WE WANT #ABOLISHTHEBBC TRENDING ON TWITTER!
The BBC doesn't fear us specifically or our campaign, but DOES fear the idea behind our campaign: which is that the BBC can be abolished and dismantled like any other public institution. Our campaign is not the end of the BBC, but it is the beginning of the end - others will take up our idea and take up the baton. It is the idea that counts, not the people or organisations involved. One day the BBC, and the rest of the whole rotten Establishment in this country, will topple.
It is by spreading the idea - Abolish The BBC - that we will put fear into the BBC and the wider Left who depend on it.
Even if abolishing the BBC is not politically-possible, by spreading a meme that calls for this, we are helping to shift the parameters of debate. This may result in further reform of the BBC, but we want it to be shut down.
If the BBC is ever brought down, that will represent the biggest-ever reversal suffered by the Left in this country.
Our campaign hashtag embodies the idea: #AbolishTheBBC. It needs to become a popular meme that is repeated every time the BBC is criticised on social media. With that in mind, we today launch our #AbolishTheBBC Twitter Campaign.
The aim is simple: we want our campaign hashtag, #AbolishTheBBC, trending on Twitter by Thursday 18th. October 2018. It's a tall order, but even if we fail, we are confident that we will have started something - and that is the real point.
Today, 30th. September, has been selected purposefully. It is an important date in the BBC's history. It was the date in 1967 when Radio 1 was launched, and this year it is also the 89th. anniversary of the first television broadcast by the BBC.
Likewise, 18th. October is also historic for the BBC. It is the 96th. anniversary of the formation of the British Broadcasting Company on 18th. October 1922.
It would be poignant if, on that historic day, a major social media platform had #AbolishTheBBC trending. We doubt the BBC will report it, but it will be noted.
What we ask of our followers is that you include #AbolishTheBBC in your tweets at every opportunity - especially when your tweet is about the BBC. Please also make others aware of our campaign.
Sunday 30 September 2018
Monday 24 September 2018
Operation Target
Operation Target is concluded. In all, we e-mailed some 5,000 individuals - including MPs, MEPs, MSPs, Assembly Members in Wales, Northern Ireland and London, and local councillors at different levels. In the case of local councillors, we focused on the areas of the country where we believe opposition to, or criticism of, the BBC is likely to be strongest, and we restricted our mailings to Conservative and Independent councillors (plus SNP councillors in Scotland, Plaid Cymru in Wales, and the various unionists in Northern Ireland).
The aims of Operation Target
We also expected that most who responded to us would oppose us – mainly because it’s the safest public position to adopt at this time, and politicians and councillors are by definition creatures of politic. Actually this expectation turned out to be inaccurate. Of the 5% who responded, the split between pro- and anti-BBC was roughly 50:50. That said, it should be added that we are including in the 'antis' those who are merely critical of the BBC in some way, mostly about bias or the TV licence system, or both; nevertheless, such people tend to be receptive to our campaign and can be considered among our soft support. That we received so many favourable responses was interesting and unexpected. We thought it would be more like 90:10 in favour of those against us.
Unfortunately, the exercise seems to have had little or no effect on the petition count, which has slowed considerably. There may be little that can be done about that, as the petition (which isn't even our petition anyway) may have reached its natural ceiling of support. This campaign is for the long haul.
Profile of supporters
Given the broad political profile of the vast majority of those we contacted, we expect that the majority are against the BBC, but most of those will not respond to us as it is not politic to publicly oppose the BBC.
Of those who did respond favourably to us, the profile was mixed, but virtually all of them were either Conservatives, UKIP, DUP or Independent.
The major points:
-Three MEPs, all UKIP, have expressed support for our campaign.
-Two leaders of local authorities have expressed support for us. One is a Conservative, the other - oddly - is Labour (the only Labour politician to back us: we will be keeping his details confidential).
-Several leaders of local authority political groups - mostly Conservative with one DUP - have expressed support.
-We have received a helpful response from the Scottish Government, which we will post up here and comment on in due course.
-Not one MP has backed us so far, and only one - Damian Green, a Tory MP, who opposes us - has given us anything approaching a helpful response.
-Not one Assembly Member in Wales or London has supported us, and only one has given us a helpful response.
-Of the local councillors who support us, around 120 in number, these are a mix of Conservatives, UKIP and Independents. The age profile is also mixed: some are middle-aged, some are elderly, some are quite young (in their 30s). Almost-all are men, but several are women.
