The Conversation (0)
x
Louis Staples
Nov 16, 2019
This week, the Labour Party unveiled plans to provide free broadband to everyone in the UK if they’re elected on December 12.
Because it’s 2019, the plan was greeted by rational, fact-based debate on both sides.
Just kidding.
What’s followed the policy announcement was days of screeching and arguing about whether it’s a good idea or not, often based on complete nonsense and hyperbole.
Labour’s Rebecca Long-Bailey was invited on to the BBC’s Daily Politics to discuss the policy, which is similar to how countries like Belgium provide broadband.
FWIW my broadband provider in Belgium is state-owned (Proximus, previously known as Belgacom) and come to think of… https://t.co/w9F6DYk8Eh— Jon Stone (@Jon Stone) 1573812688
She was asked by host Jo Coburn to respond to claims by critics that the policy amounts to “Broadband communism”, with the words appearing on the screen as she joined the show by video link.
A screengrab from the interview featuring the words “broadband communism” quickly went viral on Twitter.
There were memes, lots of memes.
lol from the BBC, which itself is “broadcast ‘communism’”🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/YyO6DUQqC4— michael segalov (@michael segalov) 1573823823
Also “broadband communism” is v much my personal brand, will be suing over this.— Ash Sarkar (@Ash Sarkar) 1573822800
"And there'll be two more tracks from Broadband Communism later in the show" https://t.co/795xrL93L3— Michael Glasper (@Michael Glasper) 1573824120
The words then began to trend on Twitter, because at this point, why not?
glad to see everyone’s having a normal one https://t.co/69KgCIjc2s— Louis Staples (@Louis Staples) 1573833281
Some people criticised the BBC for the way they framed the discussion.
Does the BBC also think that a network of roads free at the point of use is also 'communism'? #politicslive https://t.co/jZz7sgMphB— Aaron Bastani (@Aaron Bastani) 1573821921
What the hell! Broadband Communism? as a strapline whilst Rebecca Long Bailey is interviewed! Justification? One p… https://t.co/dMH7MYTOHb— Chelley Ryan (@Chelley Ryan) 1573821786
But the BBC's Rob Burley defended the framing of the issue.
Here Aaron goes again pretending he doesn’t understand what quote marks are. We quoted Neil McRae who called Labour… https://t.co/3oemxVqnjM— Rob Burley (@Rob Burley) 1573822709
So Labour’s plans to provide super fast broadband have been labelled “broadband communism “ by the Tory State broad… https://t.co/O7cxOEhQOV— Ian collins (@Ian collins) 1573834568
Keep reading...Show less