BBC News on how Gibraltar can sway UK poll results... is no news at all

As regular readers will know, I am supporting and helping Gibraltarian Jonathan Stagnetto, in his campaign for election in the forthcoming vote for the European Parliament in the Gibraltar and South West England Region constituency on 4th June 2009.

I was therefore quite interested and a little excited to see this headline, 'How Gibraltar can sway UK poll results' from BBC News, in my Google alerts this morning.

Unfortunately, when I came to read this article, I found it rather lacking, very disappointing... and I have to say, the headline is very misleading!

Writing for the BBC News website, Stephen Chittenden has missed (or chosen to ignore) a rather important point.... when he wrote:

As Gibraltarians prepare to vote again, there is talk in some newspapers of getting an MEP all of their own. That remains an unlikely prospect in a place with such a small electorate.

An 'unlikely prospect' maybe... but the fact is, in this Euro Election, Gibraltar will have the opportunity to vote for our very own Gibraltarian candidate, namely, Jonathan Stagnetto (right), who is standing under the Liberal Democrat List!

This salient fact is, not only historically important, but also very exciting for most Gibraltarians, who can vote in the hope of getting our own Gibraltar voice in the European Parliament, and Mr Chittenden, one would have thought, is aware of it and should have said so in his article!

Now... is the possibility of getting Gibraltarian Jonathan Stagnetto elected an 'unlikely prospect'? Possibly. There are 88 candidates standing for election in the constituency of Gibraltar and the South West Region of the UK, including the incumbent MEP Graham Watson (who has done a very good job for Gibraltar during his tenure) and Jonathan Stagnetto among the total of 6 in the Liberal Democrats list. This, to elect only 6 MEPs. So yes, the prospects for Gibraltar to elect our own representative is unlikely. Nevertheless, the fact remains... since he IS standing, it is a possibility!

However, to my mind and as Jonathan himself states in his 'Mission Statement' on his Facebook Support Group, the important thing is... "to make these European elections relevant to the Gibraltarian electorate". I agree and I believe he is certainly doing that.

Gibraltar can sway UK poll results?

I was also disappointed with this article, because having titillated this reader with the headline, 'How Gibraltar can sway UK poll results', Mr Chittenden does absolutely nothing to explain why he thinks Gibraltar can sway the UK poll results. Having been made curious by the headline... I remain completely mystified!

Gibraltar enthusiasm for Euro Poll

While Mr Chittenden makes a few good points, such as the fact that Gibraltarians vote with far greater enthusiasm than their UK counterparts, (at 60% turnout - double the turnout in the last Euro election than the UK managed) other facts seem to me to have been a little 'rushed' if not badly researched.

Mr Chittenden claims that "approximately 18,000 voters of Gibraltar will help to choose who represents South West England in the European Parliament". In fact, only last Friday, a report in the Gibraltar Chronicle quoted Gibraltar's Electoral returning officer Melvyn Farrell, the Clerk to the Gibraltar Parliament, who said that as of 17th April 2009, there were 20,357 persons in Gibraltar, registered and eligible to vote in the European Parliamentary election on 4th June 2009.

All in all... a rather disappointing article from the BBC's man, reporting on Gibraltar's participation and 'swaying of the UK poll' in the forthcoming European Elections. Must and can do better methinks!

The resulting BBC report was broadcast on BBC Radio 4's 'PM' programme yesterday. It is available for the next seven days on the BBC's iPlayer here.

The Gibraltar clip, including Jonathan's 15 seconds of 'fame and glory' is on minute 46' of the programme.

Please bear in mind this clip is only available on the BBC iPlayer during the next 7 days. (You can listen to radio in BBC iPlayer if you are outside the UK. As long as the computer you are using has RealPlayer correctly installed, you should be able to listen live and listen again normally, just as you can in the UK. Find out more in this guide).


Support for Gibraltar MEP Candidate - How you can help

In a matter of days, support for Jonathan Stagnetto, on his Facebook Group, has grown rapidly and is now standing at 252 as I write.

