The Luvvies and the Lesser Ones.

Visitors all safely tucked away for the night, traps set in case they decide to wander and all exterior doors and windows locked and wired up to the mains. Time to break out the Glenlivet and browse the news.

I see the BBC are in full 'luvvie' mode over the idea that they have to give airtime to The Lesser Ones after the Gorgon, the Cameroid and the other one have finished burbling nonsense at each other. They are particularly incensed at being required to give time to the BNP and UKIP. They seem undisturbed by the idea of giving time to the Greens, SNP and Plaid Cymru. No sign of any polarisation of interests there from the impartialish BBC.

Of course, it's all the fault of those evil bosses:

"The only result of this directive from Mark Byford and the rest of the overpaid detached senior management is that listeners will simply switch off in droves.

Actually I won't be switching on. Never do. I never watch the news in the morning because that's far too early to start drinking. I might watch it later on iPlayer but never first thing. It's best to enjoy at least part of the day before bumping back down to reality.

"The idea of having to interview the Ukip leader Nigel Farage – let alone Nick Griffin – is turning people's stomachs."

I thought Nigel Farage stepped down as leader some time ago? But then, this is the flagship political show on the BBC. Surely they know what they're talking about.

How can their stomachs be turning? The BBC will interview murderers, rapists, and Labour MPs without turning a hair. Yet face them with someone whose ideas they don't like, and they're regurgitating breakfast before you can say 'Look out below!'

Setting up anyone who does not agree that East Germany was a good idea as some kind of right-wing loon is standard fare these days. Okay, I can see them getting all weepy at the BNP core policy on race but let's be honest here. The BNP are not going to win the election. They will do well because Labour will ensure they do well, and they might even get an MP or two, but Prime Monster Griffin? Not this time.

The BNP have legitimately-elected MEPs, and have not actually killed or even attacked anyone. I don't agree with their policies (they are pretty much old Labour policies apart from the race one, which is why 'exposing' their other policies to Labour voters only makes things worse) but if you're going to defend free speech, there's no halfway measure. As soon as you silence someone just because you don't like what they say, free speech is gone.

If you hear something on TV or radio you don't like, switch it off. If the Internet offends thee, cut thy connection. If someone is talking and you don't like what they are saying, move away. I've gone into pubs where karaoke was on the go, and left at once. I don't like karaoke. It does not occur to me to try to ban karaoke so that I can go into that pub in peace, I just go to another pub that doesn't have karaoke. The pub has the right to let its customers sound like a really dodgy pirate recording played through string and baked bean tins. I don't want to hear it so I go somewhere else. It's an inconvenience because I have to go further for a drink, but that's all it is. It won't harm me.

Likewise, if Nick Griffin is on the BBC and you don't want to hear him, either switch off or - if you want to hear the Green God Gospel or the Oily Fish or Evan 'Boyo' Evans or whatever he's called, turn the sound down until Nick the Griff is done. It's really not difficult. Silence won't kill you, although judging by the proliferation of little earphone things these days, many people think it will. I wonder how many can be convinced that someone coming into a room after being silent somewhere else will pass on deadly 'third hand silence' and give them cancer of the cochlea? Judging by this, quite a few (nabbed from Dick Puddlecote's latest link tank). It has just got to be worth a try.

So the BBC bosses have told the luvvies that they have to play with the unpopular kids as well as the Head Boy and his well-groomed mates. The luvvies are distraught, you can hear the handbags tearing from here, and they are likely to get even more upset as they realise their bosses are not going to back down. The impartiality of the BBC is already lying bloodied in the dust. The bosses want to revive it, or at least look as if they are trying. The luvvies want to kick it to death.

There is no reason for the BBC luvvies to feel sick at the thought of interviewing UKIP. Aside from the fact that they are heavily Conservative in their outlook. Left-wing bias? The BBC? Well, maybe just a little. Or maybe just a lot.

There is still a strong possibility of a Tory government at the election, especially now that Labour's propaganda machine seems to be on their side, and the bosses recognise it. The luvvies do not.

Only a month to go. Better check those CVs are up to date, luvvies.