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Prospects for Friday, 20 June

Brian Thornton | 11:27 UK time, Friday, 20 June 2008

Here are the early thoughts of today's output editor, Robert, and as you can see he hasn't yet decided on a lead for tonight's programme. Which one would you choose? Or maybe we should go for something completely different.. Let us know what you think..

Good morning everyone,

There's quite a bit around today. Zimbabwe, the EU Council and Sarkozy's outburst, the Saudi oil meeting this weekend are prime contenders. The Met's Markov investigation and the Flickr story look good too. Do come to the meeting with ideas on how to do any of these or other stories.

Robert

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    RESPECT - IN THE AGE OF CHANGE

    'We respect the Irish! That is why we ignore them!' The Euro-cry goes up.

    Tricky Miliband (D) declared, with trademark pomposity, that the Irish NO vote is, to him, 'not a PROBLEM' it is something more mealy-mouthed.
    Then up spoke Giant Teashops (may he be blessed) and announced his quest for SOLUTIONS.

    Message to Miliband D: My dictionary states, under 'Solution': 'method of successfully dealing with a PROBLEM.'
    Does Miliband D have a problem with Irish, English or reality? What part of 'problem' does he not understand?

  • Comment number 2.

    What Mets Markov investigation? What about Abrahams?

    On the EU I hope somebody will ask why the EU thought it wise to expand and then try and work out a plan to handle that rather than vice a versa?

    On oil I have not heard anybody tackle how the projected carbon shortfall of 2020 is looking - thats not THAT far away. Are discoveries going to do more than cope with vast demand increases.

    Zimbabwe probably should be the top story as its the most immediate crisis?

  • Comment number 3.

    A BUGBEAR!

    How about looking into the reason, and effect, of politicians making decisions to ensure the continuance of their own party rather than making the right decisions for the country on our behalf.

    As soon as a party gets into power they seem to forget that we put them there and they are supposed to represent our views, as their term in office progresses they appear to forget this and take the attitude of we know what is best for you.

    If the governing party could be held to account more frequently during a term of office, say by taking note of on-line polling by voters, perhaps more people would become interested in politics!

  • Comment number 4.

    MUSIC - BUT ONLY TO THE EARS OF ALL

    My sons were both well served by the old schools music initiative (now defunct?).
    But what percentage of kids just don't tune in to music? Did anyone in government check to see who gets left out, and what other pursuit(s) might deserve £3M pa in the interest of uplifting the NON-musical?
    Is this another aspect of 'cultural blindness' on the part of the Westminsterers, that gave us the Hodge take on the Proms? At a quick think: skate boarding or BMX comes to mind. (No chance in H and S Britain, but you get my drift.)

  • Comment number 5.

    EU CRYSTAL GAZING

    I am aware that the European project is set to impinge DIRECTLY on my life just as surely as it did on the market trader selling bananas. (I have deliberately not defined in what way, to keep this broad.)
    I have little concern with grandiose EU schemes for saving the planet - they will fail anyway. But I will not sit idly by while the cucumber fetishists of Brussels micro- manage my discomfiture.

    Where is the document detailing all the petty stuff (harmonisation of beer bottles, size of carrots, strength of vitamins etc)written in ‘Crystal Mark’ clarity, for ordinary Brits to read?

    If there is anyone in Westminster who both understands the EU rules - current and proposed - let them inform us CLEARLY how those rules impact on our pathetic daily lives. That is surely democracy?

    Added after further listening: Is the EU simply about power-groups led by ambitious individuals, communicating ONE TO THE OTHER over our heads? That would explain why we get nothing explained, only condescension and coercion.

  • Comment number 6.

    And now for something completly the sane/same/sort of.
    Tax it shouldnt be taxing should it?
    No no no and NO
    Wots uh the deal
    Let me get this straight/bent/please yourself
    The Deal is I go to work and pay over half of my wages on tax yes/NO
    That money is then used to keep uk terrorists and their families Happy? fed educated clothed housed etc and at some time in the future they can bomb me and my family to bits. yes?
    The rest of the money goes to human rights lawyers/ barristers, judges, mp's, lords, yes?
    NO
    A con fession to make Auntie
    I have invented a time machine(dis it if u likey)
    I just got down frae the Isle of Skye

    Er no oops thats the wrong song auntie
    I just got back from 1939 Berlin, I was planning to do what we're doing here at this moment in time,(one moment in time er no )
    that is give Cpl Adolf over half of my money so he can with grearer impunity bomb us to bits, the idea being it would save us from going through all this expense in the long run, you catch my drift Auntie?
    I couldnt do it Auntie I lost too many of the family in the 1st caper and my time machine wont take me back to 1914 (some fine adjustments/tuning required a sonic screwdriver would come in handy andy pandy)
    So Auntie it is with deep deep regret that I from now on wont pay tax, (tis against my human rights, stick that in yer pipe and smoke it)I cannot do now what I couldnt do in 1939 and that is pay someone to bomb me and mine.
    Call me mad sad bad glad cad a cab or glad to be glad sad bad cad mad or whateva
    Call the police (everyting u do) call the church police call them anything you like I wont pay Tax.
    I rest my old bag/handbag/bergan/suitcase/case

    Bring em on Auntie the 2 shitty towers
    one at a time or all together now

    PS left school at 14 joined the army at 15 minding my own business on feb 22 1972 a few two's there when BOOM, Soldiers? from the ira blew 6 women and a priest to bits.
    Dont know what blair brown campell (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ for short Auntie)were doing at the time who cares, probably at school reading about stalin, prefer Spongebob meself.
    I do hope the whitehouse clone isnt a mod today



  • Comment number 7.

    Oooh thanks Auntie I did have a few nastys to put/pun in my last butt i didnt think i would get it past the white person.
    I put/putt/phut it 2 u Auntie that an Englishman, Irishman, Welshman or Scotsman or British, Please, please yourself or the Female variety thereof who pay tax are in league with Cpl Hitler or those of similar Ilk. To wit they are paying or giving sucker to those who would bomb them to bits. Suicide is Painless, is it ? I wouldnt know.
    Duck Soup

  • Comment number 8.

    What abouit investigating the legality (or not) of charging VAT on fuel duty.

    Value added tax is set up as a tax on the value added to a product or service.

    But in the case of fuel sold at the pumps, it is also applied to the fuel duty element. Fuel duty is a tax not value added so why is VAT applied to it?

    I understand VAT on fuel duty is probably not a legal tax but no one has challenged it in court as yet.

  • Comment number 9.

    I think a lot could be sorted if leaders of political partys could only serve as a leader for a limited time. Once this time is up an election must be held.
    We know from Thatcher and Blair as soon as a leader gets a third term the wole system falls apart. Imagine a third term of Bush.
    As for the Irish no vote and the fact that it means nothing to politicians make me wonder if we are not going the same way as Mugabe.
    Also the strength of an MP is directly related to the share of vote that MP got at his or her election. If the mp was only voted in with 40% of the vote then he or she should only be 40% when votes are cast.

  • Comment number 10.

    It makes one wonder, since the ratification process has gone through, what the politicians are scared of.

    Suppose this country had voted no. What weasel words would Europe have tried to soothe us with

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