Yesterday saw an enormous rally here in the US, in Washington, organised by conservative broadcaster and Fox News regular Glenn Beck. It had as its theme 'Restoring Honour' and attracted a crowd estimated by the so-called mainstream media (see http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-beck-rally-20100829,0,3925348.story ) at anything between 200,000 and half a million- in any event a number which hugely exceeded the expected 100,000.

 

The rally was not officially a Tea Party or Republican event, but the principles which it was seeking to uphold were those of the Founding Fathers, mixed with a heavy dose of religion. This latter factor would of course by pretty inconceivable in the UK; but come to think of it, would not a popular conservative rally of any nature?

 

The event was trailed by Beck on Fox all week. The network is reviled by the liberal establishment here, but even the likes of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times could not ignore yesterday's impressive event. And the opposition to Fox in the cultural 'mainstream' should not be under-estimated; here in L A, , there was even a hostile swipe at it in a stupid teen movie I saw last week.  

 

Britain needs a Fox News. Time and again I've been asked here why we don't have one, and I find it hard to come up with a reason. There would be an enormous market for it, I am sure.