question time british controversy question time british national party controversy occurred autumn invitation bbc leader far right flagship television programmes current affairs decision represented programme time sparked public political debate united_kingdom heart matter bbc public broadcasting mandate requiring equal prominence political parties given level electoral representation director general bbc defended bbc decision invite griffin stating demonstrated level support normally lead occasional invitation join panel question time reason desire controversial reason invitation extended late appeal bbc governing body secretary state wales appearance blocked ultimately failed griffin appeared edition aired october programme air public protests took place london pre recorded programme featured griffin alongside secretary state justice conservative peer shadow minister community spokesperson writer playwright edition watched million people half total audience share double previous record high background flagship political panel began weekly hosted takes place locations country questions local audience directed panel invited guests usually consisting british politicians alongside public figures topics debate programme loosely defined set piece questions pre selected audience members topic question answered panel member turn followed questions topic time permitting pre recorded hours broadcast stressed programme starts previous knowledge content questions far right minority party britain founded leader party time elected constituency resigned time programme won votes seats elections june total seats contested polled national vote electorate making sixth ranked party conservatives labour liberal democrats result represented percentage point increase previous performance support party declined significantly allegedly internal splits rise time programme held seat council seats london second party london borough bbc policy coverage griffin appeared bbc shows including andrew bbc world representative appeared question time following european election performance stance reviewed possibility appearance question time publicly announced bbc early september month new statesman producer said independent production company responsible proposing appearance griffin previous years independent gave credit bbc resisting instincts executives wanted calls reasons removed bbc charter obligations october day broadcast bbc director general wrote article guardian entitled keeping air job parliament bbc said arguing excluded programme making case censorship matter government bbc explained bbc decision opportunity british public questions politicians ideological politicians biggest parties appear frequently time time representatives parties fewer supporters scottish respect seats stage prominent programme kind british television carefully study support gained elections parties large small deciding invite frequently appear straightforward matter fact vote election spring european elections success local elections demonstrated level support normally lead occasional invitation join panel question time reason desire controversial reason invitation extended bbc deputy director general defended decision day programme saying right heard challenged public question time viewers minds views bbc censor bbc chief political adviser stated failed appeal bbc breaking charter treated absolutely stand judgement obviously lot controversy senior bbc presenter said decision absolutely right said afraid free speech issue bbc obligations broadcasting unions said members protest invitation appeal late attempt stop programme came labour secretary state wales accused bbc making biggest mistakes proud history failing persuade bbc director general stop appearance appealed constitution restricting membership party indigenous people indigenous british ethnic groups including anglo saxon folk community celtic scottish folk community declared illegal october race relations act challenge argued appearance illegal light ruling night tuesday october trust announced forming emergency committee comprising trustees chaired examine appeals late october day programme trust cleared griffin appear ruled given pre recorded nature concerns hypothetical premature trust declined comment case appeal decision concluded decision appropriate circumstances bbc allow participate question time question editorial judgement charter framework agreement reserve director general written director general asking engage personally ensure broadcast programme general law bbc editorial guidelines regulatory requirements committee aware debate public controversy issue matter considerable importance licence fee opinions prior broadcast mail supporters griffin said chance present patriotic common sense solutions britain nightmare situation public large prominent fashion opportunity know ordinary members supporters voters studio corrupt destroying beautiful island nation stated letter website doubt interrupted shouted spot subjected scrutiny thousand times intense directed words political blood sport opportunity griffin told times thank political class allies stupid went invitation programme clearly gives new level public recognition griffin said fellow question time pack knows look handful campbell effective advocate said appearance conservatives typical stunt run programme website displayed prominent countdown parliamentary parties policy labour_party share platform changed following bbc invitation griffin labour said future appearances case case basis september secretary state justice announced appear programme following announcement conservatives liberal democrats edition question time included straw said delighted argument people problems area fought hard pulled won seats speaking question time episode week expected appearance griffin home secretary condemned decision bbc isn constitutional obligation appear question time gives legitimacy deserve people believe things believed second world war believe national believe believe purity race foul party prime minister labour leader said interfere bbc decision said asked racist views damaging good