Listening Post - Boris Johnson, UK media and the seeds of Euroscepticism
Boris Johnson, the odds-on favourite to become Britain's next prime minister, had one distinct advantage going into the race to succeed Theresa May: name recognition. When the UK media drop that name - Boris - Britons know who exactly they are talking about. And that is partially because, as it happens, Johnson got his start in the news business. In the late 1980s, after getting fired from his first reporting job for inventing a quote, Johnson wound up as Brussels correspondent for The Daily Telegraph newspaper, known online as The Telegraph. In this role, he produced an assortment of Eurosceptic stories that people found amusing and that arguably sowed seeds in peoples' minds for leaving the European Union. It [Boris Johnson's Eurosceptic journalism] set the tone for 25 years of British media coverage of Europe," says Martin Fletcher, former Brussels correspondent for The Times. "Because every news editor in Fleet Street thought that what Boris Johnson was producing was much more interesting than the usual grey dull fare that came out of Brussels. And they demanded the same. I know this because I was the Brussels correspondent for three years myself at the end of the 1990s." Isabel Oakeshott, a former political editor for The Sunday Times, the largest-selling British national newspaper, does not think Johnson or his stories two decades ago are catalysts for what she calls "Britain's fundamental Euroscepticism." "It was immensely colourful, made great copy and people lapped it up. But I'm sure also people took it with a little bit of a pinch of salt," Oakeshott argues. But nearly 30 years later, Johnson became a key asset on the Leave side in the 2016 referendum campaign - saying the same kind of things about the EU as a politician he once did as a journalist. Johnson is well aware that most of the UK print media do have his back. But not all of them. Recently an expose was released about Johnson's ties with Steve Bannon, the alt-right former White House operative who has ties to white supremacists. Bannon was reportedly behind Trump's efforts to ban Muslims from entering the US. "We don't know all the specifics of the relationship between Boris Johnson and Steve Bannon, but in another way it doesn't matter," says writer and commentator Maya Goodfellow. "What matters is that he is trading on exactly the same kind of politics that Steve Bannon is. Boris Johnson likes to ramp up the hatred towards certain groups of people at particular times. And at this moment that is ramping up hatred towards Muslims which is an existing sentiment in Britain." Carole Cadwalladr, the journalist with The Guardian and The Observer who broke the Bannon story, says: "We in Britain, we're facing exactly the same problems that the American press is facing with Trump, which is, how do you hold a liar to account? In this day and age it's incredibly difficult because our media is very largely owned by oligarchs and they're overwhelmingly right wing. And you can see concerted elements of the press working together to promote their man - which is Boris Johnson." Johnson's ongoing relationship with The Telegraph and his weekly column remain central to his political ambitions. Because PM May resigned before her term was up, her successor will be selected on July 23 by the Conservative Party membership, not in a general election. "The Daily Telegraph is the bible of the Conservative Party," says Fletcher. "So his column in The Daily Telegraph is immensely important to him. I think it's quite extraordinary. To me, it breaches every code of journalistic ethics. I cannot understand how he or the Telegraph gets away with it." Contributors: Martin Fletcher - former Brussels correspondent, The Times Carole Cadwalladr - journalist, The Guardian & The Observer Isabel Oakeshott - former political editor, The Sunday Times Maya Goodfellow - writer and commentator - Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe - Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish - Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera - Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/
2415 programs in the collection
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ...
Ash Regan unites SNP and independence movement at campaign launch
"Today, I officially launched my campaign to be the next leader of the Scottish National Party. With a clear vision for a brighter future for Scotland, I am ready to unite our part...
  24 Feb 2023 - Length: 0:10:04 - AshReganSNP
The Scottish Greens in Government
The Scottish Greens record in government comes under scrutiny. Just what are they good for? ___________________________________ ___________________________________ If you've e...
  21 Feb 2023 - Length: 0:02:22 - Shauny Boy
LET WOMEN SPEAK - KELLIE JAY KEEN (GLASGOW 5/02/23)
LET WOMEN SPEAK GLASGOW EVENT 5/02/2023 For more information follow on: https://www.standingforwomen.com More people are waking up....remember we are all in this together....
  7 Feb 2023 - Length: 0:19:52 - Alice The Journalist
When You Apply for Creative Scotland's 'working class' art fund
The Scottish creative arts REALLY care about supporting their working-class artists... ___________________________________ ___________________________________ If you've enjoye...
