As a modernising Tory, David Cameron does well to hide his past as a traditionalist who would once have fulminated against the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation.
But a hint of the old Cameron slipped out today when he interrupted a press conference at the EU summit to speak of the "delicious" BBC spending freeze.
"We are all in it together including, deliciously, the BBC, who in another negotiation have agreed a licence fee freeze for six years," the prime minister said. "So what is good for the EU is good for the BBC, is good for everyone."
Cameron had a pop at the BBC when two journalists from the corporation asked two questions in a row. Gavin Hewitt, the BBC's Europe editor, first asked about Tory Eurosceptic concerns over Cameron's decision to abandon his campaign for a cut or a freeze in the EU budget for 2011.
He was followed by Matt Cole, the BBC's nations and regions correspondent in Brussels, who asked about the coalition's proposal to fine higher-rate taxpayers who claim child benefit from 2013.
The PM answered Cole's question and then spotted a third BBC journalist, Newsnight's political editor Michael Crick. To laughter, he said: "Good to see that costs are being controlled everywhere.– so let's take a third question from the BBC – Michael Crick."
Crick asked how Cameron could explain his decision to endorse a 2.91% rise in the EU budget while the British public are facing cuts. Cameron defended his decision on the EU and then hailed the freeze in the BBC licence fee. "I'm afraid it is going to be freeze," he added. "But I am sure there are some savings available."
Comments in chronological order (Total 43 comments)
Post a comment30 October 2010 12:15AM
This man is a cretin of monstrous proportions and this article exposing him beautifully. Thank you.
30 October 2010 12:41AM
"Deliciousssss, precioussss." He'll be asking us what we have in our pocketses next.
30 October 2010 1:05AM
The cracks are starting to show already. What a chump.
30 October 2010 1:29AM
The most delicious thing to happen in 2010 was watching the smug grin being wiped off Cameron's Old Etonian face as the British public spectacularly rejected him as their chosen PM. In my book, that makes him a pseudo-PM and a total fraud. Why does the country continue to accept this monumental stitch-up by the coalition? Remember, Cameron - you're a reject. Now that's delicious.
30 October 2010 1:34AM
its starting to look very much like theres something behind all these cuts..i cant tell whether its cracked brain rightwing ideology that makes no bloody sense at all or its grand theft perhaps there no difference..we know that cameron is in league with murdoch.,and that murdoch wants the bbc broken up and sold off to him so he can bring it down to his gutter level...maybe thats why camers is having a pop at bbc the licence fee freeze looks like a gesture to the oaps but i suspect it has murdoch in there somewhere like a poisonous stick of rock
30 October 2010 1:40AM
At the risk of sounding as if I've something in my eye, that man (the Big C) is a total winker.
30 October 2010 2:03AM
To quote my 14 year-old daughter: "We don't like him, do we?"
30 October 2010 2:15AM
Camerons comments about the BBC shows exactly what he thinks of the finest braodcasting organisation in the world.
It is the only thing left in Britain that can truly be called World Beating and this moron takes delight in his plans to ruin it.
The man is an embarrassing joke, a liar and a fraud.
30 October 2010 5:08AM
It is indeed surprising that the BBC found it necessary to send at least three journalists and an unspecified number of other employees to the E.U. summit.
What is the point of having an expatriate reporter in Brussels if he can't do the job on his own?
This reminds one of the overkills on coverage of the Olympics, the Chilean miners' story and no doubt similar wasteful expenditure at present on the mid-term elections in the U.S.
I for one am very grateful the Government has called a halt to automatic increases in the BBC's tax based revenues and there are a few small signs the Management is beginning to react although lethargically as is its custom..
The BBC trust has now got six years to eliminate future dependance on the licence fee and being subject the whims of whichever politicians happen to be in power.
It should actively set about ensuring the Corporation's total Editorial and Financial independance by proposing new statutes perhaps as a charitable trust on the lines of the very successful public broadcasting systems in America
30 October 2010 5:21AM
Maybe the BBC should stop attending his press conferences.
30 October 2010 5:37AM
"We are all in it together including, deliciously, the BBC"
The real significance here isn't Cameron making snide remarks about the BBC. After all the very first person he invited to Downing Street in May, as revealed yesterday in the official release of Downing Street diary details, was Rupert Murdoch.
The telling thing about Cameron's remark yesterday was how much it told us about his own cynicism of his use of the phrase "We are all in it together".
He showed yesterday in that momentary slip of control that he knows full well it's a worthless insincere lie.
For a moment the mask slipped and Bullingdon boy was revealed. The Bullingdon boy who usually has to conceal his contempt for the stupid public he so despises for believing his lies.
30 October 2010 5:44AM
That's a great picture of Cameron. It couldn't be clearer that he believes all the cuts are delicious. We are witnessing a man who believes he can impose his ideology without restraint.
