This evening’s Question Time is the first in 2019 and the first chaired by Fiona Bruce. And Jo Swinson is one of the panellists. She shares the podium with James Cleverly MP, Emily Thornberry MP, Melanie Phillips and Nish Kumar, which should make for a lively debate.
You will have spotted that the majority of people on the panel are women, as indeed was the case for David Dimbleby’s final programme in December. QT has been addressing the diversity of its panels over the last year – at least in terms of gender and ethnicity – so let’s hope that continues.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.



7 Comments
Great to see Jo back and fighting the party’s corner so soon after her maternity leave
Jo was excellent. But Fiona Bruce as chair was superb!
Fiona Bruce has the makings of an excellent Chairman; but she does need to know when to remain silent and allow the audience a bit more of a say. Jo Swinson wasn’t really given much of an opportunity to shine as much of the programme appeared to be a duel between Tory and Labour, with a sprinkling of self righteousness and comedy from Phillips and Kumar in that order.
“Fiona Bruce has the makings of an excellent Chairman; but she does need to know when to remain silent”.
It’s a disease called Dimblebyitis, John.
I am a Jo Swinson fan … but sorry, she came across as a bit shrill! May bre my expectations were too high!
Same old; same old! Bruce was a bit better than Dimbleby but she couldn’t be much worse.
However, to be fair, it was dominated by ‘Brexit’ and if Jesus Christ was in the chair it would have made little difference.
Two highlights…The “woman in yellow” and the “man in the hat”
I am please that I chose to watch Question Time last night.
The programme has passed its sell by date, but the woman in the yellow jacket was electrifying.
I want her as Prime Minister.