Flying Hippo’s Question Time Review

Question Time 12th September 2019

Panel:

Brandon Lewis (Conservative)
John Healey (Labour – long way from home)
Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP – even longer way from home)
Catherine Barnard (Cambridge academic type specialising in EU law)
Afua Hirsch (Former barrister, Guardian journo and a right barrel of laughs…not)

Venue: Norwich

Well, Roger is away for a couple of weeks so you are stuck with me I’m afraid – SB orders. What a gig this one is – looking at that line up! I thought I would try and do a bit of research before kick-off to try and come across as a competent reviewer, but I fell asleep reading about them on the old interweb.

Apparently a 1000 people applied for the QT audience. Sad bastards. But luckily the BBC managed to pick out the most lacklustre lefty, feminist crowd.

Questions started on the release of the Yellow Hammer planning documents and economic impact of further delays to Brexit. Pretty tame stuff from audience and the panel.

Then to Boris, should he be strung up if the Supreme Court finds against the government next week? Fiona kicks off by a negative critique of Boris and puts Brandon Lewis under a bit of pressure. How dare anybody criticise our wonderful judiciary! Scottish Judges are wonderful, obviously, blah blah blah.

David Cameron bashing next. Quite an honourable pursuit normally, but not in this context as it is used as a remain ‘at all costs’ beating stick.

Then to end the whole thing off should Geoff Boycott get a knighthood. Unanimous condemnation across the panel and audience. All men are evil and domestic violence is unacceptable. I never knew! Plus a very well informed lady on the front row let rip with “Geoffrey Boycott is a really strong bowler!” Well I never!

QT has mutated like most things into part of the Westminster political scene. The audience are too activist now, it used to be fun picking out the obvious, standout LabCon plants. There were a couple of lone rational voices in the crowd but they were fighting a losing battle. Lewis (did a lot of talking) and Healey just making the usual two main party political noises, Donaldson focused on the specifics of NI, the Cambridge academic just adding a bit of technical content and Hirsch, well, I’m sure you can imagine her angle on things.

I really wanted to impress you all with a witty and clever piece of prose. But I think I have possibly had to stand in and watch the worst QT ever. It was totally empty of content, interest or personality from panel and audience alike. Just bad.

Let us not waste anymore words on it. Carry on with your lives and enjoy your weekend.
 

© Flying Hippo 2019