The One That Doesn't See The Problem . . .

I was genuinely shocked by the tone of the report on the BBC/ZNL evening propaganda broadcast on the Ten O'Clock News last night.

Now, I don't normally hold with the view that the BBC news is overt in its support for the political views of the Government. I do accept that they quite subtly push the agenda, but the constant trotting out of the Gorgon phrase 'hard working families' aside, I don't think it is too in your face.

However, the story that Barclays have decided to secure funding from someone other than the taxpayer was met with near screams of protest from the financial correspondent with the odd diction (his name escapes me). The line was that Barclays - 'that most quintessential of British banks' had taken mid-east cash to avoid government dictation of how they should run their affairs. It was, the Beeb claimed, so they could continue to pay their directors huge bonuses.

I am of the opinion that as Barclays is an independent and private enterprise, what they pay their employees is a matter for them. If the shareholders don't like it, then they can do something about it. Why the hell is the BBC lambasting them for daring to strike out by themselves? As a tax-payer I'm quite happy about it. I don't especially want my cash to be pumped into banks. If it goes wrong and the bank looks like it is going to collapse, the government should turn round and say 'Sorry, that was a one time offer.'

But for the BBC to turn around on the news and effectively criticise them for taking cash from some Arab investigators rather than from the government, and for deciding to run their own affairs rather than to be under the control of Brown and his chums is a shocking state of affairs.