community relations good opportunity expose pressed reversal labour platform policy brown said issue experienced person deal awful politics period time conservative leader uncomfortable bbc decision reminded invitation speak 1980s oxford said makes uneasy don think bbc conservative panel member british muslim town times reported having biggest vote britain stated want ask isn british liberal democrat panel member decided consultation party leader given bbc decision invite griffin choice attend said thursday night excitement called liberal democrats decided participate day programme labour mayor london said bbc bear moral responsibility rise racist attacks britain labour black woman elected parliament believed appearance griffin signal political mainstream way appearance question time signalled black people acceptance mainstream said programme going views sort programme politics entertainment labour constituency includes arrived support protests attacking bbc saying local people estates utterly mps signed early day motion labour called bbc decision profoundly wrong noted previous bbc director general judgement polled percent vote west election treated way decision bbc invite griffin question time caused widespread controversy editorial october guardian said normal party inviting bbc runs risk stated best platform poisonous politics associate professor french studies stated appearance real milestone griffin said far right leader pen appearance similar programme france saw support national party double overnight professor commissioned government investigate riots urged sophisticated approach reasoned arguments defeat far right anti fascist magazine said entry level inclusion bbc programmes election national parliament secretary general britain said regret bbc decision general fear allowing air toxic views increase needed spread message hate october wrote wall_street_journal blog appearance question time signalled mainstream political parties britain badly let fellow setting narrow terms national debate exclude concerns millions voters force fringes similarly issue griffin upcoming appearance headline story bbc previous evening dealt segment social decline britain perceived major parties morning programme leading article times said bbc right invite griffin issue appearance allowed dominate programme panel chairman griffin comments topics immigration daily_telegraph compared importance griffin appearance past question time expressing confidence hour long provide scrutiny expose griffin lightweight suggested britain truly problems trio mainstream politicians manage apart broadcast panel panel october edition consisted writer historian playwright leader liberal democrat home affairs spokesperson labour secretary shadow minister recording question time held london time years enable police order griffin appearance audience expected times number people comprise broad spectrum political views including supporters left wing groups recording edition october brought forward hours usual start time allow disruption broadcast later night filming started shortly ended griffin left building minutes later audience members inside studios mobile phones relay live information recording progress political correspondent daily_mirror wrote mood studio turned anger griffin audience attended making programme protests studio audience member suggested half dozen members studio shouted encouragement griffin broadcast bbc protests demonstrations planned place protest rally held london night tuesday october sixteen protesters expected day amid concern safety residents council asked bbc security arrangements pushed alternative location protest organisers rejected suggestions protests violent security stepped stated counter demonstration griffin expressed fears safety arrival departure extra officers drafted maintain order outside studios bbc recruited extra security guards inside studio mid afternoon day programme protesters begun gathering outside television centre protesters outside regional bbc offices police estimated chanting protesters people reached main entrance television centre breaking expelled group people dash iron gate left open breach stand officers reinforced police protesters moved block hoping prevent griffin entering studios griffin arrived unnoticed entered foot rear entrance road reported people turned protest griffin protests bbc buildings country locked protesters dispersed people arriving recordings shows television centre friday night turned away people arrested protests reportedly offences including violent disorder causing actual harm assault police officer person wanted warrant police officers slightly injured national officer time national secretary later found guilty assaulting police officer london september sentenced month community order hours unpaid work fined pending appeal questions debate topics initiated audience questions programme campaign symbols islam immigration policy finally topic starting questions follows notes detailing approximate time broadcast question occurred directed respond background information question given second world war need oppressive racist regimes fair churchill minute question references use images winston_churchill british prime minister world war recent european election campaign islam wicked vicious faith directed question reference quotation attributed recent success explained immigration policy government refused answer question daily_mail published article referencing recent newspaper article written daily_mail columnist recent death sparked record complaints programme viewed early christmas present reference prior comments ruling programme ahead represent early christmas present viewing figures previous record audience set edition wake mps expenses scandal million watched guardian estimated broadcast attract million viewers programme watched million people highest year history nearly triple programme normal audience million terms share audience broadcast represented total audience share night surpassing previous record achieved griffin edition audience bbc viewers compared normal million repeat showing attracted