±«Óătv

4x4s:
Remember to ask how much CO2 they emit while parked! Obviously they should be charged for moving, not for parking. No doubt more owners will buy off-street parking....
Electric vehicles: low emissions in town but lots of CO2. Losses in generation, transmission and battery charging nullify any gains there.
For pity's sake why can we not be told how much petrol, gas or electricity we can use, then be allowed to decide what we do with it? E.g. park a 4x4 or ride 200 miles on a moped! Politicians don't have a clue about anything except how to sell futile hopes.

I've been to Helmand and Kandahar for personal reasons travelling and meeting with people their (Taliban as well as non-Taliban) and thought David Loyn's documentary was quite a balanced portrait of the situation there, perhaps even underplaying the control that Taliban forces have over the area. If only more time had been allocated for a real and thorough documentation...

Was that Mercedes Maybach parked on double-yellow lines - there's a nice bit of income for Richmond Council.

Oh and is Adam Ingram actually John Reid's less-charming brother?

The piece on Newsnight regarding Hybrids was so misleading - and a real case of the big motor companies and oils companies spinning a load of old nonsense. I bought a Prius nearly two years ago. I save - and I mean SAVE - about ÂŁ250 per month on petrol compared to what I was spending before. Fact. No spin, no smoke and mirrors. I hardly ever need to fill it up. The tax is cheaper, the insurance no more expensive and , unless Livingstone finds a way to change it, it is exempt from congestion charge so when the ludicrous extension comes in I will save a FURTHER ÂŁ200 per month. No doubt Livingstone, the oil companies and car manufacturers who feel threatened by the fact that only the big Japanese giants have hybrids are in consort together to damage the reputation of hybrids but it is ironic that Livingstone should be in bed with such people. I guess the abject failure of the CC has led him to this.

I cannot conceive of ever owning a normal car again. Hybrid is simply the future and people are catching on and they represent a serious threat to ordinary car sales. think about it - the issue of the environment is huge now, petorl is astronomical - hundreds of thousands of people will think hybrid. how scary must that be for other manufactrers who don't have the platform? When I bought mine, very few people had one - now I know FIVE people who have turned to the Prius. You could suck the tail pipe of my car and get less muck in your lungs than a walk through the Mayor's office.

I am surprised that Newsnight are falling for such obvious PR initiatives by those with vested interests. here is a technology that addresses the problem and everybody is busy rubbishing it. I do not know where the What Car guy got his facts (renowned for being in certain manufacturers pockets that magazine) but my car costs tuppence to run and service. and long may it continue.

Has anybody done the calculation? Exactly how many more CO2 emissions does an electric car cause in use compared to a petrol or diesel powered vehicle? I assume it must be a lot more just to make up for the losses involved in generating, transforming and transmitting the power.
To work it out you would have to know how much CO2 is emitted on average to generate a unit of electricity in the UK with its mix of generating sources.

Whilst the world is jumping on the climate change bandwagon has anyone done any work detailing the possible benefits of climate change. When I was at school chemical reactions went faster when heated. I'm sure there must be an upside somewhere to climate change.

Sorry, but Nigel Perry is talking nonsense. Electric cars are not the future. HYBRID cars are. And they charge themselves via a small generator. The story about how they are made and the energy the process uses was utterly ludicrous.
Obviously hybrids present a serious problem for oil companies and some car giants. The spin against them - and they are wonderfully economical things as well as clean- is getting absolutely absurd.

Am I the only person who thinks Jeremy is losing the plot. Tough interviewing is one thing but being rude is another. Tonight his interview with the defence minister is yet another example, as was the Distasteful way he interviewed the head of the MOD university last week.The ±«Óătv is producing ever weaker tabloid style journalism that only serves to destroy its reputation and will eventually result in the removal of the tv licence you rely on and are paid on the basis of your supposed objectivity.

The debate on Pensions was laughable.
Current Central Government pensions are going to 720 billion pounds and
is taking 26& of council tax for local government pension.If this unfair system was swept aside every citizen in the country would be able to have a decent pension now not in 2012.