If you haven't done so already, why not join us and help support Jonathan's Campaign for Europe?

If you have family or friends in Gibraltar or living or perhaps studying in the constituency areas of the UK, you can also help by inviting them to join the Facebook group and support and vote for Jonathan.

Support our Gibraltarian candidate... Vote for the Liberal Democrat list on the 4th June and help elect the first Gibraltarian to the European Parliament!

Correction

I am indebted to Brian (see comments below) who has quite rightly corrected me on the fact that Jonathan Stagnetto is NOT the first Gibraltarian to stand for the European Parliamentary elections. In my original post, I wrote that this was the 'first time ever' that Gibraltarians can vote for a Gibraltarian.

In fact, that credit belongs to Lyana Armstrong-Emery.

In the 2004 European Parliament election, the first time Gibraltar was able to vote in these elections, Lyana Armstrong-Emery, the former leader of the now defunct Gibraltar Reform Party, secured a place on the UK's Green Party list for the Gibraltar and the South West region and stood as the first ever Gibraltarian candidate. Her campaign helped the Green Party to third place in the election in Gibraltar.

I have now corrected my post... and thanks again Brian. My apologies to Lyana!

More information here: Lyana Armstrong-Emery - Information @ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Higgins looking like the Champ... as Willie continues to be a pain and thorn in my ears

After over 30 years watching BBC Snooker... I find it very sad that I am forced to watch the
Snooker World Championship Final on Eurosport!! :(

This is solely because of the BBC Snooker producers' insistence to select Willie Thorne as commentator... despite his widespread unpopularity. Unbelievable!

Thorne's 'machine-gun' like 'motor mouth' commentary, with continual inanities... constantly predicting the outcome of shots wrongly... and speaking through important shots... (well every shot!) is just exasperating!!

In complete contrast, Joe Johnston's commentary on Eurosport UK is much easier on the ear... and blood pressure!!

Having had my little rant... things are looking distinctly bleak for Shaun Murphy having just lost the afternoon session 1-3. At the break, John Higgins is 14 - 6 up. Barring an amazing comeback by Murphy, a feat never seen in a Snooker World Championship Final at the Crucible... Higgins is looking like a Champ! On the balance of play... he well deserves it!

Update - 21:05

Congratulations to John Higgins on achieving the inevitable... and becoming for his 3rd time... the World Snooker Champion!

Not one of the 'classic' finals... but nevertheless well deserved!

Great Snooker Championship... but will someone please tell Willie to shut up!

The Snooker World Championships from Sheffield's Crucible Theatre has this year, once more excited me and surpassed all my expectations!

BBC Sport has once again produced a great spectacle... which I have thoroughly enjoyed... with a couple of exceptions.

I've been watching televised Snooker since the early 70's. Like many of you, I'm sure, I have some wonderful memories and great affection for this tournament. For me, April has always been about the FA Cup Semi's, the Boat Race, the Grand National... and last but by no means least, the World Snooker Championship!

I remember many wonderful moments over the years... of this great staple of BBC sport. In particular, I remember moments like the time we all stayed up till the early hours to watch the amazing 1984 'Black Final', won by Dennis Taylor against Steve 'The Nugget' Davis. Another memorable moment for me was the first televised 147 maximum break by Chris Thorburn, which I watched live as it happened. The only thing better would have been, if I'd actually been there!

This 2009 World Championship, to-date, has been exceptionally good and of a very high standard by any yardstick. Already it has broken the all time record of 'centuries' scored, and we still have the Semi's and the Final to come!

Yesterday's encounter between Higgins and Selby was awesome. In the much used cliche... it's a pity there had to be a loser. What an exciting match that was. Unfortunately for me, (and here comes my first excpetion I mentioned earlier) the match was marred and my enjoyment was spoilt by Willie Thorne!

Willie Thorne's 'machine-gun' like 'motor mouth' commentary, with continual inanities... speaking through important shots, was exasperating... and not for the first time!

The BBC coverage of the Snooker World Championships... for me... has always been greatly enhanced by the great commentators, and in the past great presenters too!

