The UK celebrates, the BBC flounders, and the EU produces fake news again
Brexit Facts4EU.Org asks: "Is the BBC now a Death Star with a death wish?
Staggeringly-biased BBC studio last night, for their Brexit Day coverage. Pic by Brexit Facts4EU.Org
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org weekend special – Celebrations, The BBC, and the EU
The huge fight to win the EU Referendum in the first half of 2016 has been dwarfed by the even bigger fight to see democracy respected and the result delivered in all the time since. It has been an exhausting journey.
“The UK is no longer a member of the EU”
“We’re out”
“The UK’s EU membership ended at 11pm last night”
Nope, it’s no good - No matter how many times we write it, it still hasn’t quite sunk in
So are we all “free at last”? No, of course not. More than three and a half years after the EU Referendum we have merely achieved step one. Our new-found freedoms will not really start until the end of the Transition Period on 31 December. Only then will we know how free we truly are from the pervasive tentacles of the European Union. (See our factsheet on Boris Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement here, produced by us the morning after it was released.)
Still, it’s a start, and this weekend we hope all readers will continue to celebrate.
On this momentous Saturday in the history of the United Kingdom, Brexit Facts4EU.Org brings you two observations which are unlikely to figure strongly elsewhere in the media. One is critical of our national broadcaster and the other should amuse you as well as having an important message.
1. Is BBC News now completely and utterly unfit for purpose?
Off and on yesterday we monitored the output of the BBC, as well as that of Sky News and ITN. We will confine our comments to the nation’s state-sponsored broadcaster, the BBC.
We wondered if perhaps the Beeb had finally realised that it is drinking in the last chance media watering-hole, following its boycotting by the Johnson government in relation to some of its flagship news programmes.
Judging from the dire output about Brexit Day yesterday, it would seem that the answer is no. The BBC really does seem to have a death-wish. Not only was the output biased against Brexit – no great surprises there – but it was also deeply unimpressive, not to say amateurish.
The combination of the BBC’s institutional bias with a continuing descent into what can only be described as a children’s TV level of editorial and presentational standards, leaves us wondering how long it will be before the Government will act. In our opinion this can’t come soon enough.
2. Yesterday we saw a perfect reminder of the EU nonsense we will soon leave behind
The three main new EU Presidents in Brussels yesterday - their Brexit statement © EU Commission
Yesterday three unelected EU Presidents put on a light show which illuminated nothing.
Three of the EU’s many Presidents all appeared on a platform together in Brussels yesterday. The glitzy event was clearly staged to compete with the Brexit celebrations in the UK on the day it left EU membership. No expense - still part-funded by the British taxpayer - was spared on the lighting effects. (See photo.)
It is a shame the same could not be said for the content of the speeches.
The speakers were EU Commission President von der Leyen, EU Parliament President Sassoli, and EU Council President Michel. And no, you were unable to vote for or against any of these “presidents”, and you couldn’t even vote them out if the UK still had any voting rights in the EU, which it doesn’t.
Below we provide you with verbatim excerpts from the press release issued by the EU Commission yesterday, together with our comments. Readers may view the full press release here.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary
Excerpts from official statement on Brexit, by EU Commission, EU Parliament, and EU Council
On Brexit Day, 31 Jan 2020
Taken verbatim from “Joint press statement by President von der Leyen with President Sassoli and President Michel on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union”
© EU Commission
“We are not optimistic, we are not pessimistic, we are determined. It was a very good retreat yesterday at Bazoches. We discussed indeed the matters that have been named, mainly also the digitalisation and the European Green Deal.
“We know that digitalisation is happening anyways, so we must harness it and we must shape it. We are convinced that technology sovereignty is consistent with an open market. And it means to build competitiveness with our values embedded in it.”
No, we have no idea what any of the above means either.
“We have been discussing the European Green Deal as our new growth strategy towards competitive sustainability. Europe is frontrunner in this topic, and it is not only our European mobilising project, but it also requires that Europe leads in this topic as a global authority.
“Therefore, we thought that we know very well that as the sun rises tomorrow, a new chapter for our Union of 27 will start.”
Hmm… Confucius, he say…. Anyway, Frau von der Leyen gamely ploughed on:-
“During all these years – 47 plus years –, our Union has gained political impetus and has become a global economic powerhouse. Our experience has taught us that strength does not lie in splendid isolation but in our unique Union.”
Anyone who recalls the statements emanating out of the Politburo of the Soviet Union for decades may recognise the style. Still, at least the EU Commission President didn’t mention how tractor production targets in the 5-Year Plan have been exceeded again.
EU's share of World GDP fell instantly overnight - down to 18%
So, on the day the UK left the EU, the EU Commission President chose to say "our Union has gained political impetus and has become a global economic powerhouse."
We hope it's not too churlish of us on the first day of Brexit to point out to Frau von der Leyen that the EU’s share of global economic output has fallen by almost a third in the last 30 years.
Yesterday the EU could claim 21.4% of World GDP, according to the latest figures from the IMF. Overnight it fell to just 18.3%, as the EU can no longer count the UK’s massive economic output in its figures. As you will see below, we predicted this correctly back in 2017.
© Brexit Facts4EU.Org
FINAL THOUGHTS
In the modern vernacular, Brexit rocks. The EU machine is foundering on the rocks. And the BBC is simply floundering.
We hope you have enjoyed our coverage in the last 24 hours. Please note that we produced several pieces yesterday, all available via our news headlines page.
If you can help us to see Brexit through with a donation today, quick and secure methods are below. Let’s get this done properly. Thank you.
[ Sources: EU Commission ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.
Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sat 01 Feb 2020
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