The Newsroom

Pope's Death

(February 2005)

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FU
fusionlad Founding member
Sky are using Alistair Bruce to anchor their coverage while the Pope's body is on display in Vatican City. He's actually prompting responses from Martin and Anna, who are in St Peters and Krakow respectivley, rather than the other way around.

It's going to be a busy week for him, but I do think he has the right tone and knowledge for these occasions, and really aids Sky's coverage.
JO
johnofhertford
marksi posted:
Jonathan H posted:
NickyS posted:
I wouldn't bank on the election being called on Monday... They could leave it as late as next Monday - it would also mean a shorter campaign.


I'm pretty sure that the Prime Minister must go to the Queen and seek a dissolution of Parliament on either Monday or Tuesday 4th or 5th in order for the election to be May 5th.


There should be 17 working days between the dissolution of Parliament and the election. This means the election must be called by 12th April.

A more pressing issue is that the funeral may well take place on Friday, that's the same day as the great and the good are expected at Charles and Camilla's wedding...


April 11th would be the last day for dissolution I think, not 12th, because 2nd May is a public holiday. In practice, the election is likely to be called earlier than this, to allow parliamentary business to be tidied up.
AC
Acrobats
rts posted:
James_h292 posted:
I see a new graphics range for the Pope's death with sombre and elegant tiles.

Are there any video captures of this?


I'll see what I can do...

Video of Titles played at 1pm.
CA
cat
NickyS posted:
Nick Harvey posted:
It's working out quite well.

Monday - Tone calls election.
Tuesday - Hospital appointment.
Wednesday - Pope's funeral.
Thursday - Day off.
Friday - Charlie's wedding.

Can't be bad!

I wouldn't bank on the election being called on Monday. I think there is a big service that all the leaders, VIPs etc are invited to for The Pope on Monday here in the UK ... also it would be highly unlikely they'd go into campaign mode between now and the funeral - it could be seen as poor taste. But I suppose we'll find out on Monday. They could leave it as late as next Monday - it would also mean a shorter campaign.


I'd be stunned if it weren't Monday... he's got to give at least 4 weeks of campaigning allowance, hasn't he? If he wants it on the day of the council elections, then he'll have to call on Monday.

Of course, 2001 was delayed a month because of foot and mouth, but this is different. It's not like the UK is a Catholic country, so I think it'd be daft to put things on hold like that on the grounds of poor taste.
MA
Matrix
cat posted:
NickyS posted:
Nick Harvey posted:
It's working out quite well.

Monday - Tone calls election.
Tuesday - Hospital appointment.
Wednesday - Pope's funeral.
Thursday - Day off.
Friday - Charlie's wedding.

Can't be bad!

I wouldn't bank on the election being called on Monday. I think there is a big service that all the leaders, VIPs etc are invited to for The Pope on Monday here in the UK ... also it would be highly unlikely they'd go into campaign mode between now and the funeral - it could be seen as poor taste. But I suppose we'll find out on Monday. They could leave it as late as next Monday - it would also mean a shorter campaign.


I'd be stunned if it weren't Monday... he's got to give at least 4 weeks of campaigning allowance, hasn't he? If he wants it on the day of the council elections, then he'll have to call on Monday.

Of course, 2001 was delayed a month because of foot and mouth, but this is different. It's not like the UK is a Catholic country, so I think it'd be daft to put things on hold like that on the grounds of poor taste.


Again as said above I would be amazed if it wasn't called on Monday.
Teflon Tony is going to have to call it tomorrow if he wants May 5th.
Does anyone have any indication of what time he'll call on Her Maj?
___________________
OWEN PATTERSON. MP N.Shropshire
This man must never be allowed to enter Parliament again.
Vote: Me!
RT
rts Founding member
Acrobats posted:

Cheers.
IN
intheknow
cat posted:
I'd be stunned if it weren't Monday... he's got to give at least 4 weeks of campaigning allowance, hasn't he? If he wants it on the day of the council elections, then he'll have to call on Monday.

