The high level of professionalism and quality within BBC Wales puts many other regions of the UK to shame.
However, during the last few weeks in the run-up to the Comprehensive Spending Review, I know that some have questioned the “impartiality” of the BBC when it comes to reporting the decisions to be made by the UK Government.
Perhaps one day, some eager politics student will undertake a doctoral dissertation to examine, in detail, the view expressed by reporters and commentators on our publicly funded TV channel since May of this year.
In the meantime, such criticisms are not helped by examples such as the report on today’s BBC Wales online news on the rail electrification which does stretch the balanced view many of us have come to expect from the BBC.
According to the report,
“Plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line - which would also benefit Wiltshire and Bristol - were attacked by the Conservatives when they were announced by the previous Labour government last year.”
Attacked? Is that really the case?
As far as I am aware, the plans were not “attacked” at all and, according to a Welsh Conservative Party spokesman in February,
“We recognise that electrification of the rail line from London as far as Swansea is a major requirement for the future of the South Wales economy. It will also be an important way to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions from rail. But Mr Hain and the Labour Government need to be honest about where the money is coming from and what other schemes they intend to cut to deliver electrification in the current spending cycle, especially after Lord Mandelson announced cuts to the transport budget”.
So there was a questioning of the affordability of the scheme but that can hardly be described as an "attack", and as the BBC should know, there was a commitment within the Welsh Conservative election manifesto to “supporting electrification of the Great Western rail line to South Wales, with a commitment to developing a high speed rail link to Wales”.
Of course, whether it goes ahead is another matter but, as those who read my blog entry earlier this week, there are those of us within the Conservative Party who continue to fight for the improvement and certainly, I know other Conservatives are doing the same.
I mentioned the excellent Bow Group report which proposed that the Great Western line should be upgraded before the new line to the North West is constructed but there are also others campaigning hard even within the last few weeks to get this investment approved.
For example, it was recently reported that Rod Bluh, Conservative leader of Swindon Borough Council, launched a campaign in Parliament in support of the electrification of the Great Western main line, alongside Swindon’s MPs Conservative Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson. Mr Buckland, MP for South Swindon, said: “Times are tough with capital public spending but it's up to us to lobby Government and keep the project on the road. I will keep banging on the Government’s door until I'm blue in the face.” Mr Tomlinson, MP for North Swindon, said: “It is a real priority to work together to deliver this much needed improvement and it will drive our future economic success.”
In Bristol, Libdem council leader Barbara Janke launched a campaign in Parliament in support of the electrification of the route, calling for the coalition Government to press ahead with plans put forward by the previous Labour administration. Mrs Janke, attending the campaign launch alongside Conservative MP Chris Skidmore and Lib Dem Stephen Williams, argued that the North of England often did better out of government funding settlements than the South, and said it was time Bristol got its fair share.
Yes, questions have been asked about the cost of the electrification of the line but that is hardly an “attack” on the plans. However, there are clearly Conservatives who continue to keep pressing the case, something that is conveniently ignored in this report. Certainly, the Welsh Conservatives Economic Commission, when it reports later this year, will continue the fight here in Wales.
I know this is the season for purple prose, led by our the new Shadow Secretary of State "Savage" Peter Hain but let’s please have a more balanced view of the spending debate within the great institution that is the BBC.
Indeed, I leave the final say on this to David Melding, commenting on a call by former First Minister Rhodri Morgan for the electrification of the Great Western line, a comment that would have added some real balance to the piece.
As David noted “We have been critical of Labour’s failure to electrify any of the railways in Wales during their 13 years in power, while 35% of railway lines in England have been electrified. It is a pity that Rhodri Morgan was not more vocal about improving the Welsh railways when he was First Minister."