Well I just love it saw the interview with the chap from Honda,
Claiming that the manufacture of a car was responsible for about 15% of the emissions during its life.
Is this a true statement?
If we look at all aspects of the manufacture such things as rolling steel smelting glass for windows smelting aluminium for engine and gearbox components all the machining work involved the power consumed during assembly don’t forget the plastics utilised are also made from oil and require energy to manufacture and form.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, When looking at the “cost” in energy and ultimately environmental terms of new cars verses old we should consider the fact that we also have to effectively recycle the old vehicle we no longer have a use for this again takes energy.
Call me cynical but I suspect the revenue raised from car tax and VAT on the sale of each new car have more to do with the government stance than any amount of environmental considerations.

Re: Posting No 3 by Nick Robeson

I'm not sure I understand your comment. Please could you kindly therefore answer these questions:

1) What is your definition of 'rude'"?
2) What is your definition of 'tabloid style'?

Thank you very much.

Why was James Purnell the Pensions Minister not asked in more detail about the changes in FSR 17 accounting and the removal of tax relief on investments introduced by the current government which have caused many Companies to close their final salary pension schemes ? This has had a major effect on people who have been members of such schemes and made it far less attractive for those starting work to make provision for their retirement, particularly as annuity rates are so low.Surely what they are doing now is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Give me control of a nation's money supply,and i care not who makes its laws.Mayer.Rothschild,Banker.I am a most unhappy man.I have unwittingly ruined my country.A great industrial nation is now controlled by its system of credit We are no longer a govn by free opinion or conviction and the vote of the majority,but a govn by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men -Woodrow Wilson- 9/25/1919,I believe WWIII is againsted the worlds last powers,the middle classes!by means of our belieffs in our leaders/media(GODS)Who are in the process of conditioning us for there New World Order(the ELITE international bankers).Cashless(ID cards "chips"will be switched off if your not comply'nt a sheeple,no money so you die),classless(tax and plunder the middle classes), society (a enslavement on global plantation),

It was hardly surprising to find that someone has done research to prove that a simple old car produces less emissions than a high tech new one. Back in the very early days of Channel 4 I remember watching a programme about the environment which claimed that a car generates more pollution in its creation than it will ever use in its lifetime. This was long before environmentalism became trendy and its probably pointless for newsnight to ask a green salesman whether his new car really contributes to reducing overall pollution levels. The trick is to build an environmentally sound car that will last for at least 30 years, but that's highly unlikely given the current market conditions where car manufacturers have to increase sales every year or go to the wall. I myself run a new 1000cc car with five doors which could easily cope with a school run if I had kids, the only flaw is the size of the boot. Its alleged to produce 123 g/km but no matter how I try I can't match the alleged MPG. I suspect that the same is true of a petrol electric, if they were really serious about the environment it would be a diesel electric. If you want serious fuel efficiency now, you should go for the diesel mechanical. Its a pity that the team had to leave it up to Nigel Perry's web blog to explode the myth that electric cars don't produce any emissions, the same is true with hydrogen.

Did David Loyn's report from Afghanistan show a Taleban which is "tactically defeated"? I'd say "Yes", as a group which says it is now moving in a big way to suicide as a tactic is one which is having to resort to desperate measures. Also, their quick dash across the plain and their need for frequent moves between bases undermined the contrary impression they were trying to give.

I was disappointed that the pensions minister got off so lightly in this evenings programme.
He made several statements which were extremely misleading - a classic being the myth that the Government have brought in measures to give meaningful compensation to those who have suffered as a result of the maladministration identified by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
Although I appreciate most people worry about being able to support themselves in their old age, those covered by the POs report actually LOST their pensions savings directly as a result of Government policies and most people contributing to an occupational pension scheme still do not realise how vulnerable their savings are and that the FAS and PPF have serious limitations.
It was a great pity that Mr Paxman did not use his skills to question this further, not just to make the minister's appearance rather less of an easy ride, but also to highlight the insecurity of occupational pensions schemes which many still believe will give them the security in retirement they have saved for during their working life.

