Friday Drivetime

BCfm’s weekly politics show with Tony Gosling

At five: discussing the big stories in Bristol, Britain and around the world
After six: straight talking and investigative reports with Martin Summers and Marina Morris

For all the shows back to Easter 2009 visit the Friday Drivetime archive page.

First hour: Jack Lopresti still has not got me that Bristol Freemasons’ Yearbook he promised me back in March. Nor have the Provincial Masonic Office at the bottom of Park Street. News review with Conservative councillor for Henbury Mark Weston. Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King announces economic growth forcecast has been reduced to zero, and record trade deficit. Care home workers torturing and encouraging residents to commit suicide. Privatised Winterbourne View care home in Bristol run by Castlebeck Care was exposed inflicting torture and cruelty on residents who were encouraged to commit suicide, 11 workers plead guilty to cruelty offences under the Mental Health act. Italian newspaper accuses German Chancellor Angela Merkl of creating a financial ‘Fourth Reich’ in the Eurozone and using it to bully poor countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. Cracks appear in coalition government as LibDem leader Nick Clegg says Lords reform is being blocked by Conservatives against the Coalition agreement and Labour Police & Crime Commissioner candidate Bob Ashford is forced to step down to be replaced by Business West (Chamber of Commerce) chief John Savage. Neil Maggs takes over from Paulette North as Respect Party mayoral candidate.
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Second hour: Free Syrian Army give up their fight for control of Syria’s largest city Aleppo after attacking the TV & radio broadcasting centre but attack the airport instead. Foreign Secretary William Hague pledges £5m of British taxpayers’ money to help the Syrian terrorists without actually supplying them with weapons or ammunition. Rupert Murdoch appears at the Olympics as a guest of Conservative mayor of London Boris Johnson and meets up with controversial pro-Murdoch Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt. David Parkes from the BS3 Campus group talks about his visionary bid for South Bristol College on Marksbury Road, Bedminster, which includes plans for affordable housing, a school, doctors’ surgery and spaces for arts and small businesses. While it is presently thriving with local community groups and businesses Bristol City Council want to mothball the site when they terminate Artspace Lifespace’s lease in February next year and there are fears that the college will quickly be vandalised and turn into a derelict, unusable site as have so many old council and government sites. Operation Market Garden Arnhem veteran Major Tony Hibbert, now in his 90’s, appeals for reinstatement of a courageous but sacked Polish commander, General Stanislaw Sosabowski. Hibbert suggests he was scapegoated for the failure of the Arnhem operation and should, posthumously, have his rank and honour restored by the British Army.
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