viewers share times noted audience figures led bbc weekly total ahead strictly come dancing saturday night reception public comments bbc independent expected barrage complaints programme reported having received small number complaints programme following day understood fewer noon friday october bbc received calls complaining bias griffin complaining griffin allowed appear support bbc main complaints reported programme overly focused considering formal investigation broadcast code section harm offence week received complaints panel view straw described conspiracy theorist unpleasant views moral compass exposed time said griffin exposed man questioned views face exposed given opportunity explain policies couldn said person comes fascist background watches programme exactly stands said griffin totally sitting griffin probably creepy experience life griffin perceived struck treated differently avoided looking griffin direction turned remainder programme said chapter leaders seen non violent remark greeted laughter audience speaking associated_press griffin stated appearance secured place national stage revolutionary like gaining kind boy scout badge relatively pleased having able land punches later griffin declared millions people angry way treated describing experience lynch mob complained choice london hostile territory prevented speaking current events postal strikes view october day broadcast griffin announced lodging formal complaint programme focus issues subjects griffin stated support london place dominated ethnic minorities ethnic minority supports english left spokesman said london fair location like northwest england favourable going file freedom information request bbc determine decision making process hosting programme london allowing debate focus arguing criticism dominated programme griffin dismissed criticism performance saying people couldn answer things opinion shown extraordinary hostility main political parties happy having best griffin said millions people don usually watch remember said think feel perfectly happy said expected appear question time legal officer described griffin performance failing press attack evening standard reported possible challenge griffin leadership faction linked dissatisfied performance rated chance success low claimed received thousands pounds donations people expressed interest website joining party recruitment freeze lifted represent nearly increase membership according party website campaigning october forthcoming election november griffin asked laughed question time replied thought professional self respect fair laughing fact wrong adding exposed pure vicious british ruling elite reactions analyses programme headline news early friday paper editions british press tabloid headlines included bay daily_mail met nazi sun nickname bbc featured examples hostile reception griffin times griffin baptism fire bbc independent immediately independent said griffin oxygen publicity given bbc times described griffin having caught subjected hostile hour long guardian opinion griffin attacked looked plain major think success rating panel performance flawed questions night went unanswered avoided griffin concluded audience came best evening fact question topics night related criticised believed allow griffin claim according times bbc delighted strategy ensure accused giving griffin easy ride welsh secretary appealed griffin appearance prevented continued decision britain black ministers feared people face violence result programme home secretary attacked way engaged deliberate promotion publicity seeking decision opining people benefited row bbc ratings conservative mayor london responded griffin complaints location defending london diversity urging residents reject narrow offensive views opportunity commenting israeli newspaper noted relative silence jewish groups appearance praised bbc decision voice stating bbc right griffin respectable shows wrong simply fulfilling democratic duties compared contrasted israeli freedom speech laws questioned hitler risen power modern times given media scrutiny democratic politicians guardian selected spontaneous joke audience member highlight having raised cheer audience son indian parents migrated britain 1960s suggested collecting money griffin deported landscape suit fine said think retrospect thought right platform griffin broadcast footage times determined cameras spent nearly minutes hour long programme screen time griffin shot daily_mail alleged bbc stage managed programme highlighting sheet handed audience members guardian media monkey blog observed sheet routinely given audience accused mail sheet opinion poll taken appearance conducted hours programme daily_telegraph indicated voter support increased previous month voters seriously considering voting future local general european election broken definitely probably possible changed odds winning westminster seat programme received vote election win seat interview news world archbishop_of_canterbury spoke griffin claims representing christian britain called christians stand shoulder shoulder rejecting prime minister watch programme office explained rarely watches question time lack time programme received attention world including north_america asia middle_east australia turkey russia south_america media later reported cost appearance bbc view bbc subjected criticism staff broadcaster said gave impression attack dogs presenter called bear pit defence criticism format focus programme deputy director general stated agenda programme set audience questions said comments clearly griffin subject intense questioning given opportunity respond voices heard sir chairman bbc board governors said bbc changed format corporation probably accused october bbc said early confirm given future times reported october bbc plans griffin question time general election october stated house_of_lords communications committee future appearances question time probably year based party continuing levels support thompson denied suggestions invitation boost viewing figures representative appeared october broadcast
Question Time British National Party controversy