Owen Jones Breaks the Establishment Consensus Over Gaza

For Once Question Time Allows in a Little Light

I didn’t watch Question Time but for once the establishment consensus was broken on Gaza as Owen Jones, the young journalist from the Independent, shattered the myth that Israel was ‘retaliating’ to Hamas rockets.

Charles Kennedy, the ex-Lib Dem leader who was forced to resign for being an alcoholic, was left scowling throughout and the ‘quiet man’ Ian Duncan Smith’s fury was only matched by his inability to say something – hence his nick name!

Charles Kennedy - the 'radical' anti-war ex-Lib Dem leader looks on glum

Kennedy looking stupified as Owen Jones has something to say other than the usual platitudes

What said it for me was the wild and enthusiastic reaction of the audience who don’t buy the lies of the establishment when the truth is so obvious to see.
Tony Greenstein

IDS - the most detestable main in Britain sits in silent fury

Crosspost from Mick Hall’s Outrage



It is not often I watch BBC TV Question Time, but on Thursday last I did, it was the normal list of guests, mainstream politicians the odd business person, all of whom sing from the same neo liberal song sheet. But this week it also included a young socialist Owen Jones, who writes a column for the independent newspaper. He spoke extremely well, it is not often one hears the likes of what he had to say about Israel on the mainstream media, let alone the BBC.

the usual panel of establishment worthies

But for me it was not so much what Owen said about Israel's latest murderous exploits in Gaza, which were spot on, but how the other members of the panel reacted when he was saying it. In the clip below he surgically cuts through the lies that have enabled Israel to conduct it's latest attack on Gaza, the likes of which we were spoon fed by the mainstream media over the last two weeks.

Owen Jones leaves Iain Duncan Smith smarting in his seat, unable to believe what he was hearing.

It was a joy to watch the most odious man in the UK, Iain Duncan Smith, smarting in his seat with silent rage, unable to quite believe what he was hearing. Charles Kennedy was little better, spluttering to himself in disbelief. He must have been thinking if only I had the balls to speak my mind, instead of defending a coalition government which is implimenting policies I have spent much of my political life opposing. As to the pathetic establishment toady David Dimbleby, all he could come up with was to act as if he were referring an argument amongst friends in a pub which had got out of hand, "Alright Owen, you’ve made your point," If he said it once, he must of said it three times.

Yet despite there obvious disquiet, on this issue, not one of these 'gentlemen' challenged a single point Owen made. Never mind all three had vigorously followed the line first initiated by Barak Obama, that Hamas were responsible for the bloodshed by first firing rockets into Israel, something which Owen had ridden a coach and horses through. When a chair was needed to ask them why they failed to challenge Jones facts, Dimbleby was struck dum, perhaps he was deep in thought, wondering who invited Owen Jones on to 'his show.' After all the whole point of Question Time is to imply it's a democratic forum, whilst ensuring it is not, by selecting guests who differ not a fig on the 'big issues' of the day.

Mick Hall.