Newsnight 14/6/10

Newsnight - Monday, 14th June 2010

In-depth investigation and analysis of the stories behind the day's headlines with Jeremy Paxman.

Broadcast on:
BBC Two, 10:30pm Monday 14th June 2010

Duration:
50 minutes

Available until:
11:19pm Monday 21st June 2010
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Enquiry into Bloody Sunday.

Part of the price of peace.
1972.

38 years after the event in Londonderry.
12 years, £200 million.

Jackie Long reporting from ‘Derry’.
13 people shot dead.
Coronary: murder.
Whittory: blamed the Republican leadership.

Soldier F: killed Patrick Doherty, Michael Kelly.
Former (relative of) doesn’t want prosecution, latter does.

Guests:
Martina Anderson, MLA (Sinn Fein)
Parick Mercer, MP (Conservetive)

Should soldiers be prosecuted?
Mercer: absolutely

Immensely contentious

RUC?...


New Office of Budget Responsibility

Enemy of easy headlines: Nuance.
Paul Mason
Cuts.

Not as clear as the government thought.

Alan Budd
Refused to endorse Conservative view that Labour’s projection/economic forecast was a work of fiction. Alistair Darling was roughly right, puts Osborne in a tricky situation.


Oil spill.
Costing Obama popularity and credibility.
Made the comparison with 9/11, saying it’s on a par.

American press: muted response to the statement.

Wesley Warren (US Politician)
Energy advisor to Clinton 1994-2001

Hope to define the disaster, rather than disaster define him.

Obama lifted embargo…
Policy reflected that…

An opportunity to rethink energy policy.


Brutal
Liam Fox on Armed Forces cuts
(Defence Secretary)
“Ruthlessly, and without sentiment”

Mark Urban reporting.
Says they can’t really do much different than Labour Government.

Not gonna be done by ‘efficiency savings’.

- Strategy Policy
- The Armed Forces
- Procurement and Estates

Horsetrading.
Clear signal that budget cuts are going to be government dictated, as opposed to bureaucratically dictated.

Director of RUSI.


Merkel and Sarkozy renewed calls for reform.


MPs expenses
MPs complaining about new system.
Michael Crick reporting.
IPSA setup to referee MPs conduct and expenditure.

David Winnick, Labour MP

Numerous complaints:
Top heavy beaurocracy.

Offering advances up to £4000.

Nigel Gooding – resigned for the sake for his health and sanity.

Liberal Democrat, Guest on show (Bob Russell, MP)
Martin Bell, Independent MP => ‘reaping what they’ve sown’

The worry is that only the rich would be able to become MPs.

Amusing that Paxman finds it funny!

Both praised for speaking outright of the problem, given a lot of other MPs are scared.

Vusevelas of the World Cup.
Designed to make a Neapolitan traffic jam sound like Mozart!
Some dude called Byron!
That was pretty cool!