Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to this morning’s ONS
statistics showing a 2.3 percent increase in inflation and the national debt at
£1.7 trillion, said:

“Today’s sharp increase in the cost of living means that after
seven years of Tory economic failure, it is working households and small
businesses who are taking the hit with wage growth once again below price
rises. 

“As inflation breaks through the Bank of England’s
target for the first time in more than three years, real earnings are lower
than they were before the crash. At the same time this is a government that is
handing out £70 billion in tax giveaways to the big corporations and the
super-rich, but doing nothing for ordinary working people.

"The national debt is set to hit almost £2 trillion by the end of ten
years of the Tories in government, and our NHS and social care system are in
the worst crisis in their history. Only a Labour government will invest in our
public services, create a fair tax system, and introduce a £10 an hour Real
Living Wage.”

Tom
Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on a letter accusing
the BBC of “pessimism” and “bias” in its coverage of Brexit, said:

“The
BBC is one of the world’s finest news broadcasters and we should all value its
impartiality, integrity and balanced coverage. It is the BBC’s job to report
the facts, not to be a cheerleader for any cause or party.

"All
politicians sometimes dislike the way some stories are covered, but we should
never seek to interfere with the independence of the BBC by publicly accusing
it of bias and making implicit threats about its future. 

"Theresa
May and Karen Bradley must make clear their commitment to the independence of
the BBC and distance themselves from attacks on it by politicians who have an
agenda the BBC does not and should not share.”

I signed the letter about BBC coverage of Brexit which was published today. On Radio 4 there is a never ending repeat of the same tired old story that some people think Brexit will damage the economy sometime soon, whilst ignoring all the evidence that the economy has been quite unaffected by the Brexit vote so far. There are all too many pieces trying to whip up criticism of possible changes post Brexit, and practically nothing on what are all the opportunities for improvement once we take control of our own money and law making.

I look forward to a few months when they explore the upsides as thoroughly as they have explored the downsides. Is the BBC really happy with the way EU tariffs discriminate against the agricultural products from poorer countries outside the Customs Union? Do they think the Common Fishing Policy has been a commercial success and an environmental triumph? I would be happy to offer some balance to their coverage, if only they would let me make the case for the things we can change for the better once we are out.

There are a few cases  of newer technology that is not as good as older technology. I need to mention digital radio.

Like everyone I was made to go out and buy replacement digital radios when they cut off the old broadcasting system. They said they would be better.  I was supplied with a digital radio in my most recent car. They are worse than the ones they replaced, as well as being dearer. Nor was it environmentally friendly to have to ditch all the older radios which still worked fine all the time there was a signal for them to pick up.

There are places where my car radio now cuts out in the middle of busy areas because reception is poor. I used to get uninterrupted reception in these locations on the old system. The home radio needs to  be switched on two to three times before it will work. It does not give you instant reception with a simple turn on/off button as the old radio did.

There is one room in the house where I cannot get good reception, and can only get some signal  by balancing the radio high on a bookcase and adjusting the way it is pointing from time to time. When leaving the garage the car  radio repeats itself.

In another room reception varies depending on where a person is in relation to the radio.

Whilst most modern technology is so much better than last century, digital radio is temperamental, poor quality and frustrating to the listener.