30 October 2010 7:26AM
I fully agree with the man; why does the BBC keep scoring silly own goals by flaunting the waste and duplication in their organisation?
30 October 2010 7:26AM
W**ker
30 October 2010 7:40AM
How many newscorp' journo's there? More than three I'll bet.
But then I may be wrong. Apparently, they either make up the news or resort to phone taps - no doubt a much cheaper option than proper journalism. Oh, and you might just get a plum No. 10 job too!
Result.
30 October 2010 8:02AM
Cameron is just a front man for financial terrorists, the bbc should should use an actors voice or not report on him at all, much like other certain organisations in the past. I wonder how they are going to hide the true unemployment figures in 2011? That's a figure they won't be able to to get a freeze on.
30 October 2010 8:05AM
therealsalparadise
No, a P.R. man through and through. Snake oil & shit sold as cake and ale. Really, the man's a genius.
30 October 2010 8:11AM
What we have in this country is a Tea Party Coalition. We may laugh at the loonies across the pond, but take away the religion and ideologically you have a coalition that is prosecuting a fully fledged ideological war; both economic and cultural. You can also see this in the attack on the Universities. 100% cut in teaching for arts and humanities for example. The damage these loons will do to this country will be peramanent.
30 October 2010 8:15AM
Perhaps, to use the old Thatherite phrase, the BBC should stop giving Cameron the "oxygen of publicity"?
Just as a matter of interest, is there anyone out there who still believes these cuts are anything other than ideological?
30 October 2010 9:29AM
PR Dave has shown during his European excursion what a lightweight he really is. He must have felt very inferior mixing with real politicians. His demise will be welcome to most of them.
30 October 2010 9:31AM
'How many newscorp' journo's there? More than three I'll bet.'
These would not have been paid for by a compulsory TV tax! While i'm not anti bbc it does seem to be out of touch and arrogant when it comes to looking at the way it spends money.
30 October 2010 9:33AM
Cameron and Murdochs job in the next 5 years is to demolish any defence the state has to stick up for itself against big business in the future. This is thier mandate.
When you look back at this 5 year period it will become one of the most important 5 years in this countrys History.
They are more dangerous than any standing Army this country has faced. There is a war being waged against this country and the people don't even know it.
30 October 2010 9:35AM
@1649
EXcellent, though revolting, phrase. Reminds me of an older one, which is still apt.... "if I have to eat shit, don't tell me it's sugar".
30 October 2010 9:36AM
400+ BBC staff at Glastonbury.
Say no more...
30 October 2010 9:40AM
A saving grace is when Prince Charles becomes king he will defend the BBC to the hilt and protect it.
Then murdoch will attack him on a weekly basis. This will be one little battle in the war in the future.
30 October 2010 9:45AM
400+ BBC staff at Glastonbury. Say no more...
Yes a truely fantastic interactive production. I look forward to it everytime it's on and not one commercial in sight.
It's that good they could send a 1000 people for all I care.
30 October 2010 9:51AM
David Cameron baits BBC over spending freezePrime minister describes funding freeze as 'delicious' and teases corporation for sending three reporters
Chilled champagne is 'delicious'
Tory cuts are (mostly) malicious.....
30 October 2010 10:31AM
The BBC: the finest broadcasting organisation in the world, the British public face to the world, and a bloody fine job it does of it. A nation's broadcast media is too important to be flogged to someone who clearly has no interest in this country's future beyond what he can squeeze out of it. Maybe Cameron doesn't care, and is thus unpatriotic. Wave the flag, but keep your investments overseas.
Murdoch was praising Cameron's cuts, telling him to stay on course. I wonder why.
30 October 2010 10:40AM
Three different journalists from three different areas of a huge corporation. How else are they supposed to do it. I wonder how many Government officials were there with Cameron. My guess is more than three.
30 October 2010 10:51AM
Bejing Olympics, a large private US TV company had over three thousand people on site for their broadcasts, BBC radio and TV had four hundred people on site. Source, the Guardian.
But the BBC has put their foot in it with this and they did not expose DC for what he is.
It is about time that the BBC investigated how much his extended family and that of his wife's receive in benefits from the EU argriculture fund after all they are extensive land owners.
30 October 2010 10:54AM
Cameron has Andy Coulson and a team of PR / media people, employed at public expense, who's sole job is to work out how best to lie to the public whilst keeping Cameron in power.
30 October 2010 11:04AM
I know Television has to produce pictures but it has always seemed extraordinarily wasteful that news channels insist on "going over" to "our reporter" who is "outside Downing Street for us" or outside a court of law, etc., to tell us what we already know from the link person in the studio. The cost of these outside broadcast units is mostly unnecessary and, in the BBC's case, a waste of our money.
