BBC Radio 1 - The Surgery's Anti-English Special - One Last Thought...

Anna Bowman, executive producer of The Surgery:

It [The Surgery ] was never intended to discuss the complex political issues that you suggest should have been raised.

Aled, speaking on the programme: “Is it that the Regions of England are stronger than the country as a whole?”

The modern day "regions" are an artificial political construct of recent years which were roundly voted against by 78% of voters in the North East (the only area allowed a referendum) and still have no mandate from voters. All modern day regionalisation in England has, in effect, been done against the will of, and without any mandate from, the people of England. Yet, Aled suggests that the regions are an established fact, perhaps stronger than the country of England itself?

This would be good news from the viewpoint of:

1) A Little Walesian

2) The BBC - keen to see the abolition of England through Balkanisation.

So, complex political issues (and dictated regionalisation is a little complex, isn't it - much as the BBC toadies to the Government and follows its dictates to the letter?) are allowed so long as they are presented as being good, wholesome, and in all ways better than equality for England? Oops, sorry, I mean any recognition of that monstrous place beginning with an 'E'?

Anna Bowman, BBC Radio 1's The Surgery, Returns To Why England Needs A Parliament...

It's amazing. Two replies from the BBC regarding its anti-English stance in two days! Anna Bowman, executive producer of the Radio 1 show The Surgery , is persistent. In the latest instalment, we learn that the "Cross-of-St-George-is-racist" stance on a recent The Surgery programme apparently originates from a debate amongst football fans FOUR YEARS AGO.

Following is Ms Bowman's latest e-mail and my reply:

Dear Chris

The football tournament I'm referring to is the 2004 European Cup and there are many articles online referring to the St George's flag debate.

This programme was about investigating how listeners describe themselves and how they feel about where they are from. It was never intended to discuss the complex political issues that you suggest should have been raised.

Whilst I appreciate you continue to have concerns with this particular programme, if you wish to pursue this complaint further, you can contact the BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit who will independently investigate your complaint. You can write to them at the following address:

Editorial Complaints Unit

Room 5168

White City

201 Wood Lane

London

W12 7TS

Alternatively you can email the Unit at the address: ecu@bbc.co.uk

Please note that any complaints submitted via email must include your postal address as all responses will continue to be issued via letter.

Whether or not you choose to pursue your complaint with the ECU please be assured your further concerns have been registered.

Regards

Anna Bowman

My reply:

Dear Ms Bowman, So, you believe that besmirching the England flag by going back to a debate in 2004 (FOUR years ago) amongst football fans, of which many of us were unaware, justifies the stance your programme took? What about featuring this story from the BBC, dated this year - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7631733.stm to balance things?

The BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit will independently investigate my complaint? The BBC's Editorial Complaints Unit? How can an arm of the BBC independently investigate the BBC? No, Ms Bowman, I don't believe that is logical or probable.

Correspondence is probably now closed. Unless Ms Bowman thinks differently? She's always very welcome here. And I appreciate her taking the time to engage in quite lengthy e-mail conversation about my grievance. It's not what I've come to expect from BBC staff.

Anna Bowman, BBC Radio 1's The Surgery - Excuses For Anti-English Bigotry...

The long-running saga of BBC Radio 1 programme The Surgery continues here with an e-mail from the show's executive producer, Anna Bowman. I must add, that after a week's waiting, the statement that I was taking the matter through the BBC's official complaints procedure last night seems to have worked wonders. Ms Bowman does not apologise. She has her own agenda, of course, and seems to think that of course it's right to question the morality of flying the Cross Of St George. Read her e-mail and my inserts [..] below and then my reply.

Dear Chris

Thank you very much for your feedback about Radio 1's Surgery Show. I really do appreciate the time you have taken to comment, and your input as a listener to the show is invaluable to us.

I'm sorry you're not happy with the speed of response to your original email - as you can imagine we receive a lot of correspondence which can take a while to process and our policy is to respond to anyone requesting a reply within 10 days.

