Discussion going. so you can imagine my distress hearing later on that the bbc is thinking of cutting it. i believe that this is a unique, niche programme unlike any other news programme on the bbc. and i know the bbc are saying that we can watchjohn simpson, which is a new programme, but he speaks purely to experts from the bbc, it is not journalists from around the world telling us what they think, and their countries think, of britain. and i think it would be tragic if this programme was cut. it s a short programme, once a week, it can t possibly cost enough money for the bbc to be thinking of stopping it. thanks to beth hutchings for that. well, nick guthrie, who edits the programme, has said publicly he feels it would be a tragedy to cancel it now, as audiences cry out for clarity. and we do hope to explore the fate of dateline london further with a bbc executive
Bbc. and i know the bbc are saying that we can watchjohn simpson, which is a new programme, but he speaks purely to experts from the bbc, it is notjournalists to experts from the bbc, it is not journalists from around to experts from the bbc, it is notjournalists from around the world telling us what they think, and their countries think, and their countries think of britain. and i think it would be tragic if this programme was cut. it is a short programme, once a week, it can t possibly cost enough money for the bbc to be thinking of stopping it. thanks to beth hutchings thinking of stopping it. thanks to beth hutchings for - thinking of stopping it. thanks to beth hutchings for that. - to beth hutchings for that. nick guthrie, who enters the programme has said publicly he feels it would be a tragedy to cancel it now, as audiences cry out for clarity, and we do hope to explore the fate of dateline london further with a bbc executive in the next few weeks. do let us know your thought
And for viewers in the uk, you can watchjohn simpson s full report, afghanistan: a country at breaking point, on the bbc iplayer. john simpson is on the line. thank you very much for making time to speak to us. in terms of the situation he witnessed it afghanistan, do what degree could it be addressed in the short term by the west simply changing its approach to how much assistance it would offer? i approach to how much assistance it would offer? would offer? i think if that happened would offer? i think if that happened it would offer? i think if that happened it would - would offer? i think if that happened it would make i would offer? i think if that happened it would make aj would offer? i think if that - happened it would make a great difference. the real problem is the collapse of the economy. the fact that the bank of afghanistan, the national bank, simply does not operate, cannot operate. people do not have the money to go into the shops and buy food. so if that money, tha