A Birmingham MP has been criticised over her comments that she cannot understand why anyone would call the ‘talking-clock’ in today’s age.
OUT OF TOUCH? Jess Phillips MP says she does not understand why anyone would need to call the ‘Talking-Clock.’ Courtesy: Birmingham Mail
Jess Phillips, the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley, posted on Twitter a comment saying: “Who still calls the talking clock… I thought it didn’t exist anymore. I cannot believe this.”
Councillor Jonathan Bishop, who campaigned to deal with the digital divide while a councillor on Llantwit Fardre Community Council between 2003 and 2004 and Pontypridd Town Council between 2008 and 2012, said the comments of Jess Phillips showed ignorance. “It is disgraceful that Jess Phillips felt it appropriate to mock people who use telephone services like the Talking Clock,” he said. “Many people in the UK are still without broadband of any kind, and in some cases not having digital terrestrial television.
“Just because Jess Phillips has the benefit of her allowances as a Member of Parliament, it does not mean she should expect others to have access to those communications services she takes for granted.
“Instead of mocking people for using the talking clock, she should be supporting my campaign to ensure there is no part of the United Kingdom that does not have access to mobile Internet or mobile broadband.”
In the United Kingdom, a service called Dialaradio.co.uk was recently introduced, which allows people to access popular radio stations by telephone. Amazon.co.uk also launched Prime Stations, which allows access to radio stations via the Internet. Both services show that there is still demand for telephony and radio, with not everyone being able to access the services they need by either D.A.B radio or the subscription-free World Wide Web.