I'm also sorry that you think the show 'came across as pure anti English' because I can assure you this was far from the intention and in my view, far from the case [that's all right then, isn't it? I'm just being silly aren't I?].

What is essential with any debate show is for the presenters to ask questions and raise issues in order to encourage discussion and comment from listeners. The comments from the presenters that you refer to in your email are examples of this:

“Wow people just don’t say English do they [many do!]? I’ve never noticed this before" and “Is it that the Regions of England are stronger than the country as a whole?” [a referendum found 78% of those polled in the North East, the only area ALLOWED a referendum, AGAINST regionalisation. The people have spoken. What the fuck did Aled think he was on about?]

These are important observations [who says so?] and questions Aled threw out to listeners in order to encourage them to get in touch, discuss and potentially agree or disagree with.

They are certainly not statements of fact - there is no point in making any definitive statements during a show like this as it immediately closes down a discussion which is the absolute reverse of what we are trying to do. With regard to Charlotte Ashton's question as to whether the St George's Cross has racist connotations - again this was an important issue to raise and ask for comment. I'm sure you remember the national debate during the last European Cup as to whether English people were proud or ashamed to fly the St George's flag [I do not recall this at all]. This is the basis on which Charlotte asked this question [Rubbish!].

With regard to the comments in your second email: You seem to have ignored my previous e-mal voicing my concerns about the The Surgery inciting hatred against English flag wavers by stating - incorrectly - that it is the flag of the hateful BNP - and by anti-English bigot Aled hosting a show in which the Welsh and Scots were portrayed as perfect and the English as racist heathens. At no time during the show did either presenter suggest that the St George's flag was associated with the BNP.

In fact I have listened back to the show and the BNP [the BNP is the only racist organisation in the UK which flies a flag - the Union Flag] isn't mentioned at any point during the two hour show.

I can also assure you that Aled is certainly not anti-English bigot [he disguises it well!]. Ultimately this show was about providing our listeners with a platform for their opinions to be heard and I believe Aled and Charlotte did a great job doing this [As long as YOU'RE happy, eh, Ms Bowman? Basically, there was no need to besmirch the English or their flag at all, but you won't admit THAT] .

I'm not sure if you listened to the whole hour of debate on the subject of identity, but if you did you'll have heard a wide variety of listener opinion, including those who are proud to be English as well as Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish etc [But did we hear any thoughts on negative aspects of Scottishness and Welshness - English bashing, for instance?]. Regards Anna Bowman Executive Producer of Radio 1's Surgery

I replied:

No, I'm sorry this reply is completely unacceptable. The flag with racist connotations, is the Union flag, and there was no need to tell lies. I do not recall a national debate about whether or not people are proud or ashamed to fly the St George's flag during any football tournament. This is BBC bias.

Also, why the regional agenda? The BBC backs this to the hilt, yet the North East, the only area allowed a referendum, voted 78% against regionalisation. Why were devolution issues, discrimination against the people of England, particularly health apartheid and the West Lothian Question, not mentioned? Racism in the UK usually involves the BNP. Please don't split hairs.

Why put a call on air about Scots sports participators being called "British" and English sports participators "English" - when a quick glance around quickly proves the reverse - I refer you particularly to the BBC's on-line coverage of the Olympics, where, it seemed that the Scots, Welsh and British were competing. Surely the The Surgery presenters should have been better versed on this matter and the phone call should have been excluded or challenged?

And if we need balance, why no mention of the supposed connection of the Scottish saltire with the Klu Klux Klan?

BBC Radio 1 - "The Surgery" - Another E-Mail - Will THIS ONE Be ignored, too?

Here I go again, if at first I don't succeed...

You seem to have ignored my previous e-mail voicing my concerns about the The Surgery inciting hatred against English flag wavers by stating - incorrectly - that it is the flag of the hateful BNP - and by anti-English bigot Aled hosting a show in which the Welsh and Scots were portrayed as perfect and the English as racist heathens.