30 October 2010 12:03PM
I've seen the BBC send two film crews to one court case, each filming the other crew in the background of their shots. News 24 constantly switched between the two crews, it was almost like a parody of journalism.
Much as I like the BBC, it does appear to be wasteful, and could do with learning how to control its costs a bit better. There's nothing wrong with being efficient.
30 October 2010 12:17PM
The problem Dave has is that he is doing something to save our country, difficult and hard as it will be, after a disastrous mess the Labour Party government left it in. The anger and sniping at Dave from the other side is because it knows it has nothing to offer, except the shadow chancellor's feeble comment to borrow more money, and is now turning in on itself. As the years go by and the country charge into a new beginning Labour are fully aware that it could wither on the vine. And a good thing too.
30 October 2010 12:24PM
This man gives the village idiot someone to look down on!
He hates the BBC because it does what it's supposed to do - educate, entertain and inform. Instead what does he do? Oh yes, run the country - into the ground.
30 October 2010 12:46PM
I voted Lib Dem tactically - next election I am chopping my hands off - what other option is there in a con / lib dem dominated constituency? I watch in horror as this man demolishes this nation. Almost Thatcher like in his efficiency.
30 October 2010 1:40PM
In common with many serious politiicians, Mr Cameron obviously hates Newsnight.That's why he and Gordon had to be dragged kicking and screaming in front of Paxman during the election.
Their dislike of the programme just proves how important it is to keep.
30 October 2010 4:40PM
David Cameron quote pre election clearly seeking every vote he could get.
"I'm probably the most pro-BBC Conservative leader there's ever been!" he told the Radio Times in its new issue published today.
"I worked at ITV for seven years [as director of corporate affairs at Carlton] and you learn to respect the incredibly important role the BBC plays," he said.
"Competitors like the BBC because you're competing up here on quality rather than down here on price. I would never do anything to put the BBC at risk. Conservatives should be as proud of establishing the BBC as Labour are of establishing the NHS."
Delicious -
1. Highly pleasing or agreeable to the senses, especially of taste or smell.
2. Very pleasant; delightful: a delicious revenge.
Delicious Mr Cameron? You two faced Tory boy. It leaves the voters with a bit of a sour taste if you read the above doesn't it!
Mr Cameron, Mr Hunt. We see you for what you are! A proud week for the conservative government...
30 October 2010 5:08PM
This is a long email reference to the over mannning eg Hugh Pym visiting Denis Healey and 3 reporters travellng miles to report Seve Gerrards acquittal and of course the very well travelled Emma Phillips and Danny Savage -does he have a bus pass - a Rover Reporter
Example 1
30/05/10
Hugh Pym Economics reporter ' I am on a train going to meet etc.'
Actually it was a visit to Denis Healey the interview took 30 seconds !!!
So Hugh Pym: taxi , train, taxi, taxi, train, taxi !!!
What is wrong with a phone call
Oh and sound man etc
A case of overmanning ?
The Big One The Acquittal of Steve Gerrrard
Cast Danny Savage -DS ;Fiona Trott FT ; Dave Guest DG
Guest appearence the brilliant STEPHEN GERRARD - well I am a scouser ! SG
BBC News Channel
24/07/09
Let us begin: BROADCAST EACH CHANGE OVER TO OF REPORTERS ARE INIDICATED BY LETTERS A;B;C; ETC EACH REPORTER PROBABLY ON ABOUT £ 100,000 EACH
Studio to:
A 13:09 QE2 [High Court] Liverpol Danny Savage [Gerrard cleared].
B 13:10 Danny Savage in empty Southport bar [recorded]? or took DS 1 minute to get to Southport !
DS reported in the bar that that SG was not guilty-; hold on as Ltn Columbo would say- I'm a bit confused here; unless DS could travel from Liverpool to Southport in I minute after hearing the GS had been cleared - how did DS know in his report in the Southport bar that DG was not guilty.
Oh NO DON'T TELL ME DS REPORT WAS RECORDED BEFORE THE VERDICT AND YOU HAD ANOTHER RECORDING TO BE PUT ON IF HE HAD BEEN FOUND GUILTY- WOULD NOT THAT BE SUBTERFUGE; DISHONESTY; UNPROFESSIONAL; MISLEADING THE PUBLIC !!
C 13:11 Danny Savage back at QE2 .Took DS 1 minute back to QE2; from Southport !
Back to Studio
D Gerrrard not guilty, same script. Dave Guest BBC North West [live] QE 2 Northwest Today not sure, about 2pm
E 14/11/09 Fiona Trott QE2 [Question: what happened to DS and DG; THREE PEOPLE TO REPORT ONE STORY ?
It gets worse
F 14:12 DS again - repeat of 13:10 in Southport bar [see B] [so from QE2 at 13:11 took 1hour 1minute to Southport bar ;also do not forget DS move from Southport to QE2 High Court in 1 minute [see B]
G 14:13-14:14 Fiona Trott QE2 High Court [Gerrard cleared].
