Milliband: he doesn't like it up him...

After being set up for a drubbing, Cameron handled PMQs very convincingly, and then kicked off the debate on the media pretty well; and in one leap, Milliband was on the back foot, desperately rummaging around in the long grass. And like all his small-minded colleagues, painfully and tediously "tribal". 

So it seems that just as his colleagues feared when they voted for his brother (remember, it was the Unions What Won It for Red Ed), Ed confirms that he is an unremittingly small minded operator, and to the tories' relieved delight, plainly not up to the job.

Not that this troubled BBC News' tireless effort to provide Labour with a platform for carping, and thus provides the growing band of BBC reformers with a handy opportunity to corner them, and start to take action. (Laura Kuenssberg in particular needs to be de-smarmed and bundled off to Manchester).

We have recorded all the files of the committee and commons discussions with both Sky and BBC News "commentary" pieces. It's a relief to be able to watch them at 2x playback speed, with frequency compensated audio…  hoorah for VLC!  From a study of these it is apparent that the BBC still seem to be determined to try and exhume socialism before the generally clumsy Milliband properly inters it; but they have their work set out....

The selective reporting - and admitted bias - is one thing, but the bigger issue has now become the BBC's obsession with "bubble" issues in spite of the chronic world economic situation. The interests of the nation are not well served by this obsession; and the necessary reform can be part of, ironically, the very process now being set in train to examine political-media relations; the BBC clearly has the most opinion-formative position in the market. Like many other over-large behemoths, it obviously needs to be "broken" up into smaller chunks, whose chief execs cannot complain their empire is so vast they thay must be excused when the troops veer off the rails.

So then, how about splitting news/online  and "other " (more traditional) programme making operations at the BBC? Other broadcasters, notably ITV have worked that way, although ITV's feeble news operation has mostly been compromised by the bottomless BBC resource. We should also use this one time opportunity to reinforce the BBC "rump's" regional  remit with "a divide and rule" strategy and give the new Manchester palace the "North of Birmingham Hub" remit, and then London can deal with South of Brum.

Maybe the sacked NotW staff (over which Labour has of course wrung its hands) could be hired to run the de-coupled BBC News units?

Ho ho!