It was a show which also ignored the many acts of discrimination passed against the people of England by the UK Government - including health apartheid and the continued ignorance of calls in England for a national parliament on a par with Scotland. A BBC poll proved the majority demand this - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6264823.stm

The BBC, with its demonisation of the English and England, and continued "British" brainwashing in England (but not in Scotland and Wales) is now far from democratic. I have written about your attitude - http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2008/12/bbc-radio-1-surgery-anti-english-show.html and request some coherent reasoning and an apology for your behaviour.

Inciting hatred against a UK sub-nationality is surely not part of your remit?

Don't forget, you can write to The Surgery at:

thesurgery@bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio 1 - The Surgery Anti-English Show - Concerns Raised Ignored!

We published this on 1/12/2008:

"From For England:

Channel hopping on the radio last night driving back from the cinema I stumbled across a show called “The Surgery” on BBC Radio 1 - ostensibly it’s an advice show for young people but last night it was in full blown British Brainwashing Corp propaganda mode. Where the topic of conversation was nationality and national identity.

Presented by Welsh chap called Aled who identified with being Welsh and a young lady and BBC careerist called Charlotte Aston who firstly described herself as English through and through but later denied her Englishness and identified herself as primarily British because her mates came from all over the “UK”.

This show stinks to high heaven - it is purest stinking anti-English racist bile!

I fired off an e-mail:

I was completely stunned at The Surgery piece on Englishness, Scottishness and Welshness yesterday. This came across as pure anti-English hatred.

Currently, the UK Government discriminates against every resident of England via the Barnett Formula and the lack of a dedicated national parliament for England is the reason that non-representative MPs can foist legislation onto England like top-up fees and foundation hospitals - both decided by MPs from outside of England whose own constituents will not be affected.

“Wow people just don’t say English do they? I’ve never noticed this before," said presenter Aled. “Is it that the Regions of England are stronger than the country as a whole?”

The only area of England allowed a referendum on regionalisation was the North East - which voted 78% against. And the people of England are force fed "Britishness" by the UK Government and the likes of the BBC. There is no chance of an inclusive, civic English identity being developed.

And yet people can die in England for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland - where spending is so much higher. And prescriptions are free to everybody, including millionaires in Wales, but poor folk in England struggle to pay the rising costs here.

The largest, most cosmopolitan country of the so-called UK is demonised and its electorate treated as second class citizens by the UK Government and the BBC. Just who are the racists?

Regionalisation - the Balkanisation - of England is a beloved project of the BBC and the UK Government.

Did you know that around 75% of the legislation passed by Gordon Brown's Government does not affect his own constituents in Scotland - which has its own national parliament? Is this democracy?

Back to The Surgery: Charlotte Aston falsely stated that the Cross of St George had racist connotations! This is a myth. The flag of the odious BNP is the Union Flag, this is part of their logo, and ALL the other flags of the UK are also flown at their rallies.

Charlotte Aston, having disowned Englishness, basically seemed to be inciting hatred against anybody defining themselves as English and flying that country's flag - obviously "racist"!

A caller claimed that Scots are referred to as "British" at sporting events and the English as "English". Have you looked at the BBC's own on-line material regarding the Olympics? The absolute reverse is true! This is brainwashing.

The BBC itself has reported on anti-English attacks in Scotland and Wales in recent years, and programmes like these which scapegoat the English as racist and spread anti-English propaganda should not be happening.

The BBC is racist. And charges of racism can be brought against those vilifying any particular nationality. The BBC is anti-English.

The Corporation also fails to address the various inequalities that devolution has heaped on England. I would like to make this a formal complaint. And all replies will be published on-line.
Yours sincerely,

Chris Abbott (half Scots/half English with a dash of German and probably various other influences but every inch an English citizen!)

