BBC coverage of the queen insulted millions of us
A BBC News presenter made an “awful” and “depraved” statement during live coverage of the queen, Elizabeth Windsor – even before her death. And it shows that the state broadcaster’s subservience to its overlords is as forelock-tuggingly terrible as ever.
“Insignificant” plebs vs the queen
As Evolve Politics‘ Tom D. Rogers tweeted, during the reporting on Windsor’s health before her death on Thursday 8 September, BBC host Clive Myrie said the current energy price crisis was “insignificant” compared to the queen’s health:
Here’s BBC News Presenter Clive Myrie saying that the Energy Bills Price Crisis is "of course insignificant now" given the "gravity of the situation" regarding news of the Queen's health. pic.twitter.com/G0fDGmDFf4
— Tom D. Rogers (@TomDRogers1) September 8, 2022
BBC reporter Damian Grammaticas clearly realised the error in Myrie’s comment – as he corrected him, saying Windsor’s health was ‘overshadowing’ the energy crisis. And to many people, the sheer awfulness of Myrie’s comment would have been obvious too.
Even with Liz Truss’s plan to change the October energy price cap to £2,500, this is still an increase of over £1,200 (or 95%) in 14 months. For context, in winter 2019/2020 around 8,500 people died due to cold homes. This was when the energy price cap was under £1,200. Deaths this winter are likely to be far higher, with poverty also set to rocket. Yet Myrie thought it appropriate to imply Windsor’s death was more important. As the Prole Star said:
We had to arrange an emergency run to top up my elderly Mum's electricity meter so she can put the heating on and have some warm food tonight.
In London, there are hundreds who will sleep rough in that torrential rain the media are waxing lyrical about.
That's not 'insignificant' https://t.co/LI4JgkMp80— The Prole Star (@TheProleStar) September 8, 2022
But it wasn’t just BBC News UK fawning to the dead monarch. BBC News Africa showed colonialism wasn’t really over, as it whitewashed Windsor’s role as the head of the imperialist British state – calling it a “long-standing relationship”:
We take a look back at Queen Elizabeth II's longstanding relationship with Africa. pic.twitter.com/iWJix5nnlp
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) September 8, 2022
It’s worth remembering that on Windsor’s watch, the British state was still torturing Black people in Africa when they tried to get independence from us.
The queen and the BBC: feudal hangover
This kind of subservience and forelock-tugging from the state broadcaster is nothing new. Royal reporter Nicholas Witchell, who’s already come under fire for his coverage of Windsor’s death, previously disgraced himself with appalling reporting on her alleged child abuser son Andrew. The broadcaster’s coverage of Philip Windsor’s death was equally dire. Ultimately, though, as The Canary previously wrote, the BBC has been little more than a state mouthpiece since its inception.
Myrie openly framing the late, unelected, hereditary monarch’s health as more important than the rest of ours is low even by the standards of the BBC‘s already stunted bar. Of course, we can expect weeks more of this kind of dross. But ultimately, it’s appalling that in 2022 the state broadcaster is continuing to enact some kind of feudal hierarchy when it’s supposed to represent us, the public. Our lives are no less important than Windsor’s was. The BBC would do well to remember that.
Featured image via Left Unite – YouTube
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The sycophantic coverage from Myrie and the rest of the rubbish that will dominate the media over the next few days is appalling …. Not surprising … But still appalling.
All Labour Party meetings, etc are shut down.
The Last Night of the Proms is cancelled.
However – The Stock market is going strong this morning – The FTSE has risen by 1.5% in early trading.
So the process of the accumulation of capital by the rich and powerful contuinues unabated.
Public grief (it appears) is just for the sheeple.
I am aware of an equalities organisation which penned a gushing tribute to the late monarch. It is worth remembering that the monarch had successfully lobbied for her household to be exempt from the provisions of the Race relations act. The royal family were beneficiaries of the slave trade. William 1V actually campaigned against the abolitionists and yet although requested the monarchy has never apologised for thiier invilvement in this horror.
Another strand of the monarchy’s dismissal of equality lies in the fact that the late monarch was a stickler for protocol. One strand of this is that when attending an event at which a royal member was present people had to arrive early as no one should enter after the royal presence. At one such event according to Norman Baker many frail older people were present and waiting but had to remain standing until the queen arrives, as ‘ no one is allowed to sit in the presence of the queen’. Another instance of the absence of any idea of equality. But then the whole system is predicated on fundamental inequality and deference. My dearest wish is that one day I can be seen as a citizen not as a subject
Well said. I agree whole heartedly.
Myrie is no kind of a reporter. Isn’t he the one that cried whilst looking at a shelled building in Ukraine. I remember when the BBC had reporters. That was hundreds of years ago now.
Nelson Mandela had a strong relationship with the Queen. Another sycophant?
Your student politics echo chamber has more in common with Liz Truss’s speech to the Lib Dem party conference in the 90s than the views of many working class people and union members.
As for North Korea, do you think websites like the Canary exist in North Korea or Russia?