Question Time - Liveblog

Liveblogging QT here - though starting a bit late.



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Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#1)

Does Jack Straw's "have a go" comments mean there's an election coming?

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#2)

Vaizey agrees with the policy - but says Jack's hypocritical because he opposed it as Home sec

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#3)

John Denham shows how he's a class act with a measured response

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#4)

Clegg says it's electioneering

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#5)

Platell says it's cynical and won't change anything

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#6)

Questioner says its cynical electioneering, Simon Schama says something about blowing people's brains out.

John Denham again. It's all about the feelings and fears of constituents. Sometimes people get warned or arrested by police and if the law were defined differently, people would not get caught up in the Criminal Justice system.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#7)

Why won't GB trust the electorate and have a referendum on the European Treaty? Loads of applause. Platell says because "they know they'll lose". Clegg says there's no case - But he wants a referendum on whether or not we should remain in the EU.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#8)

Schama say it really is about sovereignty. Dimbleby says - has it changed much since it was a draft constitution. Denham says it's about the possibility of criminal law being changed by European - that possibility no longer exists.

Platell says it's nonsense.

An audience member says there's no point as people won't vote. Vaizey goes all Daily Mail - "They promised a referendum and they've gone back on their promise". People feel we have sleepwalked into europe.

Vaizey says we should have a referendum on every European Treaty but Vaizey commits a Tory government to hold a referendum but campaign for a no.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#9)

An audience member accuses the press of conniving actively attacking Europe.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#10)

Schama says something that manages to bore me within three words. Insists British people are not "doltish"!

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#11)

Ken or Boris for London?

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#12)

Platell insists she's a Conservative and is backing Boris. Schama's a dual New Yorker and a Londoner and declines to pin his colours to a mast - but is pro congestion charge.

He's talking about sausages and Boris. Not sure if it's a sex thing.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#13)

Denham has to defend Blears and Balls. Denham says he's quite relaxed but envious that Boris and Ken are larger than life - Ken has turned out to be a Mayor of real substance - Boris will entertain but the public will vote for someone who can run a major city - Ken.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#14)

Vaizey draws parallels with Labour's past language against Ken and the party's current language targeted against Boris. Surprisingly suggests that all major cities should have elected Mayors - I agree.

Clegg's mouth is moving but I'm not sure he's saying anything - he's equivocation personified.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#15)

Ed Vaizey says "Nobody wanted Greg Dyke"

that's not what they said a few months ago.

Ed then goes on with a list of all the things Boris does when he's not being an MP.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#16)

Should we intervene in Burma?

Clegg says not if China says no. We have to put pressure on China, collectively with Europe.

Schama say the Olympics is the only leverage we have. Something about militant Buddhists determined for revolution. Recommends a mass boycott of Olympics if China doesn't help.

Denham reminds us that it is Britain that has been the driving force at the UN and EU level for sanctions and an envoy.

DD says - what about the boycott idea?

JD - "the Chinese govt needs to be aware of how the world feels about Burma"

Audience member says we should boycott Chinese products. Vaizey says something flippant. The screen reminds me that he is the shadow Arts Minister. I heard he begged Cameron for the International Development portfolio and I can see now why.

Audience member intelligently mentions that it's impossible for China to support Buddhists monks in Burma and oppose them in Tibet.

Platell says it's time for someone else to be the world's policeman.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#22)

Didn't someone make the interesting comment that had Britain boycotted the Moscow olympics, Seb Coe wouldn't have got a Gold, and that might well have had the consequence that Britain wouldn't have got London 2012! (Or was that in This Week following.)

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#17)

Audience seems to prefer boycotting Chinese products more than the Olympics - Vaizey - who earlier said how boycotting sport had an impact on the apartheid regime in South Africa (even though the Tories supported SA) - Vaizey reminds people he didn't actually say there should be a boycott.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#18)

Why did Miliband distance himself from Blair?

Platell repeats almost word for word a comment piece (of someone else's) from yesterday's Guardian (I think)

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#19)

Denham agrees there were mistake.

DD How can you come back into the govt when we're still in Iraq.

JD Say a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would do more harm than good and says there's loads more being done well that he wants to support and why shouldn't he do that from the cabinet - he agrees with the current iraq policy.

definite class act that Denham

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#20)

Vaizey - another flippant remark. says Brown wants Iraq to be seen as Blair's war.

Schama agrees with Denham and says Miliband was not unprincipled and was right to express the reality of the Iraq decision. He says Gordon has equally accepted joint responsibility and this contrasts with the US where the white house never qualifies their original decisions in current context.

Re: Question Time - Liveblog (#21)

It's over - I really think for the sake of impartiality, we should have a programme that bitches at the tories every week