I love the characters, the old timers such as my favourite, John Virgo, who can be hilariously funny, very poignant (showing great humanity at times) or just well balanced. He and the likes of Dennis Taylor (another favourite), Clive Everton, (the serious master) and Terry Griffiths, are terrific... with their balanced and intelligent... AND timely commentary. None of whom ever talk through important shots... or 'motor mouth' their way through any pauses. They just give us an informed view of what we are seeing but at the right pace. So... here's a plea to the BBC producers and all of Willie Thorne's colleagues... will someone please tell him... to SHUT THE F--- UP!!

I mentioned two exceptions. I'm afraid the other problem I have with this year's coverage is... the lack of an authoritative presenter for the show.

Ray Stubbs is just... well, banal... and the squeaky teen lookalike Rishi Persad (bless), is so unsuitable to present this programme... it's beyond words! He knows it himself. He clearly feels out of place and uncomfortable in the role he's been asked to play!

Oh for the days of the likes of David Vine (RIP)... there was a authoritative, personable and well versed presenter!

Anyhow... I suppose we have to grin and bear some things... though last night, watchng the Higgins v Selby match... I did come very close to throwing something at the television... driven to near insanity by the idiotic, bald-headed coot, Thorne!

On a more positive note, I cannot write a blog post about this year's Snooker, without mentioning the delectable Michaela Tabb!

What a delight she is. I've thoroughly enjoyed all the matches she has refeered, not just for the added 'fragrance' she brings to these matches, (even her voice is sexy), but in the way she has conducted them, with great authority and humour.. excellent!

It was no surprise therefore, when I read with great satisfaction, that she has been given the task of refeering the World Snooker Championship Final this year... the first time ever, that a woman will have done so! Well done Michaela... I can't wait to watch it!!

Today though, I'm looking forward to the Semi Finals... bald headed coots notwithstanding!

Based on the performances we've already seen from the participants during the past days we should be in for a couple of great matches from four very 'in form' players. May the best men win!

BBC Coverage

You can follow all the latest information and coverage of the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield on the BBC SPORT > Snooker website.

BBC Panorama standing by struck off nurse Margaret Haywood

As you probably heard or read somewhere over the last week, BBC Panorama's undercover nurse, Margaret Haywood, lost her livelihood when she was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for breaching patient confidentiality.

In a follow up post last week I expressed concern and hoped that the BBC would not let Ms Haywood 'hang out to dry'.

I was therefore pleased to read today, a couple of follow up posts from the BBC, showing how they are supporting Ms Haywood.

I was also delighted to see A Gibo's Tale get a mention in despatches, on the BBC's own Panorama Blog, describing my blogs about Ms Haywood as "one blogger who has expressed indignation at the NMC's decision"... and I did too! They should have said I was bloody livid... not just indignant. That would have been more accurate! But... thanks for the mention Auntie Beeb... I am quite chuffed!

Today, BBC Panorama asks "What's next for the undercover nurse?"

Panorama explain that Ms Haywood, 58, is currently reviewing her appeal options with the support of her legal team and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), who also last week set up a Petition in Support of Margaret Haywood. So far, as I write, 25,827 people have signed the petition!

The BBC add that "without her licence to practice, she has lost her position as a trainer of other nurses and carers".

This is the real worry for me and why I said I hope the BBC don't let her 'hang out to dry'.

Which is why I was particularly pleased to read that BBC Panorama report that she is being supported by the BBC and is working as a consultant to Panorama and to the rest of BBC News and Current Affairs on health issues, until her future becomes clearer. That's great to hear!

Ms Haywood said she knew the risk she was taking in deciding to film undercover for the July 2005 programme, but feels the decision to prevent her from working as a nurse after a career of more than 20 years was unduly harsh.

Ms Haywood admitted to the charge that she breached confidentiality, but argued that it was justified by an overreaching public interest.

"I didn't sort of take the decision lightly I did look into it, I did give it an awful lot of thought and I knew that my position would be compromised by doing it - but I think the public needed to be aware of what was going on on the ward."

