As the year turned, Jonny Oates the Lib Dems Comms guru penned a piece for Lib Dem Voice, asking members of the Lib Dems to help challenge media bias. How very pertinent.
The BBC have just announced their panel for this week’s question time. For the third time in four weeks it doesn’t include a Liberal Democrat.
A number of Lib Dems have complained, with gathering pace, about this lack of representation. The response from Gavin Allen was:
“The Liberal Democrats like all parties get representation based on their level of electoral support, which means they are on most – but not all – ‘Question Time’ panels across each series. We believe it adds to the breadth of debate to have perspectives from politicians and non-politicians alike, so places are always limited even within a five-person panel.”
Complaints about non representation have focussed on the timing when a Lib Dem hasn’t been on a panel. For example after Blair appeared in front of Chilcot.
In this season of Question Time the Lib Dems also got dumped unceremoniously once. It’s hard not to see this exclusion of the Lib Dems as a pattern of behaviour and partiality in Question Time. If you think that the BBC should base representation on level of support then take the time to take some action.
Step 1: Contact the BBC about it.
Step 2: Spread the word to your friends. Suggest they do it – mention it on your facebook and twitter
Step 3: Write a blog post
Unlike almost every other TV show Question Time tends to invite people on specifically rather than go to party’s to nominate. It isn’t like the Welsh Lib Dems have spokespeople who are unusual or when appearing on tele and Question Time itself wining plaudits. Two of them are women in their 30′s. One is our party leader, another an MP in Cardiff.
For FC readers based outside Wales, lets take a moment to highlight that the Welsh Lib Dems have more MP’s than either the Welsh Tories or Plaid Cymru. Shortly, when people drive into Wales it will be a Welsh Lib Dem led campaign that means you can pay by credit card, as you hit Newport it will be the Welsh Lib Dems who as part of the council administration are delivering integrated solutions to safeguard jobs. Wander round Cardiff and the pavements you walk on are the responsibility of the Welsh Lib Dem led Council. They will lead you to one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK, employing 4000 extra people. Delivered by the Welsh Lib Dems. And that’s before we even start on the scrutiny of expenses forcing a apology from the first minister, the storm on education underfunding that is gathering pace or the achievements of the Lib Dems when they were in Government…
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