BBC defends decision to host former Ukip leader Nigel Farage despite party’s decline The BBC is standing firm on its decision to host former Ukip leader Nigel Farage on this week’s edition of […]

The BBC is standing firm on its decision to host former Ukip leader Nigel Farage on this week’s edition of Question Time.

It will mark the former MEP’s 32nd appearance on the broadcaster’s flagship current affairs programme since 2000.

Critics claim the pro-Brexit party has been disproportionately over-represented on the talk show.

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Ukip currently has no MPs and is polling at just two per cent nationally.

Staunch opposition

Senior SNP politician Michael Russell, a spokesperson on Brexit for the Scottish government, was among those to voice his opposition to the invitation.

Describing it as “ridiculous”, he tweeted: “It is the BBC and its management that is now looking ridiculous, especially in Scotland where UKIP has a single elected representative yet gets more air time (via UK originated broadcasts shown in Scotland) than Scotland’s governing party (which is also UK’s third largest).”

It is the BBC & it’s management that is now looking ridiculous, especially in Scotland where #UKIP has a single elected representative yet gets more air time (via UK originated broadcasts shown in Scotland) than Scotland’s governing party (which is also UK’s third largest) https://t.co/6aF4ZYr5Do — Michael Russell (@Feorlean) February 17, 2018

The BBC quickly responded to Russell’s claims, saying in a statement: “The Question Time panel varies from week to week to ensure a broad range of views are represented. Party appearances on the programme are in line with past electoral support.

“Since the last general election SNP members have featured significantly more often than UKIP.”

Poor choices

This isn’t the first barage of criticism Question Time has received for its panel choices.

The show regularly attracts allegations of bias from all supporters of political parties, and even its studio audiences.

SNP supporters even questioned whether one episode had been filmed in Scotland as it had been advertised at all after politician John Swinney was given a particularly hard time by members of the Dundee audience.

The original source of this article is our sister site, the Scotsman