I don't normally go on BBC Radio London, and my experience just now reminds me why.
I've always been taught that as a radio presenter, if a guest hangs up on you, it reflects very badly on you. You've clearly failed to control the interview.
I was invited on to Eddy Nestor's programme to talk about the BA strike and strikes in general. I was told it would be just after 11.30pm. By 11.55pm I had been kept hanging on for 20 minutes and had just been told there would be another guest. Normally if I do an interview I like to know who I am going to be on with so at least I can check their backgrounds if I have never heard of them.
Anyway, Mr Nestor proceed to speak to the other chap (I never did get his name), who was a trade union academic and had written two books on strike law. Just before he came to me Nestor explained that he only really understood about strikes when he went to Nottinghamshire during the miners' strike. When he came to me he immediately displayed antagonism and seemed to me he was itching for a fight. He even got my name wrong and kept calling me Lain (as in Lane), but I've been called worse!
In situations where the interviewer gives the appearance of being antagonistic I usually reckon that attack is the best form of defence, so I outlined the BA position, calmly but firmly. Nestor then proceeded to assert that the union had been the voice of sweet reason and that the employers were looking for a war. That, I said, was the union's position - it was they who were talking in a warlike manner. And it then went on like this...
EN: You're being very antagonistic.
ID: No, I think you are.
EN: Well if you want to take me on, we can go there (with a sneer in his voice)
ID: When you have a guest on your programme, you might at least treat them with some respect.
EN: It's you who's not showing me respect.
ID: We can end it here if you like.
EN: Ok...
ID: Bye then.
Now I can accept that might not show me in a good light either, but when you go a late night programme late at night, you're not even being paid for it, the least you expect is that the interviewer might at least show you a little bit of respect. He did not, and was clearly not used to someone standing up to him. Stephen Nolan he ain't.
Just because you host a radio show, it does not give you the right to treat guests who you disagree with, with contempt.
Anyway, unless I get out of the bed on the wrong side in the morning, I will be on Radio 5 Live at 7.10am, Radio Wales at 7.30 and Radio Scotland at 8.05 - all talking about Byers and lobbying. I'll try not to hang up...