In response to this programme's mix of subjects in discussion , the thread throughout was distastfully common of late... Afghanistan will fast become todays Iraq..the UK/US is sort'a sleepwalking into another disaster...Cannot our politicians ,non poodle types, understand the Islamic countries do not want western style democracy......
Didn't the Taliban..BAN POPPY (Heroin) growing.!!& anyway we will never win...ask the Russians.
Pensioners platform was feeble in it's allowed questions to the Government Spokesman..where were the NPC? in all this... Gordon Brown has been allowed to get away with a means tested allowance on their State Pensions ..which is a mean & miserable way of treating ALL pensioners , but allows them to crow on about "targeting our poorest"...if you've been a little thrifty & saved a little for a rainy day in your retirement , you are not allowed to claim the Minimium Income Guarantee(Benefit), apart from the indignity of such ...& claim forms that would challenge an academic!
Generally we have seen New Labour (allegedly) sweep aside what most of us know as decent behaviour & be seen as unaccountable in their sleezey practices... we are being doctrinated to accept this as normal protocal.. ergo have become/ing totally apathetic .
It's not too late ...vote with your feet remembering whats happened over the last 10 yrs , do we really want this to continue ?Keep that picture of Blair & Bush in your minds ...& boot them out

You cannot tackle a problem as big as pensions in such a short period of time. The ±«Óătv needs to give much more air time to the subject.

The debate became horribly biased because you pitched a politician against members of the public who were nervous and understandably not always able to put their point across as succinctly as they would have liked.

Unfortunately last night's program made these mistakes with the result that the program was not balanced and gave the wrong impression

Compensating those who have lost their pension due to Government mal administration, the current level of pensions and the plans for the future are linked but each deserve much more air time.

I find it hard to understand how a British broadcaster can send a reporter, to report on an enemy of this country in the way your programme did with the newsnight article on the Taleban. I found it most offensive,and was wondering what the response would have been from Mr. Churchill if the ±«Óătv had sent a team into Germany to put the nazi,s case. When we have got our soldier,s fighting for their lives in a country that fostered terrorist training camps,and are there under a UN mandate it beggars belief that an organisation that is kept afloat by British taxpayers can waste our money on blatent propaganda for our enemies in a time of war.

Following on from Mick Haggar's comment, I found that the Afghan report managed to portray the Taleban as merely a band of simple ascetics and the elected Kharzi government as habitually corupt. The UK defence minister was then roughed over by Paxman while the previous Taleban spokesman's words went unchallenged. Result: an unbalanced view of the situation.

Imgine every time somebody commited a crime, he had to give (sey ÂŁ10 )to someone who had naver commited any crime no one wuold complain and the law abiding people would feel awarded.
Thats whate richmond council are doing but not charginbg people who have low ammision cars they are rewarding them.
For once we have a local authority with vision.

The most disappointing Newsnight for a long time, I'm afraid.

A very inadequate pensions debate, even though the subject is literally life or death for hundeds of thousands.

Platitudes about the highly suspect dramatisation. Of course a detailed portrayal of someone it alleges is vulnerable, but is of sound mind and non-criminal shouldn't be broadcast, or published in any way against her wishes unless it can be proven truthful. For broadcasters to go against that is only to take advantage of the inability of the poor to safeguard their legal rights in court. Is the mother to get a fee if it is broadcast? It would also have been useful, and surely relevant, to know the track record of the dramatist, the director and the production company. We know that the network's (ITV) is now shoddy, tragically.

The Richmond parking piece was appallingly superficial. I didn't see any mention in it of purely electric cars, contrary to the Blog entry. As others have commented, it seemed like Newsnight took another press release as gospel, forgetting the piece only weeks ago showing how devious some petrol companies are being against efforts to slow global warming. I'm astounded that anyone is open to believe that electric cars would ultimately be powered by gas or coal power stations when we have nuclear generation running at nil-cost at night when most would be charged. But the petrol companies have pretty much ensured there are no electric cars available, promoting instead the hybrid vehicles which they can then diss as very complex.

