British pol destroys BBC hack: “How much are you paid?”
posted at 10:01 pm on May 12, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via JWF, a shot of video whiskey to end a long day. The topic is the scandal that’s exploding in the UK over members of Parliament using public money to pay personal expenses — a proper subject for journalistic inquiry, to be sure, but not one well suited to a news outfit that’s wholly funded by taxpayer dollars and which has itself been known to crap money away on nonsense and malfeasance. The MP here takes it a step further, though: Since everyone’s suddenly so interested in wasting public funds, let’s find out how much our very, very important — and state-supported — BBC anchors are bringing home each year. If ever you’ve bristled at media entitlement and egotism, ahem, you’ll enjoy this.
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Right between the eyes! I loved it.
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Ew, a Labour Party member eating a BBC’er? That’s like a democrat going on MSNBC and doing the same thing.
SouthernGent on May 12, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Haha, “How much do you make?” That was just awesome.
Richard Romano on May 12, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Pretty good stuff. I love when the punching bag kicks back. Someone help me out though – What does MP stand for ?
moc23 on May 12, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Applause! Spot on! I hope we start seeing more of this!
cibolo on May 12, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Wow… both the GOP and the MSM could learn something here.
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:09 PM
This is what Hell will be like. Journalists and politicians locked in a room together to ask eachother questions accusingly – FOR ETERNITY! Baahahaahaa!
warriorlawyer on May 12, 2009 at 10:10 PM
I’ll try to remember this exchange when Bill Moyers submits his obligatory evil CEO piece on NPT, or Gwen Ifill does the same on NPR.
Perhaps I’ll remember this exchange when Olberman ($7.5 mil / year) drones on and on about bonuses and bailouts when G.E. got BILLIONS.
Certainly G.E. should divest itself of its media arm to avoid what seems a blatant conflict of interest.
roscopico on May 12, 2009 at 10:11 PM
The BBC video player’s volume control goes to 11. LOL. It’s one louder.
Mark1971 on May 12, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Member of Parliament
inviolet on May 12, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Seriously, she only makes 90,000 pounds? Wouldn’t it be awesome if Keith Olbermann only made a $130,00!
SECOND LOOKED AT STATE CONTROLLED MEDIA!!!
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:12 PM
The truth hurts.
When highly paid pseudo-celebrity television personalities are making public policy, of course, to them, it is perfectly OK.
92k pounds…that’s approximately $140k, in UK with a per capita wage of $36k. Not nearly as much as major network talking heads in the US get, but in UK terms, a hell of a lot of money for what? And they are public employees.
The faux outrage is, well, outrageous.
coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:12 PM
I love the British…….
Seven Percent Solution on May 12, 2009 at 10:13 PM
When he said the MP’s are paid far less than her she and they do far more important work that shut her up. lol That was great.
boomer on May 12, 2009 at 10:14 PM
That’s pretty funny. I was surprised she answered his question.
AnninCA on May 12, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I’d like to see the media confronted here as well. How much do these talking heads make??? Millionaires all of them as they attack hard working Americans all around the nation!
JellyToast on May 12, 2009 at 10:14 PM
In this case MP would probably stand for Member of Parliament.
Rip Ford on May 12, 2009 at 10:15 PM
I like the tidbit about her personal calls… Are mobiles that expensive to own in Britain anyway?
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:16 PM
I realized what I wrote might sound “elitist”. I know $130,000 is a lot of money. But $130,000 is a lot less than what some of our television news “stars” make.
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:17 PM
She wasn’t going to until he reminded her that they have, “freedom of information” and she’s basically a public employee.
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Ever since Paul Potts won Britian’s Got Talent, mobile phones apparently have skyrocketed. :-)
coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Time on Target was a concept that the US, UK, and Finns developed between the world wars to maximize the effective resonance and intensity of Fire Missions….
she just received an all available tubes hit
sven10077 on May 12, 2009 at 10:17 PM
I wonder how much Perez Hilton makes…
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:18 PM
He really pissed on her parade. That was satisfying to say the least. Better than a nightcap even.
jdflorida on May 12, 2009 at 10:18 PM
*heh*
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Everything is expensive in socialist countries, including the services that are, “free.”
