I was actually just killing time before a meeting with Gordon Brown, the library has a good section on Middle East politics which I was browsing through ahead of brokering a peace treaty with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas!

Normal sort of day then, Clan.

Have you ever visited the planet earth Clan.

quality now that your in the circles of wealth can you not pick a pocket or two boy, got to pick a pocket or two

I've e-mailed council and wakey express to condemn the half-truths and downright lies and scaremongeriing of the NIMBYs. Council have replied, and seem keen to hold a neutral and balanced position (a good thing, IMO). Wakey Express asked for my address so they could consider it for publication - so maybe I'll get the NIMBYs knocking on my door!



Anybody seen a rugbyball around, or has it been kicked into touch?

Thanks for your e-mail regarding ‘Look North’ broadcast on 26 May.





I understand you feel the programme is overly Leeds centric, failing to adequately report news from across Yorkshire, such as the number of people who signed a petition in favour of the new stadium at Wakefield.





Choosing the content of our news bulletins is often a difficult and complicated process. In making their decisions our editors need to take several different factors into consideration including whether the news is breaking and the perceived level of public interest in the subject matter.





We appreciate that our audience hold a wide range of opinions, and this, coupled with the subjective nature of our editorial decisions means we'd never expect everyone to agree with every decision we take.





I’d like to take this opportunity to assure you that I’ve recorded your comments onto our audience log. This is an internal daily report of audience feedback which is circulated to many BBC staff including senior management, producers and channel controllers.





The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.





Thanks once again for taking the time to contact us.





Kind Regards



Ciaran McConnell

That looks like a very standard reply and I guess does not address the specifics you raised in your email/letter.



What a surprise!!!

TRB and I spoke on the phone yesterday and he brought me up to speed. We discussed things at length and I personally fully concur with his opinion above. We just now need to keep our heads down below the parapet a little now and work on a new objective, as TRB states, of talking to, influencing and gaining the support of the right people in the right places.



I have some homework I have agreed with TRB I will do, as does TRB himself, and then in the next few days we will be in a position to show you my homework and more than likely give give you some homework of your own, which I/we hope you will all undertake with enthusiastic gusto. The reason we are being cautious is not because anything we are doing is secret or we are wanting to withhold anything from your guys, but we do need to put our ducks in a row first before we publicly reveal what we know, what we have done and what we need everyone else to then do. I have become party to some very useful and quite juicy information which I am hopefully going to share with you all soon BUT I just need to verify a few facts first before then, I don't want to libel anyone/body but present pure unarguable facts that hopefully will further the case.



This is better than an Eastenders duf, duf moment (not that I have actually watched it for the last decade or so)!



PS. Sorry about the school homework analogy, best I could come up with!

The email response I recieved.



Thank you for your email. I'm sorry you didn't like our report; it certainly wasn't our intention to disappoint. But I can assure you we don't take sides in any story we cover; we always try to be impartial.



It's not the first time Look North has covered this story. We broadcast items about the proposed development in December 2009 and February 2010. On both occasions we reflected the boost it would give the local economy, the community and obviously the Wildcats and their supporters. This was the first time any objections to the plans have been mentioned by BBC Look North.



We did approach the developers, Yorkcourt Properties, for an interview. Unfortunately they were unable to provide someone. They did, however, provide information, which our reporter clearly included in her script when she said 'the developers claim it will boost the economy and bring more jobs to West Yorkshire... the idea is there will be more sports facilities for people in Wakefield and Wildcats fans believe the new stadium is vital'. Phil Townsend from Stadium Wakefield Action Group then provided a fans' perspective. We did omit some of what he had to say- just as we did with our other contributors; our report was only two minutes long and it really was impossible to justify any more time for the item on a day when there was such serious news in Bradford, for example..



We did, I accept, speak to a resident who objects to the plans; and also to an ecologist, who objects for different reasons. We also included the views of Leeds Council because their concerns are different, again. We did approach Wakefield Council for a comment, but as the planning authority, they felt it inappropriate at this stage.



Following our broadcast, the developers got in touch with us to say that, contrary to your view, they had no objections to what we broadcast. I'm also pleased to say we have a very good relationship with John Kear and his colleagues at the club. I sincerely hope that continues, and that the club and its supporters have a good end to the Superleague season.



Thank-you for taking the trouble to write; I do appreciate it.



Yours sincerely

Tim Smith



Editor, BBC Look North

I await in anticipation

great to see you back

I have decided to leave Alec Shelbrooke MP alone for the moment. As you say, TRB ran rings around him on the radio and Alec just proved what we all suspected, that he has not even looked at the plans (at least in any detail or for any length of time) and boy did it show in the interview! Unfortunately, he has also being fooled (along with lots of people and even the BBC) but given that I wrote to him when he was a PPC and warned him, along with the other two, that this was the case, he seems to have chosen to ignore my advice and also the advice given to all MP's contained in the various documents on the subject of protocol and the roles of MP's in local issues, that you should only get involved in planning disputes as an absolute last resort!



He his doing a good enough job of digging himself into a nice hole, he does not need any more help from us at the moment!

Heres the Beebs reply to my complaint "Thanks for your e-mail regarding ‘Look North’. I understand that you felt that the report on proposals by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats to build a new stadium was bias. We reported on the issue accurately and fairly, and made it clear that many rugby fans are supporting it, but some people living nearby are unhappy. We also featured a quote in support on bbc.co.uk: “But Phil Townsend, chairman of Stadium Wakefield Action Group, said the issue of a new venue was "do or die" for the club. "The stadium is vital for providing sporting facilities for Wakefield," he said. "It will be home for the Wildcats but it is also a community stadium and will be available for use for everybody." A range of views and opinions were heard and it is Wakefield Council who will rule upon the matter and we made the point many times throughout that anyone with any views to express had until Friday to contact the council to contribute to their consultation. I am pleased to enclose information on the planning application. Since this has been taken from a non-BBC website, we can’t accept responsibility for the contents, but I hope it’s helpful to you: planning.wakefield.gov.uk/online ... CT8QQ04200 I would like to assure you that I have registered your complaint onto our audience log which is made available to senior management and production staff." So a comment from Phil on the internet site is supposed to be as fair as those included in the programme from objectors? This response and those received by others just confirm what a waste the licence fee is.

Heres the Beebs reply to my complaint "Thanks for your e-mail regarding ‘Look North’. I understand that you felt that the report on proposals by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats to build a new stadium was bias. We reported on the issue accurately and fairly, and made it clear that many rugby fans are supporting it, but some people living nearby are unhappy. We also featured a quote in support on bbc.co.uk: “But Phil Townsend, chairman of Stadium Wakefield Action Group, said the issue of a new venue was "do or die" for the club. "The stadium is vital for providing sporting facilities for Wakefield," he said. "It will be home for the Wildcats but it is also a community stadium and will be available for use for everybody." A range of views and opinions were heard and it is Wakefield Council who will rule upon the matter and we made the point many times throughout that anyone with any views to express had until Friday to contact the council to contribute to their consultation. I am pleased to enclose information on the planning application. Since this has been taken from a non-BBC website, we can’t accept responsibility for the contents, but I hope it’s helpful to you: planning.wakefield.gov.uk/online ... CT8QQ04200 I would like to assure you that I have registered your complaint onto our audience log which is made available to senior management and production staff." So a comment from Phil on the internet site is supposed to be as fair as those included in the programme from objectors? This response and those received by others just confirm what a waste the licence fee is.