Worst of all was the Taliban piece. Others' comments here are justified, and even some by the government's minister plainly were. It seemed so similar to John Simpson's derring-do pieces from the advancing Taliban front as they took over the country initially. They allowed him to film too. Their "principles" have always been flexible when it suits them. Years on we again have a male ±«Óătv reporter allowing them to dictate that no woman appears in the piece - couldn't he have got some balancing material elsewhere? And he apparently allowed his interviewee to get away with asserting they "only" destroy schools that "teach girls to wear uniforms that reveal their figure". As if denying education to women wasn't the original "hot issue" of the whole movement, after the Russian-backed government at last pushed for equal access to education for girls. Like the main government figure promoting women's education wasn't assassinated in her own street only weeks ago. You can make almost anyone look dashing, successful, and acceptable if you ignore their faults. Those men are armed-to-the-teeth, lying, assassinating, terrorist-backing fundamentalists who (with American help) took their own country back to the stone age and sent a million into exile. Why would anyone consider them suitable to have power over a civilian population?

The next time a ±«Óătv journalist gets an interview with the official spokeman for a group with designs to seize a country, would it be too radical an idea, too in advance of its time, to fish out copies of the essential UN human rights documents, starting with the 1948 Universal Declaration, and not forgetting CEDAW on women and CRC on children, and asking which bits, if any, they would plan to respect? Men like the Taliban should be held to human standards, not treated as if they were animals or aliens.

Hilarious though - and thankyou for that insight - that they solely allow musical recordings of single male voices singing their praise. It was always obvious there had to be something deeply homoerotic about them.

"The Taliban has been tactically defeated"- JPaxman seemed to think that "tactically" means "totally/finally/routed to non-existance". Surely "tactically" has always been used in English military tradition as in contradistinction to "strategically", as in "the US won every battle in Vietnam but their victories were merely tactical, non strategic successes", "the British won every engagement in the 1776-1782 war (until beaten by the French at Yorktown) but their victories were merely tactical successes; strategically, they had no hope of winning the war" or "Napoleon's victories of 1814 were merely tactical successes; strategically, they were worthless; he had to keep retreating and eventually had to admit defeat". Hence such names as "Strategic Air Command", "Tactical Air Command" ("a command of the United States Air Force (USAF) charged with battlefield-level (tactical) air combat"), "RAF 2nd Tactical Airforce" etc.etc. It looks (from the news reports generally) as though the British Army has indeed won every battle and skirmish - i.e., the Taliban has been defeated tactically. "The Taliban has been defeated tactically" can accordingly equate to, "the Taliban has been defeated tactically, merely". Whether or not they have been defeated on any greater level is surely the question to ask.

A diverse range of interesting stories last night (just caught up on the welcome webcast via Newsnight homepage).

AFGHANISTAN:

David Loyn's & crew deserve credit - all things considered sound report from Afghanistan (with some obvious tongue in cheek ref Taliban claims & explanations v their mantra) *

* esp claims of school burning, targeting mosques, drugs, targeting of women & children (given Taliban suppression of women).

However, ironic to note, that given Taliban embracing (thus changing) the very aspects of developed societies they hitherto have rejected: tv, music, PR, technology.

Also adaptation of weapons capture & technology interesting to see (turban & nigh vision goggles bit was priceless).

CAR TAX:

Mixed feeling ref Richmond Lib Dems council 'enviro' effects.

Wonder what purposes they will put the monies too? shore up other council/political inspired projects or specific environmental projects.

Dust to Dust Energy Report interesting reading [1]

Honda rep of Newsnight stated 15% carbon emission during construction & 85% carbon emission during car used lifetime

Newsnight claimed if UK transportation usage changed to Zero CO2 emission, it would take 86+ days of economic Chinese growth too cancel out environmental savings - food for thought.

All of this leads me to believe that government needs 'joined up' policy ref total impact on environment: transportation, manufacturers, energy generation & local & central government initiatives etc.

PENSIONERS:

They & their families secured our countries & regions future (WWII).

They & their families created the welfare state.

They & their families funded the welfare state.

Now they need to draw from it.

Government policies, esp Brown attack on pensions, have disadvantaged this generation & undermined confidence in the tax, save, benefits, welfare & pensions systems.

Pay Up.

PENSIONER REALITY CHECK: Property & Pensions

During a life time two main draws of income: Property (min 25+ years mortgage) & Pensions (up to 40+ years of saving 5-20% p.a. income).

- Property: habit in this country is too have most financial assets in one place i.e. property. You get into health trouble as a pensioner, the NHS in England & Wales require you to sell assets to pay for treatment & also local government requires similar to pay for care.

