Because many people think a £1m prize for developing “a platform for harnessing the wisdom of crowds” is the very antithesis of a waste of money.

That’s why the TPA don’t comment on it. You may think Diversity outreach co-ordinators are not a waste of money. I do, and the TPA agree.

Your arguments are getting increasingly shrill and whiny, Sunny.

Ahh yes, criticise the Tories for wasting taxpayer money and you’re accused by Tory trolls of being ‘shrill’.

I read the two quotes twice to be sure, Boaden does not say the TPA has links to the tories.

She says it has ‘a distinctive political position’, as any organisation has. Oxfam policies come from a distinctinctive political positon. So does the Countryside Alliance, Liberty, Unite, etc.

This is an article in search of some news.

“Diversity outreach co-ordinators”

I bet you have no idea what these do.

Better late than never!

Quote from Helen Boaden via Prescott’s blog (the paragraph before Sunny’s quote): “…whilst it is clear to me that the TPA is a conservative (small “c”) organisation I do not think it would be accurate or fair to describe it on air, as you suggest, as “a group with close links to the Conservative Party.”

I think that this is a significant and belated recognition by the BBC. The TPA is not a think tank, conducting original political research; it is a media reporting organisation that takes public reports and press releases from national and local government bodies, and then applies a bit of spin; occasionally, their analysis is fair, but more often it has a ridiculous conservative bias.

As much as I would wish there to be a clear connection between TPA and the Conservative party, I have yet to read such an analysis. They are just right wing stirrers, akin to Staines/Guido Fawkes.

There is something to be learned from the TPA, however. The thread “Will the left’s renewal come from the web?” asked a valid question, and my instinctive response was ‘no”. I’ll retract that a bit.

I don’t think that the liberal left should copy TPA because their methodology is dishonest. But there is a space for an organisation that answers the difficult questions from news events or popular discourse. A site that provides simple rebuttals to simple accusations of the right.

These guys must be a busted flush by now.

Any one with half a brain know what the are.

A Tory front.

> I do not think it would be accurate or fair to describe it on air, as you suggest, as “a group with close links to the Conservative Party.”

Lets wait and see, but you never know. The BBC may simply refer to TPA as ‘The Tory party’.

They might as well.

Bizarre that anyone could accuse the BBC of a right-wing bias. If anything the BBC may be slipping up in their efforts to camouflage their appalling left-wing (if not Labour) bias

Over the last few days their website has almost barely mentioned the profound lack of support for Brown shown by the cabinet in the wake of the ‘coup’ attempt on Wednesday that has received universal coverage and comment elsewhere (including leadin in the left-wing press such as the Guardian). Almost nothing about how long it took for ministers to come out and condemn the coup, almost nothing about Millibank’s dubious actions……

…And yet this morning one of their leading political stories was the fine of one of Cameron’s advisors for being abusive when he could produce a train-ticket in 2008….

UItterly shameless bias….lets hope the tories do tear-up the BBC Trust when they are in and that freeview leads the public to watching their news on the less biased (and far more competent) SKY news

Any one with half a brain know what the are.

A Tory front.

Really? Can’t say I remember seeing any of the TPA’s views being translated into Tory party policy. Any examples (genuine question – if the TPA are a Tory front we ought to see links)?

Andy Jarm @ 9

I seriously wonder what programmes you watch and listen to. This has had full airing on everything from ‘Today’, to ‘Any questions’ to the rather pisspoor ‘this week’ and everything in between. sheesh! What are you on?