Worst food on the planet BTW. Worst. I’ve never sent that many meals back in my entire life.
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Too much!
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Perez Hilton…one source says about $800k.
coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Yeah, but it sounds like he was Labour…
If a lefty had done this to a FOXer (although no tax payer support), I don’t know if we’d be so happy… We’d probably call it dodging the question.
In the end though, I thought it was great.
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Doing what?
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Yeah, and when you say “free,” you mean “free after you pay taxes,” right?
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Being nauseatingly flamboyant?
coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
I feel sorry for the Kwef now… he has more skills than that queen.
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
What a waste of money — why is it that low lives make good money? Matthews and Olbermann both make too much money for what they do…they have no ratings and yet they make millions.
That’s life I guess.
Richard Romano on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
The dynamic is different though. She’s basically a public employee just like he is.
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Hey, if it pays that well I might give it a try….
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Not me. I’ve made it a life practice to never walk on the flamboyant side.
coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Agreed. That’s why I think it’s great that Labour of all groups called her out. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t dodging the question though. It was smart (if not cynical) on his part.
Also, don’t the MSM consider themselves the 4th branch of our Constitutional government (about the only time they even attempt to remotely use what some old, dead white guy may have said 200 years ago)
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Ha! I had to go back and check to see if you were putting us on but, sure enough, it does. =))
“Can’t you just make 10 the loudest? But mine goes to 11.”
jthibod on May 12, 2009 at 10:28 PM
I know this might sound anti-conservative and anti-capitalist for me to say but I’ll say it anyway because it is the truth. One of the reasons why our news sucks is because we pay the talent WAY too much here in America! I’m not saying we should get state controlled media but it one of the drawbacks of having capitalistic news media is the more “infotainment,” yelling… the better it is for business.
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:29 PM
This woman gets a government check to bash politicians?
Interesting.
Our hacks here fellate Obama daily for free.
They could stand to learn something from the Beeb.
At least get paid for being a whore.
NoDonkey on May 12, 2009 at 10:30 PM
Here’s the classic suppressed video of the BBC Hack Convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSqkdcT25ss
Del Dolemonte on May 12, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Don’t believe that for a second. He became famous with the help of payoffs from Paris Hilton and her family in that all her mentions were positive, NEVER negative. Ever. At the height of her notorious fame he was constantly fawning over her, her mother, almost their publicist, and he was paid for it. Since then he’s had failed “fashion lines”, failed TV shows, and a failed book. I’d question he pulled one quarter of that today.
Marcus on May 12, 2009 at 10:32 PM
For those advocating state-run media, how would you jive that idea with the 1st Amendment?
Not trying to flame, just really want to know how you can still have freedom of the press when your friends in DC fund it?
jthibod on May 12, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Astute observation…
TheBigOldDog on May 12, 2009 at 10:32 PM
That guy’s got Dick Cheney balls.
I would love to see our leadership and and the average Joe bust the MSM’s pompous butts like this on a regular basis.
Olberman and Stewart come to mind.
Baxter Greene on May 12, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Military Police.
Mylittle Pony.
Mother Pucker.
Mr. Potatohead.
or, in this case, Member of Parliament.
hillbillyjim on May 12, 2009 at 10:34 PM
I’m not advocated state run media… I don’t think it jives with our first amendment. However, let’s admit the drawbacks we have. Our national news media is an embarrassment. It just is.
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Might be the wrong blog to post that question on… or not.
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:34 PM
meant to say “on HA”
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:35 PM
She’s never made a personal phone call from work? She makes all her work related calls on private phones?
LOLOLOL.
Dusty on May 12, 2009 at 10:36 PM
I’m sure she pays the janitorial staff to clean around her desk…
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Eh, I’m torn.
Whilst it’s always nice to see some media drive-by clown put on the defensive, it sounds like the scandal is somewhat legitimate.
And let’s be honest, the Democrats will try and pull crap like this with Fox journalists long before any Republican will dare take issue with any of our drive-bys.
Kensington on May 12, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Totally different, because the FOX anchor–read: conservative for the purposes of argument–wouldn’t be going on about how much money a MP makes. A conservative thinks a body should be able to make as much money as s/he legally can!