- Pensions: when you retire you vest your pension into an annuity via a broker. There is a lump sum of money & monthly money payments to you. When primary holder dies, some of the monthly payment may go to the surviving spouse/partner.

- However, once they die, the money income stops. Your family/estate will not have the lump sum or monthly payments. They are kept by the annuity provider. Offsetting the pensions of people who live longer than they expected (your subbing others pensions) & they go into the coffers of the annuity provider - NO THANK YOU !!!!!

"What happens to my pension when I die" - some govt & vendor explanations: [2a] [2b]

Pensions are family money as is the inheritance of a family from the estate of dead relatives/friends.

People should be allowed to benefit from all pension monies of the deceased (lump sum & income) into a family pension scheme and/or allowed to dispose of deceased estate as they feel fit (devoid of taxation) it will go into the economy if they choose to blow it :)

Policies on Property & Pensions disincentivise people from make long term financial commitments. Why save & be financially responsible when all you have effectively done its too pool your assets into pots which makes it rather easier to have either organisation and/or government take lion share/all of your hard earned monies.

Under present impasse - better to: 1) move to Scotland (different laws); 2) blow it all ; 3) use tax & inheritance laws to your benefit - not Gordon's.

CELEB WATCH:

Naomi Campbell allegedly assaults some one … allegedly again … her drugs counsellor [3]

Madonna? will it set another fashion trend, besides having latest mini dog, handbag … acquire a foreign child? *

* when is a child not an 'orphan' … when it has a living parent.

Q. is it that easy to get a foreign child into the country & then get state to pay for its upbringing?

btw - Naomi 'bruiser' Campbell & Old Madge do have allegedly something in common …religion of Kabballah [4]

Cult of Kabbala [5a] [5b] [5c]

Kabballah Cancer Con [5d]

Kabballah Nuclear Waste Con (promoted by Mr & Mrs Madge) [5e] *

* Q. social services - do such non mainstream/radical beliefs have bearing on a couples suitability to adopt?

"In Israel, authorities have refused to give the organization a certificate of proper management for three years running (as of 2005) because of accounting inadequacies. In Britain, the Charity Commissioners have criticised the centre's accounts for "significant shortcomings in transparency" [5b] [5f]

Please remind us - what is Kabballah's take on violence, drug abuse, ego, psuedo science & adoption?

vikingar

SOURCES:

[1]
[2a]
[2b]
[3]
[4]
[5a]
[5b]
[5c]
[5d]
[5e]
[5f]
[6]

It is with great sadness that I feel that the pensions system that was once the envy of the world is now facing total collapse in the UK. This from what is reportedly a socialist government.
How on earth can this government expect us, the working people of this country to believe what the pensions minister said if they won't honour their previous commitment to their stated backing of occupational pension schemes that have mow collapsed, leaving up to 125000 people with less than they were told were "guaranteed" pensions.
The government knew that at best the expectations of these people were 50/50, but didn't tell them. The chancellor reduced the M.F.R. twice without telling the people what he had done.
If other financial intuitions change the rules they have to notify their customers... But that doesn't seem to be the case if it's the government that is changing the rules.
We the people that have had our pensions stolen from us but the actions of the government are very bitter that this government can still give billions away in tax incentives to the very high earners, yet won't honour their obligations to Mr and Mrs Average earner.
The Ombudsman said it was "MALADMINISTRATION" the Public accounts committee said the government were "WRONG" many labour M.P's think this is wrong, but yet the minister still states that we are only entitled to very limited assistance, despite doing everything successive governments persuaded us to do.
We that have lost our pensions to this governments Maladministration, but we still have to pay for the pleasure of providing the pensions for those very government officials that are denying us what we paid for, and were given the governments continued assurances that our pensions as paid for were safe.
I wonder if those that make the laws had their pension stolen from them they would accept the situation?. I doubt it very much.. But there are those that are reported in the D.W.P. that it is not their problem, if that is the case, why did they continue to print that these pensions were "Guaranteed and protected by law" right up until 2002.......

Wednesday's programme about the Taleban was very interesting from the point of veiw that they think that they are winning as they say their is always two sides to a story. I feel it is right to report the other side this not to betray are very brave service men and women this so called government did that a long time ago. But if we value the freedom of the press then all sides must be reported on. It worries me that this government and others try very hard to surpress information to a very alarming level these days. We all know that they cannot tell the difference between what are lies and the truth and it is only a free press that can highlight these failings.
This country is now on its fouth Afgan War and the score so far is lost two won one ? over the next one.