Profile of opponents
Most of those who responded to oppose us are local councillors, and most of these are Independents, but some are Conservatives. The age profile is typically middle-aged or elderly and the gender split is 50:50.
We received two responses from MPs, both Conservatives, and both opposed - though the response from one of these, Damian Green, was a little bit helpful.
We received one opposing response from an MEP.
Among MSPs, we received no direct response but the Scottish Government has written to us (details to follow).
Among AMs in Northern Ireland, there was no response at all; only one response, opposition, was received from AMs in Wales.
We received three responses from AMs in London, all opposed, but one of which was at least somewhat helpful.
Nature of the responses received
Most of the supportive comments railed against the bias of the BBC or the TV licence system, or both. A few showed a more sophisticated understanding of things and raised the larger issue of how state broadcasting has affected the health of the nation.
Our opponents in nearly-all cases showed a credulous attachment to out-dated perceptions of the BBC based on how the broadcaster may have been in the past rather than the reality of today. We received reams of twaddle about how the BBC is a 'national institution' and 'one of the great things about this country', etc., etc. Almost-all of these responses revealed a closeted mindset that either refuses, or cannot, confront the problems in Britain and the BBC's role in these.
Some observations
The aims of Operation Target
Abolition of the BBC has never been raised as a possibility in mainstream public discourse. The primary purpose of this exercise was to raise awareness of our campaign and to get the message into the bloodstream of society. A secondary purpose was to start building alliances with prominent and influential local and national individuals who sympathise with us. A further purpose of the exercise was to raise awareness about the petition and boost the signature count.
What we expected and what happened
We expected a 4% response rate - the standard response rate for unsolicited campaigns. This expectation turned out to be more or less accurate: the response was 5%, roughly 250 replies were received.
We expected a 4% response rate - the standard response rate for unsolicited campaigns. This expectation turned out to be more or less accurate: the response was 5%, roughly 250 replies were received.
We also expected that most who responded to us would oppose us – mainly because it’s the safest public position to adopt at this time, and politicians and councillors are by definition creatures of politic. Actually this expectation turned out to be inaccurate. Of the 5% who responded, the split between pro- and anti-BBC was roughly 50:50. That said, it should be added that we are including in the 'antis' those who are merely critical of the BBC in some way, mostly about bias or the TV licence system, or both; nevertheless, such people tend to be receptive to our campaign and can be considered among our soft support. That we received so many favourable responses was interesting and unexpected. We thought it would be more like 90:10 in favour of those against us.
Unfortunately, the exercise seems to have had little or no effect on the petition count, which has slowed considerably. There may be little that can be done about that, as the petition (which isn't even our petition anyway) may have reached its natural ceiling of support. This campaign is for the long haul.
Profile of supporters
Given the broad political profile of the vast majority of those we contacted, we expect that the majority are against the BBC, but most of those will not respond to us as it is not politic to publicly oppose the BBC.
Of those who did respond favourably to us, the profile was mixed, but virtually all of them were either Conservatives, UKIP, DUP or Independent.
The major points:
-Three MEPs, all UKIP, have expressed support for our campaign.
-Two leaders of local authorities have expressed support for us. One is a Conservative, the other - oddly - is Labour (the only Labour politician to back us: we will be keeping his details confidential).
-Several leaders of local authority political groups - mostly Conservative with one DUP - have expressed support.
-We have received a helpful response from the Scottish Government, which we will post up here and comment on in due course.
-Not one MP has backed us so far, and only one - Damian Green, a Tory MP, who opposes us - has given us anything approaching a helpful response.
-Not one Assembly Member in Wales or London has supported us, and only one has given us a helpful response.
-Of the local councillors who support us, around 120 in number, these are a mix of Conservatives, UKIP and Independents. The age profile is also mixed: some are middle-aged, some are elderly, some are quite young (in their 30s). Almost-all are men, but several are women.
Profile of opponents
Most of those who responded to oppose us are local councillors, and most of these are Independents, but some are Conservatives. The age profile is typically middle-aged or elderly and the gender split is 50:50.
We received two responses from MPs, both Conservatives, and both opposed - though the response from one of these, Damian Green, was a little bit helpful.
We received one opposing response from an MEP.
Among MSPs, we received no direct response but the Scottish Government has written to us (details to follow).
Among AMs in Northern Ireland, there was no response at all; only one response, opposition, was received from AMs in Wales.
We received three responses from AMs in London, all opposed, but one of which was at least somewhat helpful.
