Newsnight 8/6/10

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

Ahead of the World Cup celebrations in South Africa, Tim Whewell travels to the 'rainbow nation' and finds deep race divisions. He meets two men with very differing views: Julius Malema, ANC Youth League leader, and Ernst Roets, chairman of white pressure group AfriForum.

Broadcast on:
BBC Two, 10:30pm Tuesday 8th June 2010

Duration:
50 minutes

Available until:
11:19pm Tuesday 15th June 2010

Our future is in the hands of a Star Chamber…
(Paxman)

Original Star Chamber had no witnesses…

BENIGN

Osborne saying he wanted to aspire to Canada’s example.

Lord Myners (in House of Lords) City Minister 2008-10 undermining Gordon Brown’s work. Dents Labour’s case.

Star Chamber:
Osborne
Danny Alexander
William Hague
Francis Haude

Suggestion that MPs should have a say, rather than Ministers.
Didn’t know there was a distinction.

£661 billion – Public Spending

Ring-fenced (NHS and Education)
Social unrest
Double-dip recession

Paul Mason a little off-key in his presentation…

Danny Alexander interrogated by Paxman.
Despite Clegg and Alexander’s rhetoric for doing things differently with regards to fiscal expenditure, cuts are being imposed compared to increasing year on year public spending of the ‘80s.

Alexander – not convincing in his answers.

Pithily marginal changes!
Working Tax Credits.

_____________
Chief Economist
Think tank DEMOS…

Star Chamber
• - Politician saying that 5% reduction in Public Sector pay would make a dent in black hole of defecit.
Argument against: example of a Teaching Assistant, on £10,000 a year.

• - Freezing benefits for 5 years.
Advocate of Oxfam, making the case against.
Benefits already barely pay unfair crippling charges.

Mark Littlewood – Institute of Economic Affairs
A bit of an unsympathetic douche.
Implicitly proposing Working Tax Credits abolishing.

• - Cutting libraries….
National government shouldn’t subsidy/mandate, they should be for local boroughs and communities to sort out.

John Redgrave – Conservative present on Star Chamber.
Suggesting perhaps amalgamating university with public libraries.

Littlewood’s acid test:
Is it vital, can we afford it?

Counter: Vital for what?

Feel sorry for that library dude.
Brutally cut off by Paxman.


Rainbow nation of South Africa
6 years on from Mandela’s vision…

Julius Malema…
Race talk…

1994 – it was said people would be better off.
1/3 blacks unemployed.

SA – most unequal society on Earth.

Malema wants Mines Nationalised.
Say that it would be disasterous.

3000 whites supposedly be killed.

Malema inciting hate songs…
ANC Youth League.

Jacques Nell – white activist, pro ANC

Free market policies have kept South African market afloat.

Cassale Mathale – Premier

Paxman – ‘back same time, why not tell your friends?’
A bit cringe-worthy…