A simple question, and one that hopefully should not be to hard to answer: How much, if anything, were the Taliban payed for their cooperation in your report?

RE Jenny #27 and others above

What would be the point of asking a Taliban spokesperson which parts of "essential human rights documents" they would respect? Why did this report make the Taliban "look dashing, successful, and acceptable"? Did it really "ignore their faults"?

I thought it actually lay their faults out bare for all to see: the Taliban are a group of uneducated, violent, and utterly hypocritical men whose main purpose is annihilating just about anyone and anything who/that does not subscribe to their ideology (schools, women, coalition forces, democracy etc etc etc). They move freely around the area: their face to face 'support-us-or-die' message is very potent in poor, underdeveloped villages; far more powerful than any bombing raids sent in to root out the Taliban fighters.

The main weak point about the documentary was the accusation that Coalition forces somehow condone the blatant corruption of military officials &co. What are they supposed to do? Have a man at every checkpoint? Of course it is unacceptable but stamping out corruption is a tremendously difficult task because the underlying causes are so complex. It was one of the very, very few times I actually could not disagree with the Defence Minister. Another weakish point was that the journalist seemed surprised at villagers' statments that there were no Taliban in the village during the raid: did he really expect them to admit that there were fighters hiding in the village when he is travelling in the company of the said group?

No one in their right mind can accept the claim that the Taliban do not burn down schools. I am pretty sure that there is no need for the journalist to go out of his way to point out that burning down schools because they make girls wear uniforms "that reveal their bodies" is mind-bogglingly hypocritical and heinous. But there is equally no point to ask a group of, as the report concluded, "religious zealots" for whom "time has stood still ... since their faith began" in the 14th century about human rights. I think that conclusion is pretty damning, it really says it all.

The pensions debate would have been laughable, if it wasn't so sad. The government is guilty of maladministration, everyone knows this to be fact. There is absolutety no chance of anyone in this country taking pensions seriously when the government can just up and walk away from its obligations regarding this matter.

If the government is serious about pensions reform, then it MUST put its own house in order and compensate those it has failed BEFORE coming up with new proposals. Without this compensation, to show they are serious about commitment we may as well spend all our money whilst working and claim for every penny when we retire.

Of course we need to hear the views of the Taliban in order to be able to get a fuller picture. Far to much information is withheld from us anyway. What does it help us not to talk to the Taliban? Closing the eyes may make some people sleep better, but we need to know what is going on, what our own troups are up to and what the enemy is planning to do.

In a recent Newsnight Jeremy Paxman did not do justice to homself or the topic by treating the issue of the 125,000 people plus their families,( say 500,000 people) who have been badly let down by this Govt response to the Parliamentary Ombudsman report on Pensions wind up scandal.
This issue deserves better treatment from the ±«Óătv.
I hope to see some longer exposure to this issue which is at the heart of the abuse of power by this Govt.

Come on Jeremy " lets be having yer!"

With regard to the section of the program on Pensions.

It was a insult & pathetic,journalism & dimissive of the issue at hand, not what i would expect of Mr Paxmans normal grilling approach, re the issue of company pensions lost & still being fought over as in my case with The Imperial ±«Óătv Decor pension fund.

He simply waved this particular part of the pensions issue off, then carried on, the minister was as one would expect a wimp reading from a script, and who has had the party line surgically implanted. It is a national disgrace how ward working idividuals do as the goverment say & invest in company pension schemes & loose out.

The issue gets brushed aside, this is quite simply maladminsitration & theft, yes theft, of hard working people doing their best to provide for their own future, only to be continually knocked down, in my case two company pensions i have contributed to & stand to loose eveything. I am full of trepidation and frankly fear of being able to provide for myself & other members of my famil when i retire, in fact I do not think i can afford to retire, i suspect i will have keep working at whatever i can...

Brian Wilkinson, Lancashire

Hi,

Thanks for the filming and reporting on the Taliban. It's important that we know the "enemy". Showing them for what they are but also airing their "beefs" help us to understand the conflict better.