Nature of the responses received
Most of the supportive comments railed against the bias of the BBC or the TV licence system, or both. A few showed a more sophisticated understanding of things and raised the larger issue of how state broadcasting has affected the health of the nation.
Our opponents in nearly-all cases showed a credulous attachment to out-dated perceptions of the BBC based on how the broadcaster may have been in the past rather than the reality of today. We received reams of twaddle about how the BBC is a 'national institution' and 'one of the great things about this country', etc., etc. Almost-all of these responses revealed a closeted mindset that either refuses, or cannot, confront the problems in Britain and the BBC's role in these.
Some observations
A large part of British society is legalistic and conformist. There has always been a vocal element in British society who take the view that laws and institutions should be obeyed unquestioningly. At the same time, the media are at the centre of power and influence in this country. Those two things mean that a powerful state broadcaster with a left-wing political agenda is quite dangerous to the nation.
Our opposition to the BBC is not just a matter of a broadcasting. The quality of programming is an important, but minor, consideration. This is really about power and influence: who holds it and what is done with it. Our view is that, given the technological realities, and in view of the damage done by the BBC to British society, state broadcasting should be abolished in this country for good and all media should be independent and private.
Our opposition to the BBC is not just a matter of a broadcasting. The quality of programming is an important, but minor, consideration. This is really about power and influence: who holds it and what is done with it. Our view is that, given the technological realities, and in view of the damage done by the BBC to British society, state broadcasting should be abolished in this country for good and all media should be independent and private.
Politicians and local councillors are politically-minded, so we would hope that they would think about the BBC not just as a broadcaster but as a political issue. In a way, our campaign is an acid test of the intellect and imagination. Some people can't see beyond the end of their own noses, and unfortunately, many of the elected politicians we contacted failed the test. They don’t grasp that our campaign against the BBC is really about power. They think that this is just about the BBC, they imagine us to be right-wing rotters and spoil-sports or worse, and they oppose us because they like the BBC and hold a sentimental attachment to it. Whether due to low intellect, ignorance, arrogance or an agenda of their own, or some combination thereof, they cannot see the bigger picture.
Why does all this matter? The trusting, law-abiding, myopic nature of the white British people has been taken advantage of. Consider these findings from Migration Watch:
Why does all this matter? The trusting, law-abiding, myopic nature of the white British people has been taken advantage of. Consider these findings from Migration Watch:
Migration Watch UK said the scale of illegal immigration was “considerably worse than the government admits and very little is being done about it”, in a 22-page report which notes that the number of people thought to reside illegally in Britain exceeds one million.
Looking at visa overstayers, detected clandestine arrivals (persons who, for example, arrived illegally by lorry), and failed asylum seekers who do not leave the country, the think tank calculated a gross addition of more than 105,000 people to the illegal immigrant population each year.
With only about a third (35,200) of this figure deported or leaving the country of their own accord each year, Britain has been seeing a net rise of around 70,000 to its illegal immigrant population each year, equating to 700,000 people in a decade.
Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “The scale of illegal immigration to Britain is a scandal that has gone on for too long.
“The government must not cave in to opposition attempts to ‘weaponise’ Windrush against legitimate and effective measures to tackle overstaying. These measures are supported by nearly 80% of the public, and rightly so.”
Where was the BBC investigation into immigration numbers and their effect on British society? Isn't the BBC supposed to be the 'national broadcaster'? The truth is that the BBC has for decades censored this issue by omission and has thereby helped the British state to suppress legitimate concerns. Other issues have been treated the same way: where was the BBC report on mass child grooming during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, or even 2000s? There wasn't one.
The BBC must go.
The BBC must go.
Twitter Gold 010
The Left are ripping down historical statues and monuments, monopolising the mainstream media, censoring and closing down social media accounts of those with dissenting opinions in order to save us from fascism.
— Garbage Human 🗑 (@GarbageHuman_) September 24, 2018
Sunday 23 September 2018
Twitter Gold 009
There must be some legal way to end it, a monopoly forcing people to pay for a service you might not use, the BBC pretend to have no adverts but put loads on for BBC programs. BBC radio promoting other channels programs all the time. Time to end it— Andrew Jordan (@AndrewJordan78) September 23, 2018
How You Can Help (Version VI)
YOU can help us.
Here's how:
1. Sign the latest anti-BBC petition. [Note: UK Parliament will send you an e-mail with a link that you need to click on to confirm your signature to the petition. If it doesn't appear in your Inbox, please check your Spam/Junk folder].
