Scrutiny if you ask a question

The Brexit debate now relates to Trump and Israel. The BBC hosted show for Conservative leadership candidates demonstrated how these issues relate. Recent Trump visit backed Farage and Johnson. After leaving EU a trade deal with USA seems the only option. Tweets from Trump about Khan are part of a position on Islam that also supports Israel. ( Recent news is that Golan Heights now include the Trump Heights ).

Strangely to my mind the newspapers today have switched the news to the people who asked the questions. Do words have consequences? Should there be a general election? No follow up for the candidates but Daily Mail and Express have front pages about the background of two people who also have been suspended from jobs following checks on social media posts.

True if you get to the end of Leo McKinstry column he remarks that "none of the leadership contenders ....shone brightly under pressure". Boris Johnson did not commit any howlers.

The Daily Mail front page complains that Boris Johnson was asked 23 follow up questions, 10 more than anyone else. For context, this was the first time he has been answering questions on telly during this election. Is he supposed to be a natural for a general election situation? Are questions allowed?

BBC Radio 4  5.30 news today reported on this as the news from the papers. Will this agenda continue?

I still think the Guardian version on YouTube is missing the bit on Islamophobia so I repeat it here from yesterday

Hunt is also the current Foreign Secretary. When he retweets Trump you might think that would get more comment.

Situation seems more polarised

Trump / Brexit seems more aligned and more upfront for the UK. Recent Trump tweet on Khan is extreme but also disturbing is BBC reporting, no background on anti - Islam tropes, no comment on Katie Hopkins. I also found the Marr show quite casual in knocking Corbyn. Hunt was allowed to attack Corbyn for "blaming USA" when the tweet about Iran was asking for evidence before any action. No BBC attempt to put an alternative view or introduce facts. They seem to be just going for max access to Conservative internal election.

The newspapers are also mostly ignoring Labour. Sunday Times suggests Johnson has won already. Doubts about risks of any more discussion. Observer interview with Ken Clarke so that is the alternative. Sun and Express most interesting as they have anon quotes from ERG to claim there would be a split if Johnson fails to deliver. Many to join Brexit Party. So this is new clarity for Fleet Street. One last chance for the Telegraph candidate, or else total tabloid.

So far seems to be working. EU elections went to Brexit Party largely but there was opposition.

Social media resistance from individuals, but Brexit Party support well organised.

Television may be a wild card. Johnson is not taking questions and this is supported by Telegraph and some social media fans. But some TV journalists are not used to this.

Channels in UK include some from outside. They may be a good source of alternative views. Bloomberg has to be more or less accurate about the UK economy. CNN is not afraid to describe lies as such.

Trump, BoJo, Farage and Bannon

Sunday Times today got attention with Trump interview suggesting UK not pay anything to EU then launch a legal case.

Less attention for Sunday Express, story about Farage. Includes pages 4-5 quotes from Steve Bannon, "friend and ally and ...mastermind behind Trump". annon suggests a Brexit Party victory in Peterborough by-election would strengthen Salvini in Italy

Expect Trump next week to get much support from UK newspapers, including a range of views associated. Guess @carolecadwalladr will tweet some guidance on where to look for connections. but most media seems to be reporting Brexit Party without much scrutiny.

Scope of this blog continues to expand, Brexit in context of other projects.

Gove is the sensible one for #PlanetFOX

Following on from previous post and watching Dateline London on BBC I think the Times may be pushing Gove as the sensible candidate, backstop in case BoJoTheClown implodes for some reason. Just the way it was mentioned that TrumpieTheClown objected to remarks about "sabre rattling". Not sure how developed this approach is. Something to watch for. Telegraph has gone tabloid so big gap for a paper with more nuance.

Scope expanded to include Trump as well as Brexit and Europe

This next week seems to get more obvious that in 2016 events around Trump and Brexit were connected. Not sure how. Mueller report still obscure in some ways. BBC not reporting topics raised by Carole Cadwalladr but maybe they know something else.

This morning Sun has exclusive interview with Trump. He backs Bojo . Follow up in Times with more local info. Downing Street relaxed about a meeting. But Express reports Farage has been told he will not be allowed to meet Trump. so much of interest for next week. compare with meetings in Trump Tower after the 2016 election.

These include an interview with Gove, then working as a Times journalist. Was Murdoch close by? We may never know but there seems to be a connection. Audio from the recent interview has been made available to the Today prog on BBC Radio 4. Maybe Fox has a copy also. Seems that BBC has access on a similar level to Fox. What will turn up next week?

Meanwhile, from Fox recently. Search Youtube for other clips that show Farage in recent years. The UK now definitely part of #PlanetFOX