Tuesday 28 June 2011

Today's show 28/06/11

You will, of course, recall the in-depth coverage that you gave to the MPs expenses scandal. I feel sure that you would be interested in another similar story, so how about this one from The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jun/27/bbc-expenses-david-cameron
Wimbledon 2011: Sweet deal on expenses for BBC staff
£19 a day adds up to a lot of cupcakes

Allow me to quote:
"The man from Auntie was standing in front of a Guardian reporter when he paid for almost £20 worth of cupcakes . When asked if this was his usual calorific intake, the BBC employee responded that he was taking them home to his wife and it was all going through on expenses."
"But multiplying estimated staff figures by the £19 daily allowance suggests the BBC has prepaid about £30,000 into the Wimbledon restaurant, and that is equivalent to the licence fees for more than 200 households."


Now, and just like the MPs, I am sure that most of your listeners will not have any issue with hard-working BBC staff claiming expenses for legitimate expenditure incurred during their working day. However, and just like the MPs, this should not allow them to spend BBC money ... no, that should be OUR MONEY ... just because they can. I feel sure that you will want to investigate this further and include it in one of your programmes later this week. I'd listen to that.

Oh, but you don't talk about the BBC when it has done something wrong, do you. You only talk about it when hailing its success or in shameless self-promotion. Remember Primark and Panorama? I do.

Today then I will be missing these stories:

1) CAR INSURANCE RACKETS - Have you been targeted by a car insurance racket? Did somebody text you to claim compo on a crash that never even happened? Find out more in this Daily Mail article : No doubt that this is a deplorable practice but my answers to your questions are No, and No. Is it really possible to be "bombarded" with emails as the good old Daily Mail suggest, bless them? Marking the first one as spam usually stops any others arriving. I learnt a long time ago never to give out my mobile phone number or my email address to anybody that I didn't want to know it. Forcing an unscrupulous insurance company to send a printed letter (which costs them money) is a good way of preventing this kind of thing. Next...

2) POLICE DOGS - A police dog handler leaves his two dogs in a car and they both died. He did the same thing six years ago and is completely devastated again : Hmmm... nowhere on the BBC news page that you link to does it mention anything about the officer concerned. However, the Daily Mail give far more details here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008691/Sergeant-Ian-Craven-suicide-bid-police-dogs-die-heat-car.html. I hope he is prosecuted and sacked, but he'll probably just be demoted to join the ranks of the other police numbskulls who do nothing more than hassle innocent photographers going about their lawful business (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUan2DXBsk), or he'll be given another dog. Next...

3) GREECE DEMONSTRATIONS - Greece teeters on the brink, as hundreds of thousands demonstrate against austerity measures. We talk to a Labour MP who says they should leave the Euro now : I look forward to tomorrow's headlines: GREECE TO LEAVE THE EURO FOLLOWING SUGGESTION BY LABOUR MP and WHY DIDN'T WE THINK OF THAT? - ASKS GREEK PARLIAMENT. It's not going to happen, is it? Gisela Stuart MP is entitled to her opinion, and I am entitled not to listen. After all, neither she or you will change anything. Next...

4) CRYING BABIES - Lastly, a man who complained about a baby crying in a restaurant is hit over the head with a wine bottle by the father of the baby. Were you driven to distraction by a baby crying in a restaurant, or is it time we made our restaurants more family friendly, like they are in Italy? Find out more in this Daily Mail article : Today's show would be nothing without the Daily Mail. You do know Jeremy that if I wanted to know what was in it I could buy a copy (not that that is ever going to happen) or look on their web site. I don't need you or anybody else to read it to me. And I certainly do not need to be told what my tolerance of crying babies should be, thank you.

The Jeremy Vine Show - brought to you in association with the Daily Mail.

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