Quite right Margaret... the public do need to be aware... and you did absolutely right in bringing this to the public's attention... and thousands of us are supporting your action!

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the RCN also agrees and said the union feels the punishment was "harsh and disproportionate and beyond the level of sanction" they expected.

You can support Margaret Haywood

RCN Petition in Support of Margaret Haywood > Support for whistleblowing nurse struck off by NMC @ GoPetitions

If you would like to support Margaret Haywood on Facebook, there are a number of Groups now set up. You can find them posted at this Facebook Group whose aim is to Reinstate Margaret Haywood.

If you want to let the NMC know how you feel you can do so by emailing this article to them - Just click on the 'SHARE' button below to email them - Copy these email addresses as they are (including the comma) and paste it into the email address window of the 'SHARE' email: fitness.to.practise@nmc-uk.org, communications@nmc-uk.org - You might like to add, as I did, that you think their decision is "appalling and shameful"!

I take my hat off to... Carl Froch who produced one of the great comebacks to retain his WBC super-middleweight crown

Today I take my hat off to Carl Froch, who last night produced one of the great comebacks in boxing history to retain his WBC super-middleweight crown against Jermain Taylor in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Carl, who is from Nottingham and is known in boxing circles as 'The Cobra', was well behind on two scorecards going into the 12th round but produced a grandstand finish to stop Taylor with seconds remaining.

Carl had been well outclassed for much of the fight and he went down for the first time in his career in the third. But an exhausted Taylor was unable to withstand his furious late rally.

"What I did in the 12th, that was unbelievable, Carl said.

"I showed a little composure. I got up and knocked him out in round 12. What more do you want?"

Not a lot more Carl... other than winning the fight in such a brave manner... not much more could one want for... amazing!

That is why we love sport

Robin Chipperfield of BBC Radio Nottingham, where Carl is from, said:

"It is easy to get over-excited and caught up in the hype of the most recent sporting event you have seen, but I think Carl Froch's 12th-round stoppage of Jermain Taylor is the most dramatic and unbelievable ending I have witnessed."

I couldn't agree more! I heard the fight on BBC Radio 5 Live last night... and the commentary itself was memorable and very exciting. I felt I was there. Well done to BBC Radio Nottingham. I am trying to find a clip of it to post here... including the name of the commentator... which I missed last night. I believe it was the BBC 5 Live Boxing correspondent Mike Costello... but I can't be sure. I've asked Radio Nottingham if they would confirm this... but alas no reply! Whoever it was... I bet his throat is the worse for wear today!

Update:

Videos of the fight have now become available on YouTube. Here's one of the last round... showing what an amazing comeback it was! Bear in mind Froch was knocked down in 3rd round. He was losing on 2 scorecards 102-106 and winning on one 106-102 and yet he manages to comes back to win with a KO victory with 14 seconds left in the fight! Watch this:



Full marks to the Referee... who was very quick to stop the fight, before Taylor was badly hurt!

At the time of posting, I couldn't find any video of the fight so I posted this tribute video to Carl Froch instead, posted on YouTube last December:



Nice music too by Kings Of Leon... 'Use Somebody'.

Froch v Calzaghe title fight?

The World Boxing Council super-middleweight title, once the property of Joe Calzaghe, stays around the waist of Froch 'The Cobra' from Nottingham. It remains to be seen, if Calzaghe will come out of retirement to create a huge spectacle in a fight between these two great British boxers.

Best of luck to all London Marathon runners

Today I am wishing everyone running for Charities in the London Marathon all the very best... especially over 650 people running for The Children's Trust.

The Children's Trust is the official charity for the Flora London Marathon 2009.

If you are watching on TV at home, look out for the 'yellow submarine' runners, who were interviewed on the BBC during the Saturday Breakfast sports reports. The Children's Trust runners can’t be missed... their running vests are bright green and have the Children's Trust butterfly logo on them.

