IN a completely unsurprising turn of events, the BBC has come under fire over its lack of impartiality.
Last night's episode of Question Time marked Nigel Farage's 33rd appearance on the show.
The third-largest Westminster party was of course not represented on the broadcaster's flagship political show.
It was instead the usual suspects in a Brexiteer-heavy lineup that featured Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Labour MP Jonathan Reynolds, Former Tory MP Anna Soubry, who rebelled to join Change UK this year, businessman and former Labour Leave chairman John Mills and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
As you can see above, Scotland was not represented at all on the panel but Farage was, despite the fact his party has no MPs or MEPs.
On Tuesday Farage moaned about the lack of mainstream airtime for his party.
Speaking at a Brexit Party conference he said: "I must say it's jolly nice of the BBC to be here today. I've been up and down the country attending rallies with thousands of people and the BBC haven't bothered to turn up once.
"I also notice that on no single major current affairs debate or news programme has a single person from the Brexit Party appeared.
"Quite what that means for public service broadcasting in the future, I really don’t know. But it is jolly good that you have come today."
And just like that the BBC had him on the show two days later. If only it was that simple for the SNP.
Scotland's Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell hit out at the show, saying: "BBC has some explaining to do but I suspect it won’t."
And for a record 33rd time. BBC has some explaining to do , but I suspect it won’t. https://t.co/2eUChAv5Qz
— Michael Russell (@Feorlean) 9 May 2019
And Russell wasn't the only one angry about the coverage. Labour MEP candidate Andrew Adonis pointed out that Farage was the only member of the panel running for the European elections on May 23.
Farage is the only Euro candidate on Question Time tonight and we are in the middle of a Euro election! This is another serious breach of impartiality by @bbcquestiontime pic.twitter.com/16APVfq9OO
— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) 9 May 2019
Question Time last night the most biased BBC political programme I’ve ever seen. Farage, in his 34th appearance, sidelined the chair, harangued & bullied his way to half the speaking time. No other MEP candidate on. An entire question & 15 mins on his Brexit Party. Utter disgrace
— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) 10 May 2019
Question Time has been obsessed with Ukip in the past, despite the party having no MPs at Westminster and it seems to have transferred this obsession to the Brexit Party.
And Twitter users are getting sick of the BBC's nonsense. Here are some of the best responses:
1.
"We have fired this person for doing a racist thing, but don't forget to tune into question time tonight where Nigel Farage will be talking to Nigel Farage about how Nigel Farage is Nigel Farage"
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) 9 May 2019
2.
Good to see ‘Question Time’ giving Nigel Farage a voice. Haven’t seen him on air for hours. https://t.co/54qNI7Pdmv
— JOHN NICOLSON (@MrJohnNicolson) 8 May 2019
3.
I wonder what picture Nigel Farage would have to put on Twitter, to get himself not invited onto Question Time for a couple of weeks.
— Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) 9 May 2019
4.
Made mistake of tuning into Question Time. Who is running this programme? Fiona Bruce or Nigel Farage?
— Lesley Riddoch (@LesleyRiddoch) 9 May 2019
5.
Danny Baker's been sacked for a racist tweet but don't forget to tune into this guy on Question Time tonight. pic.twitter.com/TbPFDrNKIo
— Matt Brannigan (@Matthew_Who) 9 May 2019
6.
Hi I'm Fiona Bruce. Tune in to the death of irony tonight when the question "should a person be taken off air for racist comments" will be answered by Nigel fucking Farage on his 33rd appearance on Question Time.
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) 9 May 2019
7.
Profoundly disturbed by the audience support for odious, lying, xenophobic, self-serving, self-deluded, bigoted, racist, kermit-insulting, downright criminal, #NigelFarage on #questiontime. He's a toxic rabble-rouser. Why does he even get airtime? #hateful
— Gabby Dawnay (@GabbyDawnay) 9 May 2019
8.
Has Farage now broken the all time record for appearances on this show?
— Gordon McIntosh 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🇪🇺 (@Gordy_Mc1ntosh) May 8, 2019
Asking for a concerned nation.
9.
For some fucking reason. https://t.co/tbVbK7hNAH
— Chris Hewitt (@ChrisHewitt) May 8, 2019
10.
And will he be allowed to get away with pretending No Deal is an end rather than a deeply chaotic beginning that will take years to clear up? Or will the BBC pin him down on an *actual deliverable plan*? Lol jk of course he’ll be allowed to handwave as usual hooray for balance! https://t.co/7CAWu4veUd
— Caroline Criado Perez (@CCriadoPerez) May 9, 2019
11.
It doesn’t matter what you think of Farage’s behaviour on #BBCQT, as you could see and hear, his people loved it. He was playing to his audience and BBC gave him the platform to do it. Who’s surprised?
— Paula Coy (@PaulaCoyscot) 10 May 2019
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