Bob's Kid on May 12, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Yeah, I’m with you… I say we learn from the mistakes of the Brits instead of embracing them
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:40 PM
You think a congressman should make as much taxpayer money as they can? Don’t we always gripe about the Congress patting themselves on the back and upping their pay?
I’m not following.
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:42 PM
The two of them can tear each other limb from limb as far as I’m concerned. The Labour Party are nothing but a bunch of socialist crooks who have screwed Britain for the last 15 years – and the BBC is nothing but a socialist propaganda corporation which uses the law to force private citizens to pay them a tax for the privilege of owning a TV so they can broadcast left wing values all day which don’t reflect the values of the majority of Brits. If you don’t pay, they can throw you in jail.
For a fantastic daily overview of the rampant left wing pro-Muslim anti-Israeli pro-socialism bias on the Beeb, visit the Biased-BBC website.
http://biased-bbc.blogspot.com/
Sharke on May 12, 2009 at 10:44 PM
It is different in this case. The journalist is on the government payroll so she can’t make as much as she wants.
terryannonline on May 12, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I’m sorry – but I’ll have to break with popular sentiment here and side with the “journalist”.
What you have here – is a choice of “rooting” for two evils…
(a) The Prostitutes in the media or …
(b) The fat cat politicians.
Now … both are disgusting, parasitic creatures.
However – in this case, when we see the condition of Great Britain – you have to blame the politicians firstly.
Second … in the United States, wouldn’t WE LOVE to see our press go after Nancy Pelosi about her spending habits?
Third … you have to enjoy the irony of this – the press who are the eager and willing co-conspirators of shoving liberalism down our throats – and it’s no different in the UK – and here they are … “The Dogs of the Left” … now turning on their masters!
I mean … I just love it!
HondaV65 on May 12, 2009 at 10:45 PM
You forgot to add “Constant China Bashing while promoting the EU”
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I hope they tear each other apart and drag each other down. The survival of the UK is literally at stake, it seems.
FloatingRock on May 12, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Well color me lost and confused….The BBC is on the government Tit??? Really???
I know their news division is entirely made up of leftist hacks…but I thought that was just natural.
So let me get this straight…The BBC is the equivalent of NPR/PBS?? And they’re THE GRAND HIGH POOBAH MEDIA over there…
wow…LondoniStan indeed….
In all honesty, that fellow looks kinda like, and speaks kinda like…Barney Frank…except it’s Bizzaro world…
BigWyo on May 12, 2009 at 10:56 PM
Jolly good!
Buy Danish on May 12, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Oooohhhhhh…. that was good.
ChipDWood on May 12, 2009 at 11:12 PM
The thing I love about British politicians, compared to many of their blowed-dried, camera-ready American cousins, is that they know how to throw it around – in terms of actively arguing – I mean, all of the debate in the House of Commons is good stuff … why don’t we get that here in America? All the politicians here are afraid of stepping on each others’ toes lest they get pushed away from the trough …
furytrader on May 12, 2009 at 11:23 PM
PRICELESS!!
christene on May 12, 2009 at 11:23 PM
I believe that Finland has got that beat. Have you ever eaten fish stew?
Johan Klaus on May 12, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Awesome stuff. I just wish somebody asked Couric how much she makes.
Chekote on May 12, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I noted the same thing and ROARED with laughter.
SlimyBill on May 12, 2009 at 11:34 PM
You lot don’t get it….our MPs (and peers) have been caught making the most outrageous claims on their expenses bills…everything from panty liners to dredging out their personal moats (yes!) around their country castles. Every incumbent party is implicated. NuLabour is worst, because they’re incumbents and they are *supposed* to be on the side of the little guy. They have been caught renovating their second homes (on taxpayers cash), then selling them on for a profit and not even paying capital gains taxes, because they designate yet another house as their second home when they sell the first one. “Troughers” is the most printable expletive I can use here; the British public are caught in the recession just trying to pay the bills and many of them commute longer distances than these MPs, who get their expenses paid, while we pay our commuting costs out of taxed cash.
The newsreader is a bimbo who’s paid highly out of a state-broadcasters’ budget–but there’s nothing to suggest she’s also chiselling a bit here and there to top up her income.
You have never seen the level of vitriol I have been reading on the blogs and even on the highly moderated MSM comment sections. Saying “sorry” isn’t good enough, paying it back with interest is only fair; we now want prosecutions for the worst offenders. The only good thing I can say is that NuLabour is dead in the water, the f*ckers will still hang on to the trappings of power until we lynch them or they call an election.
Thanks, AP, for finally mentioning this on Hotair…you all still think the GOP has anything to learn from the Conservatives?
Fortunata on May 12, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Working for tips.
andycanuck on May 12, 2009 at 11:37 PM
The anchor’s argument is effectively, “if we stop wasting money on mismanaged administrative perks, we can waste the money on mismanaged socialist perks.” What about letting the people keep their money?
theperfecteconomist on May 12, 2009 at 11:38 PM
“You’re not at all sorry for interrupting me.”
Damn. This guy is magic. He read my mind.
ynot4tony2 on May 12, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Worse than that… Brits have to buy a licence if they own a TV set(s) and the revenue is used to fund the Beeb.
andycanuck on May 12, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Here here!
Jolly good show, my good chap!
jgapinoy on May 12, 2009 at 11:43 PM
[P.S. He's not a British MP any more, Allahpundit, he's a Labour appointee to the House of Lords--the UK's Upper Chamber.]
andycanuck on May 12, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Upstater85 on May 12, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Even if I were asleep after a 12-hour drinking binge, I’d still exhibit more talent than Hilton.
Furthermore, as a straight man who just loves looking at beautiful women, I’d also make a better judge for Trump’s next pageant than Hilton. Shame on Trump for saying he’d call that hag back…
ynot4tony2 on May 12, 2009 at 11:52 PM
It’s compulsory to buy a license if you own a TV; some groups such as old-aged-pensioners and welfare layabouts are excepted. The Beeb has monitoring vans that snoop around your street to see if that TV signal to your house is active and if you are on their list of paid-ups. If not, they can actually come and arrest you out of your house and take you down to the police station. I’m trying to find that story about a guy that they actually did that to for an unpaid bill that he hadn’t seen…
Fortunata on May 13, 2009 at 12:01 AM
If any of you ever get interviewed live by a Couric or Dave Gregory style of media activist phony who is trying to set you up and you want to see them completely short circuit merely reach over and touch their hair and say “It looks almost real on TV.” Guaranteed to make ‘em completely blow a gasket. Guaranteed.
viking01 on May 13, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Wow, that was some public spankin.
No bagels for her.
Sapwolf on May 13, 2009 at 12:02 AM
Perez Hilton…one source says about $800k. coldwarrior on May 12, 2009 at 10:20 PM
I heard all bloggers make about that much.
KS Rex on May 13, 2009 at 12:13 AM
I wonder what BO will pay his state owned MSM?
d1carter on May 13, 2009 at 12:18 AM
I reckon he told her!
TheSitRep on May 13, 2009 at 12:20 AM
That debate style goes back a long ways. I enjoyed the verbal pugilism throughout Amazing Grace, the story of the ending of Britain’s slave trade.
jgapinoy on May 13, 2009 at 12:21 AM
Who in the world pays him anything?
You mean like PBS & NPR?
jgapinoy on May 13, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Can we watch it again?
Shy Guy on May 13, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Are the vans from the Ministry of Housinj, Fortunata?
andycanuck on May 13, 2009 at 12:52 AM
Sein Fein MPs get tens of thousands for second homes in London, yet they refuse to set foot in parliament let alone live in London. Still doesn’t stop them from taking all that limey tax payer money.
Blake on May 13, 2009 at 1:10 AM
“Okay, thank you for joining us.”
LMAO. In yer overpaid, arrogant git face, lady. Beautiful point about the wealthy journalists spitting on democracy.
Django on May 13, 2009 at 1:11 AM
That’s a template for ANY Republican running for office.
Mojave Mark on May 13, 2009 at 1:24 AM
I guess this b-slap is a start. Maybe the Brits can defend themselves after all.
