the chief constable, not as simple as it Tim Collins would have it)

No surprise Kent Police Federation described the idea, as  " nonsence", myself I'd use stronger language, but that is not what bothers me, having done my own research, to me this report lacked both balance and background, firstly my worry is of a bias, Tim Collins has as a result, of what seems to me,  a flippant attitude to policing in Kent, and for all we know Kent conservatives may have massaged up a story, in which Ian Pointon chairman of Kent Police Federation has responded with a pertinent comment but all this resulted in Tim Collins, getting prominent prime time, publicity resulting in name recognition, now just briefly mentioning the background, as I understand talking to those, who know these things, the nitty gritty of the election has yet to be finalised, such things as  nominations for candidates, perhaps a deposit such as in elections for MP's etc, so we don't know who else will be standing.

To summarise, I think this news story, could be seen, as an early but important bit of publicity for the the conservative candidate, in the election for Kent Police Commissioner, and of course its worth pointing out Dover council who are organising or administering the elections are not expecting the details of the electoral process until sometime in the spring.  

I feel that the BBC should take greater care in its news reporting. The BBC speak of "opposing voices" in reports to achieve political balance, a somewhat banal phrase, I guess from the BBC wallah I spoke  to, that role was taken by the chairman of Kent Police Federation, but I cannot help feel that a potential rival for the post, should have been used to prevent suggestions, such as mine that this report, favoured the proposed  conservative candidate.

Maybe should I announce my candidacy for the role, BBC South East, will send one of it's journos out to report on a candidate who believes that whoever is elected as Police Commissioner for Kent takes a more serious attitude toward the role.

9 comments:

  1. Ominous that they want a military man for the job, might indicate that they are expecting a bit of resistance to all of their wonderful plans.

    Actually, I know for a fact that they are, I have read as much in UN and MOD documents.

    The ministry of truth is purely an establishment mouthpiece, well documented by Eric Blair/George Orwell.

    Fair and balanced? Unlikely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The more I hear about Kent Police the more I despair.

    Who are they answerable to and why are we paying them to stop people from delivering the truth ? What is the problem with delivering a newspaper to a council office, we really must keep an eye on what is supposed to be our public services and who is running them and for whose benefit if not ours are they being run ?

    quote

    Dear Kent Police

    Please provide the following under freedom of information:

    Kent Police Authority Oaths – The Police Code of Conduct

    Were the three Kent Police Officers badge numbers 12692, 12078,
    10091 working according to the oaths they took as police constables
    on the evening of 6th February 2012 when they stopped a Freelander
    belonging to former Maidstone Borough Cllr Sheena:Williams (not a
    public servant) outside Kent County Council County hall offices,
    after her partner had delivered the independent newpaper the
    UKColumn to Maidstone Borough Council offices.

    ( Having previously complained of alarm & distress at the hands of
    plain clothed Kent Police Officers, who arrived unannounced at her
    home and failed to provide any identification, after she had cause
    to complain about Kent County Council children services)

    What are the names and ranks of the 3 officers; initially a female
    officer number12692 and male officer number 12078 and later in
    attendance male officer number 10091

    As Kent County Council has already admitted they operate under
    their own authority.

    Quote : ‘It therefore acts under its own authority’

    http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/un...

    Can you for the record state under what lawful authority Kent
    Police operates and if you follow without exception The Police Code
    of Conduct.

    http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/can_you_for_the_record_state_und#comment-25239

    ReplyDelete
  3. This Collins chappie appears to be a globalist through and through, the name of his company 'New Century' smacks of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al.

    God help us if he gets the Kent job!

    Comparing what 'Nails' said in his eve-of-battle speech, to what subsequently happened in Iraq, (the exact opposite), he must either be incompetent as a leader or else he speaks with forked tongue. I suspect the latter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Its already very clear we have been living in a police state for a very long time, slowly slowly catches the monkey syndrome so its not too obvious.

    They have already given us public notice of the " war on terrorism " but unfortunately they failed to tell us we were all to be classed as the terrorists and treated accordingly.

    LAW & SOCIETY "IGNORANCE OF THE LAW IS NO EXCUSE"

    http://www.thebigwakeup.co.uk/Law-Society/

    ReplyDelete
  5. May be Kent police have had to much common purpose training !


    Police cleaner sacked... for dipping into jar of coffee

    http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2012/february/10/coffee_thief.aspx

    If we don't do anything about this sort of thing, you, and your children will live in a dictatorship that'll make Hitler and Stalin look like Lollypop Men!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I thought most of the comments on this blog claimed that the BBC is left-leaning. Now it's pro-Tory! Perhaps the BBC is getting it about right and balanced after all.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah, the incorrigible Bluenote, forever trying to drag the debate back to the left-right nonsense. Pay no heed folks, he is trying to lead you astray.

    The beeb is pro-Rothschild, as are the three main parties, and what the Rothschilds want is (fascist-corporatist) communism.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's not so much the criminal gang called Police which bothers me. I can live with being kidnapped and extorted and forced to conform to law under threat of imprisonment and threat of being shot. The thing which really bugs me is that ordinary people believe its an acceptable, necessary and legitimate operation in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Frances Croucher

    http://www.campaigncroucher.co.uk/

    How come we dont hear anything about this former Kent policewoman campaign ?

    She is clearly as disillusioned as the rest of us with Kent Police Force.

    Good luck to her if she intends to try to make Kent Police accountable for their actions to the public they supposedly serve.

    We already have far to many ex military in high positions especially in parliament , hero's debatable ?

    ReplyDelete