YESTERDAY we published the first part of Sonia Elijah’s insightful and alarming investigation into how the unelected members of Sage have us, as a nation, shackled and in their grasp. The second part is elsewhere in these pages today.
Meanwhile, a debate about free speech is raging, brought about by Piers Morgan and his comments on ITV’s Good Morning Britain about Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Although he has quit the show, Morgan refuses to apologise for his remarks. TCW‘s Frederick Edward admitted on Wednesday that while Morgan can often be wrong, in this case he was correct to express his opinions and not feel forced to be led by a more popular narrative. Morgan has enjoyed the support of others, too, including Fox News’s Tucker Carlson.
To me, the two issues are linked. As Timothy Bradshaw pointed out yesterday in TCW, the BBC and ITV are trying to change the way we think with their directive-driven output, while at the same time we all find it impossible to avoid the government’s fear-mongering propaganda. If outspoken personalities like Morgan feel the only way their argument can stand is if they fall on their sword, what chance do we as citizens have in exercising our views about our rulers at Sage?
Only this week, as thousands of elated children and parents tasted normality after several months of trying to mimic school life at home, Professor Chris Whitty issued a doom-laden warning about the consequences of loosening the reins, and the likelihood that it will lead to a wave of deaths and a possible third national lockdown. How can we rid ourselves of this ceaseless alarmist narrative that has us living half a life?
Countless hashtags and campaigns have attempted to undermine Sage (#sackSAGE, #shunSAGE #NotoSAGE) but nothing yet has broken the shackles. What can we do, using Meghan Markle’s messaging for a moment, to regain our voice?
Feel free to speak your mind on this issue. We want to hear from you.