Keep up the great reporting!

Kerry Painter

PS

One humorous little fact learned about the manners of one of the Taliban: the guy sitting behind the spokesman picked his nose through the interview. Maybe he didn't understand what a camera does.

Re Vikingar (Post 29).

There is one big error in your arguement:

Pensioners may have fought WWII
Created the welfare state
And want to draw on it.

Unfortunately they didn't fund it. They just decided to promise themselves that I would fund it. Like some kind of ponzi scheme.

And then went on a 30-year spending bonanza that brought the economy and country to its knees.

So don't tell me to "pay up". You spent the money once, perhaps unwisely; why should I give it to you again.

I was please dto see that the Pensions issue was given some time on the programme, but not nearly enough time!

The whole pensions issue has been largely ignored by the Government.
I would love to see Newsnight cover the problem of the 120,000 people who have lost their pensions when their employers closed down.

The Ombudsman says the Government are responsible, so do the Public Affairs Committee, so do all the National Press, SAGA, and so do all the Pensioners who have lost their pensions!

Come on Newsnight, please add your considerable authority to this cause.

If anyone at the ±«Óătv went out of their way to understand the problem of the stolen pensions then I am sure that they would find that it deserves something more than a 2/3 minute slot.

It must have been the easiest interview that Purnell has ever had as Paxman hasn't a clue about pensions. He obviously isn't interested in the subject as his will be guaranteed.

Invite Purnell (or preferably Blair and/or Brown) back and also invite Dr Ros Altmann who can ask the pertinent questions.

It should be open and carried out to interview all people. You must of course keep it as equal as possible so as not to show sides or give opinions.
Always talk to all sides we all have a right to be heard, this will help to reduce some tension.
Regarding Jeremy Paxman a clever person who regretfully oversteps his position to often which means he is drowning the person he has asked questions of makeing him look a bully and so sympathy goes to the other whatever you think of his opinions.
Calm down Jeremy you are loosing by being a bully.

Re: Pensions

I, like Paxman had met Mr Purnell earlier on Wednesday evening with my MP about the 125,000 people who have lost their pensions, and still have no help despite the usual spin and untruths from people like Purnell.

At my meeting Mr Purnell was unsure of his facts. He would make a great guest for Mr Paxman who could do a great service to us all by exposing the reality behind this dreadful situation and travesty of justice. The government have been told to provide compensation but put two fingers up to it's own Ombudsman.

The rest of the media have already picked up on this and many are running campaigns for justice. The ±«Óătv doesn't seem to have recognised what's happened. Is that because you don't understand, or don't care? Or is it under Whitehall orders? If Mr Paxman stood to lose 95% of his saved for pension like I have, maybe he would be a bit more forceful.

I can supply all the contacts to make a useful contribution to Newsnight.

Was looking forward to my first post on what I heard was an interesting new social networking site.

Having read with interest the blog contributions, thought Newsnight was being decidedly different than others who stifle & limit debate between certain types.

After a few emails from poster friends - very disappointed to hear of first major poster ban.

How ironic then that given blog title, the Taliban via David Loyn & the ±«Óătv can voice their extremism. However, British Tax payers & TV Licence payers are seemingly unable to voice their opinion on the media organ they fund.

Really sorry to hear then that Newsnight has caved in to the usual agendas so dominant in the 'liberal' online press, did not expect it to KowTow.

Sure 'The Usual Suspects' will continue the same conversation amongst usual cliques, detached from mainstream, exchanging same views to each other on Digital TV, Radio, Newspapers etc.

Very foolish, in this day of consumer power & technological empowerment.

Why do they still presume people will put up with this & allow them to dominate our various media.

An audience just simply turns elsewhere & speak less loudly or not at all next time the debate about justification over licence is raised and/or stop buying certain/all newspapers & get their news from sources who show a degree of mutual respect (esp online variety).

The utter disingenuous intolerance of the 'liberal' press is its undoing … i.e. enjoy your rights' but don't dare too contradict or speak against our opinions.

- From a free speech perspective - sad & pathetic
- From a business perspective - not sustainable.

±«Óătv please remember ... "Elegance thrives on exclusion" - Mason Cooley