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Congratulations to the BBC who, in their latest Sunday night
offering, “Roadkill” exceeded their Conservative Innuendo Quota per broadcast
minute by a substantial margin. Of course, it helps
to have such a scrupulous observer of character, David Hare, “thought is the
wind and knowledge is the sail,” whatever that is supposed to mean, writing the script. Good old Sir David has form in never letting
a good plot interfere with a lesson in politics and morality, as he sees
things. My only other criticism was the
absence of the cheerful cherub, Maxine Peake, as the Barbara Castle trans-leaning
and fearless Equalities Minister. But
perhaps that treat will appear in later episodes?
My gripe is with the BBC not David Hare who in this instance can hardly be seen as an ‘original’ dramatist: the names and faces are new but the characters are readily recognisable. One might say “Derivative Material”.
ReplyDeleteSo. Q1. Does the BBC loathe the Conservative party and, in particular, the PM?
Q2. Do they commission a well known and admired left wing playwright to prepare a drama series which would put their ‘Bêtes Noires’ in the poorest light?
Q3. Has Hare done a ‘Dan Brown’ here as in ‘A Clear and Present Danger’ where virtually all the ‘facts’ are true but then throw in the ‘Big Lie’ (The airborne missile attack on the gathering of the cartels).
Now. read across to Roadkill; we recognise Teresa and the Yemeni/Saudi/Weapons affair - fact. We also recognise the philandering nature of the privileged Minister who would be King - fact.
We recognise the nasty back-stabbing nature of the top end of the Tory Party - fact.
But then we have the big lie upon which the whole drama is based that said Minister (or any Minister for that matter) conspired with the American pharmaceutical industry to drive the NHS towards greater privatisation - the big scare to the British electorate - absolutely no proof of this and almost certainly - ‘The Big Lie’. Dan Brown would be proud!
Q4. Is this left wing propaganda - and not very subtle at that? IMO it is the BBC at it’s dramatic best and political worst. The series will add grist to the mill in the ongoing war between No 10 and the Boris Bashing Corporation.