You know you can trust the BBC

First of all, let me declare a certain lack of interest: I do not pay TV license and have not done so for decades for the very good reason that I do not have a TV set. I have not had a TV set for a good many years and have not missed it one iota. But I do look at the BBC website and read their news and other stories. And I do sometimes listen to the radio though more in the Proms season than at other times.

This story did catch many people's eyes: Around 50% 'hold authoritarian views'. Tsk, tsk I thought or would have done if I had not had a number of debates with people who think what is acceptable about what is authoritarian and populist. For the first paragraph says:

As much as half the adult population may share a political world view researchers describe as "authoritarian populist".

Do they, indeed? And what constitutes "authoritarian populist"? You'll never guess.

They favour rolling back the state and are negative about immigration, human rights and the EU, a study claims.

I am sorry. Rolling back the state is authoritarian? Being negative about the EU is authoritarian populist? Being against unlimited immigration, particularly of people who behave like this is somehow illiberal, which is what authoritarian populism is?

This study boasts it is the first systematic empirical analysis of the prevalence of a "mind-set" it dubs "authoritarian populist" in Britain.

Wonderful. A groundbreaking study, apparently, that cannot even define its own terminology. What is so depressing is the BBC's apparent agreement with it.