The corporate media are do everything in their power to undermine George Galloway’s by-election victory – but failing miserably (and laughably). Now, an incredibly awkward video has shown BBC staff holding a markedly uncivil conversation in Rochdale.
At one point, a man is seen pointing at his camera viewer and asking:
Why the fuck was this cunt just right there?
It’s unclear who the “cunt” in question was. What’s very interesting, however, is that just before this the people seemed to agree it was okay to ‘barge people out of the way’ to capture the footage.
Nicholas Watt Political Editor of #BBCNewsnight or #NewsShite ? pic.twitter.com/dxibsSgr7m
— George Galloway MP (@georgegalloway) March 3, 2024
Very interesting indeed. Because lest we not forget, after Galloway’s byelection victory in Rochdale, the media attempted to paint the town’s residents as a bunch of rowdy hoodlums:
This is gaslighting nonsense, Kate.
Whatever you think of Galloway, the supporters in the clip are not in any way intimidating.
What our effete & elite Press/Media take most offence at is ordinary people laughing at them and their clichéd questions & framing.
Watch the clip
https://t.co/eWkIr3Ei9v
— Sean Jay (@seanzjay) March 1, 2024
Cuntgate
The video in question features Newnight editor Nicholas Watt. Here he is that same evening failing to predict the subsequent landslide victory:
.@nicholaswatt reports that George Galloway is confident he has won the Rochdale by-election – though Nick warns it is difficult to make predictions when the leading candidates don’t have historic data. #Newsnight pic.twitter.com/e2BCKphzlt
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) February 29, 2024
It’s unclear who recorded the video, but it was posted by George Galloway MP, and subsequently commented on by activists including Lowkey:
"Why the f**** was this c*** right there?"
An interesting way for a BBC employee to refer to a Rochdale constituent.pic.twitter.com/Sb0stkOVbr
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) March 3, 2024
In addition to Watt, the video features a woman and a man holding a camera. It’s difficult to make out the first words from the camera man, but he’s looking at footage on the camera’s viewer as he says:
had to fucking barge people out of the way.
It’s not quite clear if he’s saying he had to barge people out of the way or if someone else did, but he’s looking at footage on the camera hanging around his neck as he says it.
In response, the woman says something that sounds like:
No, but, if
While the first part is unclear, what she says next is not:
That’s fine.
In response to people getting ‘barged out of the way’, she says “that’s fine”.
Fine and dandy.
What happens next is seemingly less than fine from her perspective, as she turns around; realises she’s being filmed; gasps in apparent panic, and then nervously glances around. She then nods at the camera footage and says:
Yeah, you got it.
And now we get to the ‘cuntgate’ part, as the camera man animatedly points at his camera and asks:
Why the fuck was this cunt just right there?
The cunt in question? Unclear. At least as far as his video is concerned, anyway. Some might watch this footage and know exactly who the cunt – or cunts – are.
What happens next is perhaps the most cringe part of the video, as Watt looks at the video; mutters something indecipherable; suddenly realises he’s being filmed; panics; gestures to the other two that they’re being watched, and then smiles as if he’s auditioning to be the next Joker.
Nightmare fuel. And somehow even scarier in motion.
As he’s smiling, Watt seems to say:
Hello.
He then shuffles towards the person filming, mutters something, and says:
introduce myself.
The camera faces downwards as Watt asks “How do you do?”. In response, the person capturing the footage says “Pleased to meet you”. Political mastermind Watt then asks the question he’s presumably terrified to know the answer to:
Are you involved in the campaign?
The answer comes immediately:
Yes.
Respectability Politics
George Galloway was unarguably successful in the Rochdale byelection because he supports an end to Israel’s hostilities in Gaza. The ICJ is currently investigating the invasion of Gaza, with Israel potentially guilty of committing genocide. Genocide is what many would consider to be the worst crime of all, and as such the situation is very unpopular in Britain:
Labour and the Conservatives have moved from being supportive of the invasion to claiming they want a ceasefire yet doing nothing to support such a resolution. Arguably, they’re actually working hard to ensure a ceasefire doesn’t happen.
So that’s the situation. Our political leaders are continuing to support what looks very much like an unfolding genocide despite overwhelming public disgust, and of course people are angry about this.
Of course they’re furious.
And yet the media seems more disturbed by people voicing this anger than they do by the politicians supporting the atrocities (even though they’re not even voicing it that strongly):
Watched the interview, and the pearl-clutching is beyond me. A crowd gathered, listened politely, laughed at a joke, cheered at the end.
It’s pathetic. How can we reliably expect these people to hold the *actually* powerful – rather than ordinary Rochdale residents – to account? https://t.co/JqsPCO10ue
— James Meadway (@meadwaj) March 2, 2024
They’re really trying to claim a group of mainly aunties are a mob
https://t.co/4XQzRz8lIE
— Shabbir Lakha (@ShabbirLakha) March 2, 2024
This is brilliant — dismantling the manufacturing consent machine, live. pic.twitter.com/VYlVEMaTBM
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) March 1, 2024
Julian Assange gets locked up in a maximum security prison for exposing US war crimes.
Ian Dunt: *tumbleweed*
100+ journalists get murdered by Israel in Gaza.
Ian Dunt: *tumbleweed*
Sam Coates gets mildly heckled by a few tipsy aunties in Rochdale.
Ian Dunt: https://t.co/7vae8imi34
— Frank Owen's Legendary Paintbrush
(@OwenPaintbrush) March 3, 2024
Galloway: democracy in action
In response to the democratic election of George Galloway, Rishi Sunak held a special press briefing to claim that democracy is in peril:
I still can’t quite believe a British Prime Minister made an emergency statement, outside Downing Street, because George Galloway won a by-election.
The Conservative Party is so unbelievably cooked.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) March 2, 2024
In response, Starmer agreed with everything his alleged opponent had to say:
NEW: Keir Starmer backs PM's plans to restrict protest rights, saying Sunak was advocating "unity".
Starmer said in a statement: "Elected representatives should be able to do their jobs and cast their votes without fear or favour." pic.twitter.com/NkNn4BOyJK
— Stats for Lefties
(@LeftieStats) March 1, 2024
This did nothing to dispel what Galloway had earlier said about the two men:
"Two cheeks of the same backside"
George Galloway took aim at Labour and the Conservatives after winning the by-election in Rochdale
“Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak” had both “got well and truly spanked tonight here in Rochdale”, he said
Read more: https://t.co/FiKgUmXJmK pic.twitter.com/xBiKPxH6U2
— BBC Manchester (@BBCRadioManc) March 1, 2024
Whether Labour or the Tories like it or not, the public doesn’t like them, and in Rochdale they used their democratic right to vote for someone else – Galloway.
And whether the media likes it or not, people are wise to their crap reporting – reporting which is limp at best; pro-establishment more often than not, and typified by a willingness to ‘barge’ the public – and their views – out of shot.
Featured image via an unknown supporter of the George Galloway campaign
By The Canary
This post was originally published on Canary.