You can hear the show here for the next week and For England also has it in rough .mp3 format.

Anti-English bile? Regionalist propaganda? The BBC continues to excel. If you wish to write to The Surgery the e-mail address is:

thesurgery@bbc.co.uk

I'll keep you posted on any replies I get. And a big hat tip to For England! "

And so far the BBC has totally ignored us. We just don't count, do we? We're simply there to provide the vast majority of the funding so that their anti-English "Brits", Little Waleans and Little Scotlanders can hiss venom at us.

The BBC: Radio 1 - Anti-English Hatred Prescribed At The Surgery

From "For England":

Channel hopping on the radio last night driving back from the cinema I stumbled across a show called “The Surgery” on BBC Radio 1 - ostensibly it’s an advice show for young people but last night it was in full blown British Brainwashing Corp propaganda mode. Where the topic of conversation was nationality and national identity.

Presented by Welsh chap called Aled who identified with being Welsh and a young lady and BBC careerist called Charlotte Aston who firstly described herself as English through and through but later denied her Englishness and identified herself as primarily British because her mates came from all over the “UK”.

This show stinks to high heaven - it is purest stinking anti-English racist bile!

I fired off an e-mail:

I was completely stunned at The Surgery piece on Englishness, Scottishness and Welshness yesterday. This came across as pure anti-English hatred.

Currently, the UK Government discriminates against every resident of England via the Barnett Formula and the lack of a dedicated national parliament for England is the reason that non-representative MPs can foist legislation onto England like top-up fees and foundation hospitals - both decided by MPs from outside of England whose own constituents will not be affected.

“Wow people just don’t say English do they? I’ve never noticed this before," said presenter Aled. “Is it that the Regions of England are stronger than the country as a whole?”

The only area of England allowed a referendum on regionalisation was the North East - which voted 78% against. And the people of England are force fed "Britishness" by the UK Government and the likes of the BBC. There is no chance of an inclusive, civic English identity being developed.

And yet people can die in England for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland - where spending is so much higher. And prescriptions are free to everybody, including millionaires in Wales, but poor folk in England struggle to pay the rising costs here.

The largest, most cosmopolitan country of the so-called UK is demonised and its electorate treated as second class citizens by the UK Government and the BBC. Just who are the racists?

Regionalisation - the Balkanisation - of England is a beloved project of the BBC and the UK Government.

Did you know that around 75% of the legislation passed by Gordon Brown's Government does not affect his own constituents in Scotland - which has its own national parliament? Is this democracy?

Back to The Surgery: Charlotte Aston falsely stated that the Cross of St George had racist connotations! This is a myth. The flag of the odious BNP is the Union Flag, this is part of their logo, and ALL the other flags of the UK are also flown at their rallies.

Charlotte Aston, having disowned Englishness, basically seemed to be inciting hatred against anybody defining themselves as English and flying that country's flag - obviously "racist"!

A caller claimed that Scots are referred to as "British" at sporting events and the English as "English". Have you looked at the BBC's own on-line material regarding the Olympics? The absolute reverse is true! This is brainwashing.

The BBC itself has reported on anti-English attacks in Scotland and Wales in recent years, and programmes like these which scapegoat the English as racist and spread anti-English propaganda should not be happening.

The BBC is racist. And charges of racism can be brought against those vilifying any particular nationality. The BBC is anti-English.

The Corporation also fails to address the various inequalities that devolution has heaped on England. I would like to make this a formal complaint. And all replies will be published on-line.
Yours sincerely,

Chris Abbott (half Scots/half English with a dash of German and probably various other influences but every inch an English citizen!)

You can hear the show here for the next week and For England also has it in rough .mp3 format.

Anti-English bile? Regionalist propaganda? The BBC continues to excel. If you wish to write to The Surgery the e-mail address is:

thesurgery@bbc.co.uk

I'll keep you posted on any replies I get. And a big hat tip to For England!