PLATELL’S PEOPLE: This Naga Munchetty saga lays bare the Beeb’s anti-British culture
Oh, What fun BBC Breakfast presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt seemed to be having when they lambasted the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick for having a Union flag in the background as they interviewed him via Zoom in his Parliamentary office.
A smirking Stayt kicked it off by saying the flag was ‘not up to standard size’. Giggling Munchetty joined in and mocked Jenrick for having a picture of the Queen in his office.
Except that most of us viewers found it far from a joke. Rather, it was just another sickening example of how far Auntie has come adrift from us licence-fee payers who stump up for its oh-so-clever metropolitan presenters’ eye-watering salaries.
What other country would tolerate a minister being sneered at by its national broadcaster for displaying the national flag in his office, alongside a picture of the head of state?
Robert Jenrick appeared on the BBC with a Union flag in the background and a picture of the Queen
What other country would tolerate a minister being sneered at by its national broadcaster for displaying the national flag in his office, alongside a picture of the head of state?
The incident says everything about the institutionalised, anti-British culture that poisons the Beeb. As broadcaster Andrew Neil commented, ‘Sometimes the BBC forgets what the first B stands for.’
Of course, the joke itself wasn’t enough for Naga. This narcissist promoted beyond her talent can’t help herself, so she doubled down on all the fun, ‘liking’ supportive tweets. She hadn’t had such a platform since flashing her knickers on Strictly.
‘I just love Naga’s laugh on this’, said one tweet. ‘Top marks for calling out the flag-waving government,’ read another. ‘What has Charlie done? The flag s***gers will be up in arms. Tell him we love him,’ said one more.
Inevitably, the BBC slapped her on the wrist for breaking impartiality rules, and she apologised — although the apology was illiterate and so sloppy it gave the impression she couldn’t care less.
‘I “liked” tweets today that were offensive in nature about the use of the British flag as a backdrop in a government interview this morning. I have since removed these “likes”. This [sic] do not represent the views of me or the BBC. I apologise for any offence taken [she means given]. Naga.’
The BBC said it was a light-hearted comment and no offence was intended but declined to comment further on the Naga saga. Shame on them. Were she a middle-aged bloke, she’d be out on her ear.
The irony is that the one person who comes out of this with honour is Robert Jenrick. While the presenters humiliated him and tittered, he smiled politely throughout — with such good manners and decency that it made one proud to be British.
Voldemort attacks hate and violence
Harry Potter actor Ralph Fiennes defends J.K. Rowling after she flew into a transgender maelstrom last year, questioning the use of the phrase ‘people who menstruate’ instead of the word ‘woman’ and arguing that the concept of sex is real.
‘I can’t understand the vitriol directed at her,’ says Fiennes. ‘I find the hatred people express about views that differ from theirs, and the violence of language towards others, disturbing.’
Well done, Ralph, for speaking out. My fear, though, is trans extremists will describe you as ‘a raging psychopath, devoid of the normal human responses to other people’s suffering’.
In other words, Lord Voldemort, as described by J.K. herself.
Bournemouth council proposes we should have no more Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms — and that all correspondence should carry the non-gender title Mx.
From here on, I will defer to Elizabeth Taylor, who married eight times yet remained for ever Miss Taylor.
So if I get my next council tax bill addressed to Mx Platell, I’ll chuck it straight in the bin.
Lady Gaga surprisingly made movie history winning an Oscar for best original song for the 2019 remake of the film A Star Is Born and being nominated as best actress.
Now she has landed the star, non-singing role of Patrizia Reggiani, ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci.
I’m not so sure that will be an award-winner. In my view, while she may have the voice of an angel, Gaga has the acting skills of a garden gnome.
Don’t smear all men over Sarah
The death of Sarah Everard has triggered a national outrage.
The vigil on Clapham Common, near where Sarah was last seen, drew crowds of hundreds of women revealing they, too, lived in daily fear of their lives.
While understanding the outpouring or grief in South London, perhaps we should pause and listen to one of Sarah’s closest friends, Helena Edwards, who fears all men will be ‘smeared with the same brush’ because of the anger among so many women.
‘Sarah was a victim of one of the most horrific crimes imaginable,’ said Helena. ‘She was extremely unlucky — that is all there is to it. Her [death] is not a symptom of a sexist, dangerous society.’
Let Sarah rest in peace and ensure her family retains some privacy —rather than make her some poster girl for other women’s grievances against men.
The head of Kew Gardens, Richard Deverell, defends his decision to ‘decolonise’ his botanical paradise, naming and shaming plants from countries that profited from exploitation.
Gosh, I guess that means we’ll have to dig up our geraniums and agapanthus this year, as they originate from South Africa, a country with a terrible colonial record, or we keen gardeners will be branded racists.
Young folk are frolicking together in groups in parks across the country during lockdown, yet two police officers turn up at an 82-year-old gran’s sheltered home in Gloucestershire at 9.45pm and accuse her of breaching Covid regulations.
The pensioner had had a socially-distanced cuppa with her elderly neighbours in their communal garden and was given a police warning.
You can bet that if gran had been burgled she wouldn’t have heard a peep from the coppers.
Time to move on, Angelina
This is a woman who nicked a husband from another woman, Brad’s then wife Jennifer Aniston
Five years on from their separation, Angelina Jolie is back in court with ‘new evidence’ of domestic violence in her bitter divorce with Brad Pitt.
She doesn’t name him but, by implication, she seeks to shame him.
This is a woman who nicked a husband from another woman, Brad’s then wife Jennifer Aniston.
As my own divorce lawyer, who cost a lot less than the millions Angelina has spent, once sagely advised me: ‘Move on. In seeking revenge, there is only one prisoner, and it is you.’
Westminster wars
- With her job as Home Secretary hanging by a thread, Priti Patel says she too knows the fear of hearing footsteps quickening behind her on the street. Would that be the sound of half the Cabinet hot on her heels and after her job?
- As Nicola Sturgeon faces calls to resign over claims she misled MSPs, should she now face an inquiry into that other vexing question? How has her razor-cut hair stayed so perfect through lockdown?
- Well done Boris having your Oxford vaccine yesterday to reinforce the message that it’s safe. Although I’m slightly concerned about advice that if you have a headache for more than four days you must consult your GP. I’ve had a thumping headache since the first lockdown — a year ago.
- While most of us splash out on the occasional home-delivered burger or pizza, the PM’s daily request for posh ready-made meals, costing £12,500 so far, consists mainly of ‘superfoods’ including kale, goji berries and chia seeds. Perhaps Boris’s predominantly vegan diet explains not only his loss of weight, but also of his hair.
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