Friday Drivetime

BCfm’s weekly politics show presented by 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: News review with Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, suspended from the House of Commons for calling Defence Secretary Philip Hammond MP and Foreign Secretary William Hague MP liars over Afghanistan war. Charity Commission reject charitable status for Christian sect the Exclusive Brethren. Jessop’s, HMV and Blockbusters all go bankrupt, into administration, this week. Causes are internet and/or cuts. President of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir says the secret to getting economy moving is not cutting benefits. New Bristol Rovers’ stadium and Sainsbury’s off the Gloucester Rd gets planning permission. Clips of Prime Ministers’ Questions.  24,000 deaths of over 75s in winter 2011; housing benefit and general benefit cap forcing people to move into homes that aren’t there; Evidence on front page of last week’s Sunday Express that Jimmy Savile was part of a Stoke Mandeville satanic ring – Savile was boasting that police friends would abuse their office to get him off all charges. Corruption at the top, blackmail. New investigation by Scotland Yard into Barnes Common Elm Guest House paedophile ring brought up by Tom Watson MP at Question Time in October 2012. Voxpops on the cuts. Severn bridge tolls go up again but if Welsh Parliament were to take over the bridge tolls could only be around £1.00 for a car not the present £6.20. Damages business that need to use bridge and bears no relevance to the actual cost. Severn Bridge Annual Income £80m; Cost: £15m. Stuart Colner Transport Professor University Of Glamorgan.
[audio: 201301181700]
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Second hour: Journalist and political researcher Dan Glazebrook takes a look at this week’s intervention in Mali and the BP siege in Eastern Algeria. Forces behind the hostage taking & siege at gas production plant. Role of the African Union and Pentagon controlled AfriCom running Pentagon military training now in 35 African countries displacing power of the African Union. 2011 murder of Colonel Gaddafi has tipped the balance in favour of colonial control of Africa rather than self-determination. Former MEP for South West England Richard Cottrell comments on Bristol’s public transport. Richard’s forthcoming Kindle Book will be entitled ‘Bomber Beeching and his War on the Railways‘. Will mayor George Ferguson’s proposed Congestion Charge be good for Bristol? Is assisted suicide compatible with doctors’ Hippocratic oath? Timothy Rogers from Rudry Village near Caerphilly is concerned about plays being shown to children which contain psychological triggers for suicide. Possible explanation for Bridgend suicide cluster? Also look at the ethics, the rights and wrongs of assisted suicide. Suicide help and advice.
[audio: 201301181800]
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