There will be a BBC interview with one of the children, Alby, and his family, between 8.30am and 12pm. You will be able to text the BBC with messages of support which will be 'displayed' during the live coverage.

Many celebrities are running for The Children's Trust and helped recruit over 650 runners – the Trust's biggest team ever!

Everyone taking part in the marathon for The Children’s Trust are also helping to celebrate the Trust's 25th anniversary.

To find out more please ring The Children’s Trust’s marathon team on 01737 365018 or check out the The Children's Trust London Marathon 2009 website.

Good luck to everyone running – The Children's Trust are very proud to have over 650 people running for them – and look forward to seeing all runners at the post Marathon party!

I take my hat off to... Frank Lampard... for standing up for himself!

The Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard angrily phoned a London Radio station to round on a DJ who said he was "scum" for splitting up with the mother of his two children!

Lampard said the LBC 97.3 DJ James O'Brien was an "idiot" for upsetting his family on the first anniversary of his mother's death.

He also rejected suggestions that he'd treated his former partner badly since they split.... and I take my hat off to him for having the courage to stand up for himself in the face of this type of unacceptable intrusion by broadcasters into a footballer's private life!

I'm no Chelsea supporter... but I've long been an admirer of Frank Lampard... an exceptional footballer, a great role model and example to all... of a consumate professional.

Like Ballack, his playing colleague at Chelsea, I can't believe Lampard missed the shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association's player of the year award.

Lampard has played a key role in Chelsea's recent run of only one defeat in their last 13 matches.

He set up both goals as Chelsea beat Arsenal at Wembley on Saturday to reach the FA Cup final, and put in an inspirational performance in last week's dramatic 4-4 draw with Liverpool that saw Chelsea progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

Ballack, who plays alongside Lampard and Michael Essien in Chelsea's midfield, remains adamant the England international should have made the final six.

"It is easy to play with Frank because he is such a good player," Ballack explained.

"He knows what myself and Michael have to do and whether we should be in an offensive or defensive position.

I play a little bit behind him but I don't have to tell him what to do. He always does the right thing, depending on where myself and Essien are.

Frank is one of the best players in the world for sure and I don't think there are many players in the Premier League like him."

I couldn't agree more... and I take my hat off to him... Good on yer Frankie!

You can hear Lampard's phone call to LBC here:

'Auntie Beeb' has lost all sense of decorum!

Sheeesh! Is nothing sacred anymore?

On BBC1 just now... in between the ending of Traffic Cops and the 10 o'clock news, the duty presenter said:

"Now... on BBC2... a couple of reasons to join Graham Norton... Katie Price!"

Funny maybe... I do have a sense of humour... and I don't mind a bit of... well ok, maybe even a lot of political incorrectness... I do enough of it myself... but.... come on... do we want it from presenters on the BBC? Where's all the decorum gone at 'Auntie Beeb'? Oh... which reminds me... wasn't it the BBC who censored Carol Thatcher for remarking about 'golliwogs'!!

In any case... I'm afraid... Jordan just doesn't do it for me. I like my 'couple of things' to come with another thing... a brain up top! Oh... and as I understand it... they're false anyway aren't they? What do I know about such things!


Read more about Jordan (Katie Price) @ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Liberty's Shami... sticks it to Hoon on UK torture complicity

Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) since September 2003, savages UK Minister Geoff "Buff" Hoon during a BBC 'Question Time' programme back in February.

You gotta love our Shami!

The programme was broadcast a day or so following a legal challenge by Binyam Mohamed, a British resident held at the time in the American base at Guantanamo, at the High Court in London, asking for documents detailing his treatment to be made public.

However, two judges ruling on the case said that David Milliband, the Foreign Secretary, had advised that releasing the documents could lead to America withdrawing intelligence co-operation.

This, it was warned, could lead to Britons facing a very considerable increase in the dangers they face from terrorism.

The judges reveal that the secret documents at the centre of the case give rise to an arguable case of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. It is also disclosed that a British intelligence official may have been present when Mr Mohamed alleges he was tortured. The judgement raised the prospect of criminal charges being brought against British officials.

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