Of course, 2001 was delayed a month because of foot and mouth, but this is different. It's not like the UK is a Catholic country, so I think it'd be daft to put things on hold like that on the grounds of poor taste.


Parliament does not need to be dissolved until April 11 for a May 5 election, it is just announced beforehand to give time to wrap up legislation in Parliament, so because of the death of the Pope, and also because Lord Callaghan's funeral is on Monday, so it could well be inappopriate to call the election that day.

Blair might just get it out of the way Monday regardless, as this week will see very light campaigning due to events; the death of the Pope and Charlie getting hitched.
RI
richardhall99
well it was good to see that five were the first terrestrial broadcaster to get the news out. they were broadcasting the news at around 8.58. good on them and they had a live feed to Stuart Ramsey in Rome.

who will cover the funeral....will all five broadcasters go for it?
BB
BBriscoe
richardhall99 posted:
well it was good to see that five were the first terrestrial broadcaster to get the news out. they were broadcasting the news at around 8.58. good on them and they had a live feed to Stuart Ramsey in Rome.


Yes I agree completely. This is the benefit of being produced by Sky News; we wouldn't have seen that under ITN.
AN
Ant
Unfortunately, i'm in another city at the moment but I did manage to get access to a TV last night and saw all the things breaking. One thing that has been annoying me, is that they keep playing the same reports! I watched News 24 from 3.30am onwards last night due to the hotel fire alarm going off and not being able to get back to sleep, and it's very annoying!

By the way, I haven't been near a TV or PC since 3.30am and I know I sound like an idiot, but is the funeral going to be broadcast?
CA
cat
intheknow posted:
cat posted:
I'd be stunned if it weren't Monday... he's got to give at least 4 weeks of campaigning allowance, hasn't he? If he wants it on the day of the council elections, then he'll have to call on Monday.

Of course, 2001 was delayed a month because of foot and mouth, but this is different. It's not like the UK is a Catholic country, so I think it'd be daft to put things on hold like that on the grounds of poor taste.


Parliament does not need to be dissolved until April 11 for a May 5 election, it is just announced beforehand to give time to wrap up legislation in Parliament, so because of the death of the Pope, and also because Lord Callaghan's funeral is on Monday, so it could well be inappopriate to call the election that day.

Blair might just get it out of the way Monday regardless, as this week will see very light campaigning due to events; the death of the Pope and Charlie getting hitched.


Yes, but Parliament really does need that time to get things in order, so it pretty much has to be Monday or bust.

Having just spoken to the MP I work for, he is certain it will be on Monday and that constituency agents have not been told of any changes.

They have everything planned out for Monday now - Callaghan's funeral has been known about for enough time for them to announce a change, and I really don't expect the Pope will change the election date - so that's that.

I do think in times of people dying we tend to overblow situations massively. Religion and politics have no connection in the UK these days, and we aren't a predominantly Catholic country - anything but, in fact.

They've been campaigning for some time now - the Tories announced that they'd suspend campaigning for one day as a mark of respect... that's as far as it goes.

To be honest, from everyone I know in Westminster, nobody really gives a sh*t.
MA
marksi
Proving that cat isn't always right... Wink

Just in from PA News:

POPE'S DEATH DELAYS GENERAL ELECTION CALL
By Gavin Cordon, PA Whitehall Editor
Tony Blair is to delay calling the general election out of respect for Pope
John Paul II, it was disclosed today.
Downing Street said that the Prime Minister would not - as had been widely expected - be going to Buckingham Palace tomorrow to seek a dissolution of Parliament.
"The Prime Minister will be attending vespers at Westminster Cathedral
tomorrow afternoon at 4.30pm," Downing Street said in a statement.
"In response to speculation we can confirm that he will not be going to
Buckingham Palace tomorrow."

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