Back to studio
H 17:09-17:10 Fiona Trott [moved from QE2 to Southport ! [ where has DS gone from inside Lounge Inn ??]
Writing underneath picture say she is said to be in Liverpool !!;The move would have taken about I hour.
Southport is not in Liverpool-can't you Southerners get your basic geography correct ? ]By the way the script is still the same pictures in bar etc; same voice overs.
I 17:11 directly after FT [is she still outside bar ? ] DS back in empty bar after Gerrard cleared-same recording from 13:10 before Gerrard cleared.?
J Dave Guest from North West BBC about 5:30 ?
DG Live in guess where? the bar; quite a detailed walk through of bar [Question what happened to FT and DS, both of whom had been in Soutport ? could not they have done the DG report instead,
Why drag in DG ? You already have two reporters DS and FT - INDEED WHY NOT JUST USE TWO REPORTERS, ONE AT QE2 AND THE OTHER AT SOUTHPORT
Question why FT have to go the Southport at all ,DS was already there, wasnt he ?
However, if his recording had been in the bar earlier -when- the day before all you needed was him and him only to be at QE2 with no need for FT to be at QE2 and then later to Southport ? and then DG - I think is used to called overmanning.
Three journo's with DS amazing warp factor speed. to and from Liverpool to Southport than back to Liverpool in 2 minutes !
How much did this jamboree cost-
So the BBC have people banging on about public sector workers and relatatively low paid having to take pay cuts and they indulge in three highly paid journos doing a job which could have been done by one !
And they seem to misled the viewer by Danny Savage reporting in the night clulb saying Gerrard had been acquited before it happened !
But how much waste of our money on this wasteful coverage
Also I have written to the BBC about reports that staff who have moved up from Londond to Salford Quays have kept their London Allowance, they replied that they were a 'caring' organisaiton and valued their staf eh ?
Please say if I have not been clear Danny Savage seems to pop up all over the country-why cannot local reporters do his job ?
Today the lad is at County Durham Frankland Prison 15:31 22/03/10
There so many examples of unbelievable waste
Emma Philips interviewing a sacked Woolworths worker finishing with 'I wonder what happened to the others'
Well actually had done her homework some months before the government had set up a task force to claim to help sacked Woolies workers ! Don't your reporters do their homework then the next day blow Emma Philips on the largest passenger liner in the world 'in the middle of the Atlantic
Nationwide arriving first class to do a 'special' in Manchester -BBC NW journos not impressed.
30 October 2010 5:25PM
Oh I forgot. Caroline Walker Chief whatever political journo on camers on June 6 D-Day commmemoratino with Brown in background going into church. Walker speaks for about 30 seconds then -nothing
Why do journos have to stand outside No 10 etc when nothing is happening.
Unsworth, boss of BBC output admitted the problem at the National TV meetings in Malta. So well nothing happened- NW journo standing outside Vauxhall car plant at night - no interviews with workers or management. Yes I live in the North West and I know what the Vauxhall car plant looks like - it is very big and has got big letters saying VAUXHALL ELLESMERE PORT. Wow I would not have known.
By gum there are so many other examples.I would love to see Danny Savage's travel claims. These journos don't even interview anybody. The classic are strikes - background pickets standing around some police officers standing by. So simple, earn their money interview pickets and then [ oh heaven forfend] interview the police officers to ask what they think about what is going on !
DO SOMETHING You may get a dusty response but at least you have tried !
How many BBC journos as the G29 demonstration - many - but with static cameras. Who got the pictures of police attacks on peaceful demonstrators- free lancers with mobile phone cameras - pathetic.
30 October 2010 6:17PM
This country is made up of 'Them' and 'Us'.
'Twsa ever thus.
30 October 2010 8:26PM
@ MartinBrody
As Robert Peston wrote on his recent blog the Murdochs will hate the BBC deal - it secures a guaranteed income for the BBC for the next six years and robs them (the Murdochs) of any chance to lobby for reform of the BBC during the 12-month licence fee consultation process.
The Conservatives did establish the BBC, just as they established every single commercial broadcasting outlet in this country - ITV, Channel 4, S4C, Channel 5, Sky, national independent radio, local independent radio. Plenty to be proud of there.
Labour's broadcasting achievements are.....Radio 1 on a shoestring budget shared with Radio 2 because they refused to increase the licence fee to cover the costs for the new service. That's about it really.
30 October 2010 8:57PM
Of course the Tories and Murdoch want to tame the BBC. However Execs paying themselves hundreds of thousands a year and DG nearly a million, after the Johnathan Ross fiasco, they are making it too easy.
When these greedy over rated paper pushers go, perhaps one of the greatest cultural assets in the world will be neutured.