2. Tell your friends, family, contacts and work colleagues about the petition and give them the link so they can sign it too.
3. Defund the BBC - stop paying the TV licence and boycott their programmes. You can safely ignore TVL (who enforce the TV licence): they can only take action against people who co-operate. Don't answer their letters. Ignore their letters. Don't telephone them. Don't go online to notify them. Just stop paying. Don't answer the door to them. Just ignore them.
4. Write to your local MP. If you're not sure who that is, you can search for your MP here. We also recommend you use the UK Parliament constituency search page to find your MP's exact contact details, once you know their name. Letters (snail mail) are the most effective, but e-mail is fine if that's all you have time for. It's best if you compose the letter in your own words, but if it helps, feel free to refer the MP to our website and key links such as the summary of our case against the BBC here. If you do e-mail, make sure you include your address within the constituency, as that ensures a reply. Do send us a copy of what you write and let us know if you receive a reply!
5. Support our #AbolishTheBBC Challenge and help us take on the BBC live on-air. Click here for more details.
14. We're especially keen to hear from anybody who can promote our campaign and spread the word. Perhaps you have a network of contacts or influencers who can help? Please e-mail us.
THANK YOU!
Here's how:
1. Sign the latest anti-BBC petition. [Note: UK Parliament will send you an e-mail with a link that you need to click on to confirm your signature to the petition. If it doesn't appear in your Inbox, please check your Spam/Junk folder].
2. Tell your friends, family, contacts and work colleagues about the petition and give them the link so they can sign it too.
3. Defund the BBC - stop paying the TV licence and boycott their programmes. You can safely ignore TVL (who enforce the TV licence): they can only take action against people who co-operate. Don't answer their letters. Ignore their letters. Don't telephone them. Don't go online to notify them. Just stop paying. Don't answer the door to them. Just ignore them.
4. Write to your local MP. If you're not sure who that is, you can search for your MP here. We also recommend you use the UK Parliament constituency search page to find your MP's exact contact details, once you know their name. Letters (snail mail) are the most effective, but e-mail is fine if that's all you have time for. It's best if you compose the letter in your own words, but if it helps, feel free to refer the MP to our website and key links such as the summary of our case against the BBC here. If you do e-mail, make sure you include your address within the constituency, as that ensures a reply. Do send us a copy of what you write and let us know if you receive a reply!
5. Support our #AbolishTheBBC Challenge and help us take on the BBC live on-air. Click here for more details.
6. Share our blog posts with others: click the social media links at the foot of each post.
7. Add your own comments to our blog posts to let us know you support us.
8. Visit and click 'Like' on our Facebook Page and invite others to do the same; 'Like' and share our Facebook posts.
9. If you use Facebook a lot, add our campaign banner to your profile photo. Just save the .png image below to your computer [right-click, then Save as...], then go to the Facebook frames page and follow the instructions.
9. If you use Facebook a lot, add our campaign banner to your profile photo. Just save the .png image below to your computer [right-click, then Save as...], then go to the Facebook frames page and follow the instructions.
10. Follow us on Twitter, add the campaign hashtag #AbolishTheBBC to your profile description, and press 'like' and 're-tweet' whenever you see one of our tweets.
11. Tell friends, family, contacts and work colleagues about our campaign and suggest they search online for our campaign #AbolishTheBBC.
12. Get in touch at campaigntoabolishthebbc@gmail.com, with messages of support, ideas, and suggestions.
13. Can you become a local contact for our campaign? We'd especially like to hear from people who live in the constituencies we are focusing on in Operation Target. Please check the list of the relevant target constituencies and get in touch with us if you're from one of those areas.14. We're especially keen to hear from anybody who can promote our campaign and spread the word. Perhaps you have a network of contacts or influencers who can help? Please e-mail us.
THANK YOU!
We're Back!
We haven't gone away you know. We've always been here, but we've been busy with Operation Target, and now we're back. We've had some good responses from local communities, and we have a lot to report. We also see that the government have given their usual predictable and banal response to the petition. In the event, we decided not to write to the DCMS, as we realised that would be a waste of time - but we will be giving them our response to their response.
We also note that the petition sign-ups have slowed down somewhat, so further work will be required in that regard. Time to step-up a gear.
We also note that the petition sign-ups have slowed down somewhat, so further work will be required in that regard. Time to step-up a gear.
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