T J Green on May 13, 2009 at 1:27 AM
The argument from the MP is illogical.
There is no doubt that his welfare state pays out more to him then it does to its TV anchors.
So if the MP is making 100,000 + chandeliers and the Anchor is making less that 100,000 – who’s wasting what? Surely the public wouldn’t agree that their MPs in charge of their largely failing welfare state are in fact doing a good enough job to be earning substantially more than the people’s TV anchors, chandeliers notwithstanding.
PresidenToor on May 13, 2009 at 1:39 AM
British MPs give their constituents excellent service. So does the BBC. I know there are a few MPs who abuse the privilege of office and plenty of journos who want to sensationalize trivial things.
This scandal is resonating with the people in Britain and this flash on Hot Air does not do the whole story justice.
lexhamfox on May 13, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Loud evil laughter from my shadowed face and V-back chair! BWAHAHAHAhahahaha!!!
All politics aside, it’s hysterical to see someone fighting back against those overpaid newsreaders. Back in the day, Bill O’Reilly went on Fresh Air, the whispering flatulence of NPR. The host was in the tank for Al Franken. O’Reilly took total control of her show and deconstructed her. Trek’s best transporter couldn’t put her atoms back together.
Now if Ann Coulter ever gets into Congress…
Feedie on May 13, 2009 at 3:13 AM
For the full details of the MP’s expenses claim look no further than here-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/
MPs have committed fraud on a massive level. In just one year they claimed £93 million pounds in expenses- and quite apart from the use of taxpayers’ money for trivial and luxurious items, they have also manipulated the system (flipping addresses) to spend thousands of pounds on home refurbishments. They have also used the system to avoid paying taxes.
It’s a colossal scandal. The British public are furious.
One other point- the newsreader here is a nobody. There are well-known newsreaders on the BBC who probably command big salaries; but she isn’t one of them.
Finally, the BBC is funded from the public purse by a mandatory TV licence fee (one which has been becoming more and more expensive, in the space of just a few years it has increased by nearly 50%). There are no exceptions to the fee- even not watching the BBC isn’t a good enough reason not to pay. You even need one if you don’t own a TV but watch a TV clip on the internet which is also being broadcast on TV at the same time. You are legally obliged to pay the licence fee. If you don’t you face a £1,000 fine.
There are quite a few people upset that a newsreader is being paid £92,000 a year from our pocket. By contrast an MP earns about £60,000 a year.
As far as most British people are concerned, both of the people in this video clip are leeches.
Jay Mac on May 13, 2009 at 3:37 AM
Little mixed on this one. The press should grill politicians. But, it does seem to come mainly from the Left and this gentleman sparred with her quite nicely. On the other hand, we, too find it difficult to believe that they (politicians) aren’t all crooks because so many of them obviously are.
Dr. ZhivBlago on May 13, 2009 at 4:20 AM
I hope the British public remains furious.
Our freak-show Congress is intertwined in the bank crisis so much, they’re one and the same. There is a revolving door between the oversized institutions and oversized government.
In a way, it’s a shame about the BBC. It had such a reputation for excellence at one time. Politics infiltrated and spoiled everything. The U.S. equivalent is PBS. Taxpayer funded, this leftist hole is marginalized in comparison.
Feedie on May 13, 2009 at 4:24 AM
Always keep in mind that the BBC reporters in the US (who we are forced to support through the licence fee, under pain of imprisonment) were utterly in the tank for Obama, were vitriolic about Palin, were constantly insulting about Bush and Cheney, and have shown ant-US bias year in, year out. Either bias by commission, or bias by omission.
The BBC is a travesty of what it once was, in Alastair Cooke’s day. We call it Al-Beeb.
JohninLondon on May 13, 2009 at 5:34 AM
What is more entertaining than watching one sanctimonious leech attack another sanctimonious leech? It almost makes the fee tolerable.
TheBigOldDog on May 13, 2009 at 6:27 AM
I say did not take much to make the little witch testy,both are overpaid,maybe we could have some one ask our msm what they do for love of country?
Col.John Wm. Reed on May 13, 2009 at 6:44 AM
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