Notwithstanding the worthy efforts of ‘The Last Leg’, and the less than stirling approach of ‘Have I Got News for You’ and ‘Mock the Week’, and ‘The News Quiz’, we are in desperate need of some astute satirical criticism of the political machinations away from the ‘serious’ news media.
Because they are failing miserably, and with a bias in approach and attitude that may not be intentional, but is definitely there.
A few weeks ago, Keir Starmer put forward, clearly and concisely, the Labour Party’s approach and targets for the negotiations to leave the EU. Subsequently dismissed as lacking clarity by any umber of Tory ministers, these statements of factual inaccuracy where never challenged by the various interviewers.
Diane Abbott, exhausted and in her 7th interview in a row, messed up the presentation of figures relating to police recruitment. But hey, it’s much more newsworthy to use this as a low and mean-spirited stick to beat her with, rather than look for some clarity.
Emily Thornberry calls out Michael Fallon, in no uncertain terms, for stretching any vague element of truth beyond rational acceptance. And yet he is permitted to carry on, without the ramshackle descriptions attached to him that Diane Abbott received.
The draft Labour Party manifesto was leaked, and rather than insisting that the Tories addressed it content, the media allowed them to hijack any discussions with incompetence slurs.
Now, I appreciate that the Tory manifesto cannot be leaked, because there is only one copy, and that is ‘The World According to Theresa May’, with any idea she can beg, borrow or steal from other parties in the hope it will somehow humanise her and fool a disillusioned electorate that the Tories care.
But I would have hoped, and it was always a weak and feeble hope, that the news media, and especially those that purport to be impartial, would actually question and test and hold to account the blatherings of the Tories.
But then again, why should they? Sound bites hold the airwaves, or the e-waves I suppose, and let’s not upset those that you seemed to have decided are going to be your masters after June 8th.
Instead, you continue the ridiculous mantra of ‘Back to the 1970’s’, with no particular evidence of its validity. Whilst accepting that more grammar schools and the return of fox-hunting is progressive and forward-looking.
Can we please get a grip. Call the Labour Party to account on its policies, fine. Question and test as firmly as you like. But do the same for both sides.
I have listened to more interviews with government and opposition representatives over the years than is probably good for my health, but I cannot remember a time when the attitude and approach of a wide cross-section of interviewers has been so markedly different in the level of subservience in one direction and aggression in the other.
And the vox pops are equally as uneven. Where is the follow-up question of ‘Can you give me an example?’ when the person in the street says they do not like / do not trust Jeremy Corbyn. Where is the ‘Didn’t Theresa May lie about calling an election?’ question?
I am not asking any of you to canvas for one side or the other, but at least questions both sides equally. This is, after all, a democracy.
And, moving on from the two sides mentioned, can you please explain the very uneven approach to the other, smaller parties. UKIP, with no parliamentary representation, gets copious airtime, the Green Party, with parliamentary representation, gets diddly squat.
There was a time when, even if the news media couldn’t get their act together, satire in its varied forms would shine the uncomfortable light on those in power.
Unfortunately, these days the only place you can find real political satire is in the US, and that is with Trump at the helm.
So what is our excuse? Stop going for the easy joke, because all that does is emphasise that the Tory machine is working.
Repeat a falsehood often enough and it becomes the truth.
So, for any that aspire to a satirical tag, stop playing their game for them. And the news media, report and question, but do it fairly and equally.
Or take full responsibility for the distortion of a democratic process
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