Tag Archives: bbc question time

Not only is the BBC’s Question Time back tonight after its Easter break (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT), but it’s back with none other than Lib Dem economic megastar Vince Cable. What more could we hope or wish for? Vince will doubtless be able to dispense his sage counsel on this week’s lamentable Labour budget.

He’ll be joined on the panel by Labour’s Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham (the only cabinet member to vote against the Iraq war), Tory shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond, historian and broadcaster (not necessarily in that …

Ed (‘call me Edward’) Davey, the Lib Dems’ shadow foreign secretary, is the party’s representative on tonight’s Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT). This week’s been a busy one for Ed, as the Government’s various foreign affairs shames – the war on Iraq, extraordinary rendition – catch up with it.

Ed will be joined on the panel by some, erm heavyweights… senior Labour politician Charles ‘two pizzas’ Clarke, rotund Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles, and asinine gourmand Michael Winner. For viewers of a nervous disposition, the fragrant Caroline Lucas (normally fairly sensible, for a Green) will …

It’s not often I say that BBC’s Question Time looks unmissable, but I may make an exception for tonight’s edition (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT). What prompts my salivation, you ask? Well, the Lib Dem representative is none other than St Vince of Cable, the party’s deputy leader and shadow chancellor. In fact, Vince’s presence alone would justify tuning in. But, wait, there’s more.

For the Tories will be represented by one of their only sane Big Beasts, Ken Clarke, the party’s shadow chancellor shadow business minister. Now if only Labour had had the gumption to put up Baron …

Lembit Opik, the Daily Sport’s new political columnist – and Lib Dem MP for Montgomeryshire – is the party’s representative on tonight’s BBC Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT).

Lembit will be appearing alongside Labour’s Schools Minister Jim Knight, Conservative MP ‘Mad’ Nadine Dorries, one-man polymath Will Self, and broadcaster (and Lembit’s fellow reality TV stand-by) Esther Rantzen.

And for those who are staying up extra late for BBC1’s This Week, John Bird (the Big Issue one, I think, rather than John Fortune’s pal) and Jenni Murray (from BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour) will be on hand …

To Newry tonight, for a mainly-Northern Irish edition of the BBC’s Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT), which means there’s no Lib Dem on the panel tonight.

The panel will include the Health Secretary Alan Johnson, Conservative shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, Northern Ireland Assembly Minister for Enterprise Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland Executive Minister for Regional Development Conor Murphy, SDLP leader Mark Durkan, and Ulster Unionist peer Lord Maginnis.

And for those who are staying up extra late for BBC1’s This Week, historian David Starkey, journalist Andrew Pierce, and comedian Mark Steel will be on hand to …

To Glasgow tonight, for a mainly-Scottish edition of the BBC’s Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT), where the Lib Dems’ recently elected Scottish leader, Tavish Scott MSP, will appear.

Joining Tavish on the panel will be: Labour’s Secretary of State for Scotland, Jim Murphy; deputy first minister of Scotland the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon; shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Tory Philip Hammond; and Daily Mail columnist, the fragrant Melanie Phillips.

Now let me think… which of those is most likely to annoy LDV readers? Well, remember: if you’re tuning in to watch, don’t get angry, get commenting. This week we’re experimenting with a CoverItLive feed for extra thrill-packed 2.0 interactivity (from 10.30 pm).

‘Our Shirl’, Baroness Williams of Crosby, is the Lib Dem representative on tonight’s BBC Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT), – a perpetual favourite of the QT producers, and always guaranteed to give a virtuoso performance.

Shirley will be appearing alongside Labour’s Housing Minister Margaret Beckett (still there, after all these years), the Conservative shadow secretary for culture, media and sport (and rhyming slang) Jeremy Hunt, TV commentator, Sun wine columnist (yes, really) and former England rugby player Brian Moore, and associate editor of the Telegraph Simon Heffer (who vies with Peter Hitchens for the title …

Well, there may be no Lib Dem parliamentarian on tonight’s BBC Question Time (BBC1 and online, 10.35 pm GMT), but there is a well-known supporter, musician Brian Eno, formerly of Roxy Music star and an adviser to Nick Clegg.

Brian will be appearing on the panel alongside the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw, Conservative shadow security minister Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, the leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage, and playwright and critic Bonnie Greer.

They will, doubtless be discussing the implications of this week’s historic US election vote, and doubtless picking over the entrails of …

With western capitalism imploding – and the even more surprising news that Gordon Brown yesterday managed an unscripted quip – BBC Question Time reports, only a little self-importantly, there “have been some changes to the line-up due to the dramatic developments in the banking crisis.”

Sadly the BBC don’t tell us who they’ve bumped off the panel to make way for the heavweights felt capable of delivering the gravitas appropriate to a week which has seen the quasi-nationalisation of the financial services industry. But speaking of gravitas, who better to be representing the Lib Dems tonight than Chris Huhne, the …