Cameron Apology: You SAID Diesel, THAT BIT Wasn't Howler or Fib

That Channel M Cameron "Debate" suggested some cut and thrust didn't it? But more accurately it was a conversation with a largely sympathetic even sycophantic audience - hand-picked by the MEN, their TV station Channel M, and their Radio Stations too. Particularly liked that lovely "send 'em home" racist Tory guy at about halfway now I've clapped eyes on him. Are you sure he wasn't chosen by the Sunday Mail?

The programme can be watched here. 49 minutes it seems when the adverts are taken out. May have been re-mixed? Not sure.

Wall to wall silliness from Cam. But quite slick with it. Went down well. Like the stuff that spewed from the Torrey Canyon. A real environmental disaster that was. TRIVIA: The section of Mauldeth Road from Barlow Road/Hardy Lane to Princess Parkway in Manchester was known for some years as "Tory Canyon" as the blue filth controlled all the tree posters there.

Back to Cam Flim-Flam. Spending promise after spending promise, but no actual cuts that hurt. Except those ever popular unfunded tax cuts. If I get some time I may have a little old fisk. There are some good old U-turns, bumper giveaways, lots of pie crust promises, as well as all those cut taxes and increased spending mysteries .

"No fan of Dave" was there and offers a few pointers in comments here. MEN Chief Reporter Dave Ottewell protests too much in the same place. But he was in fact absolutely right about Cam quoting Diesel prices. A bit odd. Like quoting the price of bread in dollars and cents for most of the audience. But he did. He has a diesel car don't you see? In his fleet of vehicles.

Yes Dave (Ottewell), it was a coup for your sister organisation getting Cameron on the Manchester Evening News' vanity "community" TV project. Of course it was. If you assisted in making this happen Dave, then it has to be a sincere well done. No viewers, but leader of the opposition. This is quite a feat.

But it wasn't a debate. And Channel M is not a community station in any normal usage. As you suggest Dave it is really a Granada type operation with a somethingly lower budget - though it must be said plenty of GMG shareholders money i.e. the Guardian/Observer development budget is going down the toilet on this one. Scores of local scribblers and snappers also paid with their jobs for this vanity.

The acres of prime and uncritical news coverage in print and radio was of course what Dave Cameron was after. And what he got too.

My mentioning the lack of the promised live blogging and mis-directed links may seem like quibbling Dave, but is not if you're actually relying on the so-called live blogging that doesn't emerge. Or on the misdirected link. Then it's not quibbling. It was and is a fundamental let down. And some kind of apology might be more use than a rather derisory attitude.

Back at the Mother Ship the uncritical Manchester Evening News coverage is a one way street:

While cutting public expenditure and taxes Cameron will pay for every transport improvement we in Greater Manchester, and presumably every other corner of the UK, desire. Which pro rata could be a wonderful and instantaneous £120 Billion windfall for our national transport infrastructure! With no greening required! Though quite a lot, equivalent in 20% in one year, will have to be cut from the national budget for that one!! | But do not worry people! While cutting public expenditure and taxes Cameron is back to his dratted bogus Greenwash and the planet will be saved. By running sex toys off small roof top bird bashers. And other such slippery methods of beating "Peak Oil". | While cutting public expenditure and taxes Cameron wants the government to guarantee all business loans. And incidentally provide a mega-Billion six month delay (in many cases default) in VAT settlements for businesses. Create a parachute for the bosses with this extra cashflow! | While cutting public expenditure and taxes Cameron wants to pay prisons by results. This could create a thriving transfer market for nice lags. And the paradoxical dystopia where the worst ones are minded as cheaply as possible, by minimum wage YOPs trainees perhaps? Or, why not, flinging into oubliettes instead? | While cutting public expenditure and taxes Cameron promises to invest heavily in getting James Purnell and other malingerers weaned off Thatcher's benefits culture legacy. Hurrahs all round.