In defence of scepticism
Planet Normal
Louisa Wells
4.7 • 2.9K Ratings
🗓️ 21 January 2021
⏱️ 60 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Sir Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the US makes his maiden voyage to Planet Normal as Donald Trump’s presidency comes to an end. He tells Telegraph columnists, Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan why it’s high time to abandon the idea of the “special relationship” and why we haven't heard the last of Mr Trump. Plus, as a former Chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, Sir Christopher tells us why he believes Brexit divisions have seeped into the UK’s pandemic coverage.
Also on the show: Allison makes the case for lockdown scepticism, Liam delves into the latest covid statistics and one of our presenters shows off their Welsh.
Allison and Liam will be replying to comments beneath this article on Thursday 21st January from 11am-12pm here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/21/brexit-divisions-have-infected-covid-reporting-says-sir-christopher/|
Read more from Allison: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/allison-pearson/ |
Read more from Liam: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/liam-halligan/ |
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Telegraph. |
| 0:03.2 | Podcasts |
| 0:26.2 | 5th |
| 0:33.2 | The NHS is there to serve us, not the British people there to serve the NHS. |
| 0:38.2 | 4th |
| 0:40.2 | The special relationship is the phrase I have really disliked, abhorred for a good quarter |
| 0:46.4 | of a century. |
| 0:48.4 | 3th |
| 0:49.4 | The Brexit was still being fought and they infect everything and they have infected |
| 1:01.1 | I think of it reporting. |
| 1:11.0 | Welcome once again to Planet Normal, the Telegraph podcast with Alison Pearson. |
| 1:15.4 | Hello. |
| 1:16.4 | And me Liam Halligan. |
| 1:18.2 | So this was the week when skeptical journalists who don't toe the line will put on show trial. |
| 1:23.8 | Journalists who analyse and interrogate data, who weigh the benefits of anti-COVID restrictions |
| 1:29.5 | against their immediate and massive economic and human costs, who question endless lockdown. |
| 1:36.3 | Such journalists are being reprimanded, their characters besmirched, their sanity questioned |
| 1:41.4 | by ministers, their parliamentary henchmen and so called colleagues across the Prince |
| 1:46.0 | and Broadcast media. |
| 1:48.0 | But what is the function of journalism if not a question? |
| 1:51.5 | Why be a reporter? |
| 1:52.9 | If all you do is simply repeat. |
... |
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