Thought Roger was a disgrace today to be honest.
Clearly not intelligent enough and hadn't put anything like the research he should've done to challenge Bettison and ultimately ended in giving him an extremely easy ride.
Even with the callers after it seemed as though Bettison had won him over and he was actually sticking up for him. I'm all for somebody in his position staying impartial and playing devil's advocate but it went beyond that for me today. Seriously disappointed with Radio Merseyside after that.
Glad someone else has commented on the interviewer. I alluded to it earlier, but yes, thought he was pretty dissapointing to put it mildly. In fairness to him tho, I think he compered the phone-in's OK... there were a few points raised by callers and I think he was just trying to correct a few of the finer points raised by them, but it wasn't exactly satisfying radio from 'either side' I don't think. I expected much more. And a bit less heavy breathing.
I had a little look at
Biteback publishers late last night. Interesting. An 'interesting' list of books they've published. A bundle of 5 books on Nigel Frottage anyone? The Left's Jewish problem... but there seems to be a mix, albeit carefully constructed? Would that be fair?.. but yes... 'interesting'. The MD of Biteback is Iain Dale, who also has a slot on LBC radio.
Just over 2 years ago, Dale wrote:
It has been five years since Biteback Publishing opened its doors. In that time we have consistently sought to publish books that have set the political agenda, and I truly believe we have established ourselves as one of the leading specialist independents in the country. We have published best-sellers by Anthony Seldon, Peter Sissons, Peter Hennessy, Ann Treneman, David Sainsbury, Damian McBride, Peter Hain and Andrew Adonis, among many others. We may be small but we are incredible noisy, exploiting excellent relations with the British press in order to secure often record serialisation deals and unparalleled media coverage. No lesser names than Charles Moore and Peter Oborne have proclaimed us Britain’s best political publisher, for which we are grateful and very proud, and it is a rare weekend you will open a Sunday newspaper and not find one of our books serialised, or reviewed, or providing inspiration for the cover splash. I have to say it has genuinely been a lot of fun, though hard work. We have made a lot of friends and put a few noises [sic?] out of joint along the way (nobody who has worked with us would describe us a shrinking violets) but we have enjoyed ourselves tremendously.
http://www.iaindale.com/posts/2014/07/02/biteback-publishing-is-five-years-old
I thought that was quite interesting.
The delight in having Charles Moore as a big fan was quite interesting too... Eton-Cambridge- Real Ale... Editor Sunday Telegraph, Thatcherite, anti BBC, nicknamed Lord Snooty in Private Eye, pro cannabis, pro porn. Interesting I thought.
(I have Peter Cook's EL Wisty character saying the word 'interesting' ).
So when Bettison mentioned in an interview that he had decided to write a book, and approached a publisher about it, the publishers decided to publish it. That's interesting I thought. One approach to a publisher? A mere stroke of luck.
Shelagh Fogarty also interviewed Bettison today on the same LBC radio channel... can't find the full interview as yet, but there seems to be a bit more bite in her questions...
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/shelagh-fogarty/cop-hillsborough-cover-up-grilled-by-shelagh-book/Could only find a clip on there... maybe the full interview will crop up soon.