  7 Feb 2023 - Length: 0:02:28 - Shauny Boy
Scotland Self-Determination Bill - House of Commons 01/02/23
FULL SPEECH: ALBA Party Westminster Group Leader Neale Hanvey MP introduces the Scotland Self-Determination Bill to the UK Parliament. Join the Alba Party: https://www.albaparty...
  1 Feb 2023 - Length: 0:10:41 - Alba Party
How They Wrote THE RIG
It's the best Scottish television show the world has ever seen. Now find out how they wrote Amazon Prime's The Rig. These people are geniuses. ___________________________________ ...
  25 Jan 2023 - Length: 0:02:20 - Shauny Boy
Pete Wishart's 'How to be an SNP MP'
The greatest SNP MP ever to grace the halls of Westminster helps to train potential new recruits. Take it from someone who knows... ___________________________________ __________...
  23 Jan 2023 - Length: 0:02:20 - Shauny Boy
ALBA Party Westminster Group Leader Neale Hanvey MP' - full speech at the GRR Debate in the Commons
Our core belief is independence for our country. Not as an aspiration for the future but something to be delivered with urgency. You can find regular independence updates and resou...
  17 Jan 2023 - Length: 0:03:13 - Alba Party
Fox News - Kellie-Jay interviewed on Tucker Carlson Today
This is the original #AdultHumanFemale channel and home of Kellie-Jay Keen aka Posie Parker. Aired on 23/05/2022 Watch the original here: https://nation.foxnews.com/tucker-car....
  7 Jan 2023 - Length: 0:57:10 - Kellie-Jay Keen
ALBA's New Year Message
Alex Salmond uses New Year Message to Urge Scots to act to claim independence in 2023 The Former First Minister and Alba Party Leader warned that without independence Scotland ...
  31 Dec 2022 - Length: 0:02:38 - Alba Party
It's a Very Nationalist Xmas
Gary's been put in charge of the Xmas presents this year. What could possibly go wrong? ___________________________________ ___________________________________ If you've enjoy...
  22 Dec 2022 - Length: 0:02:16 - Shauny Boy
Patrick Harvie Volunteers at Xmas
It's the season of goodwill. And Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, is ready to think about something more than himself... ___________________________________ ____...
  19 Dec 2022 - Length: 0:02:19 - Shauny Boy
When You Try To Leaving the Central Belt
Sometimes in Scotland you have to venture beyond the confines of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our public transport system isn't built for such adventures. ______________________________...
  8 Dec 2022 - Length: 0:02:17 - Shauny Boy
This is Scotland for the next two years
Are you ready for another two years of Scotland being filled with the same old recycled constitutional bulls**t? Well it doesn't matter because that's exactly what yer getting! __...
  6 Dec 2022 - Length: 0:02:18 - Shauny Boy
St Andrew's Day Message from Alex Salmond
Sign the St Andrew's Day Declaration: https://www.albaparty.org/declaration Become a member of the ALBA Party: https://www.albaparty.org/join Donate: https://www.albaparty.org/do...
  30 Nov 2022 - Length: 0:02:34 - Alba Party
If Sturgeon's Supreme Court speech was HONEST....
The Supreme Court voted no to Scotland holding its own referendum. So Nicola Sturgeon takes to the stage to address the adoring masses and tell them just how this is all going to g...
  30 Nov 2022 - Length: 0:02:18 - Shauny Boy
'The Great Pain Robbery' - A #ScotSalvo and liberation.scot Special Broadcast
Discussion about Scotland's territorial integrity and the plunder of the nation's resources by the British state (London). The discussion is hosted by Iain Lawson, chair of the Sco...
  28 Nov 2022 - Length: 0:45:01 - IndyScotNews
In Full: Bernard Ponsonby speaks to Alex Salmond after the Supreme Court ruling
STV News' Bernard Ponsonby spoke with former First Minister, and current leader of the Alba Party, Alex Salmond in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling....
  24 Nov 2022 - Length: 0:18:04 - STV News
The Mess We're In - LIVE IN LONDON
31 October 2022: A Hallowe'en Mess in Soho, with special guest Rosie Kay, and a sold-out crowd of fellow Messers in the live audience. Join Arty's substack: https://artymorty.su...
  8 Nov 2022 - Length: 1:35:22 - Graham Linehan
CREATIVE SCOTLAND IS A GENTRIFIED MAFIA - (feat Angus Robertson's face)
Are you a hard-working working-class creative looking to get a small amount of funding to make something in Scotland that's worth a damn? Well look elsewhere because Scottish creat...
  8 Nov 2022 - Length: 0:02:19 - Shauny Boy
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ...