We suspect people are completely sick of televised debates by now, and the Question Time special on Monday, which featured an audience of under-30s, suggests that presenters have had enough, too, and are now phoning in the questions.

Here’s the BBC’s Emma Barnett going full “The Day Today” with Labour’s Angela Rayner.

Labour: we will unleash a Green Industrial Revolution to rapidly decarbonise, create a million good green jobs and transform our economy for the many The media: would you nationalise sausages tho? pic.twitter.com/3YoN13702H — Labour for a Green New Deal (@LabGND) December 9, 2019

We can only assume Fiona Bruce tampered with the notes to protect her job as the regular presenter of Question Time. Either that or Emma Barnett is in the pocket of Big Butcher.

Anyway, here are a few of the things people had to say about the surreal moment.

1.

Nothing really could sum up the BBC's election coverage better than Angela Rayner talking about the importance of climate change and being interrupted to ask if she'd "nationalise sausages". https://t.co/0SNVk3DSWb — Frankie Coyle (@francisqcoyle) December 9, 2019

2.

Angela Rayner’s rightfully contemptuous “no” to the most stupid question posed by a journalist in the last 6 weeks is this election’s “so there we are” moment. I love her. pic.twitter.com/yh7p5QSs5U — Calum Sherwood (@CalumSSherwood) December 9, 2019

3.

I’ve always been one to defend the BBC but they’ve lost me with this election. “Would you nationalise sausages?” is beyond even the Alan Partridge school of interviewing https://t.co/hIAZ1pxNU6 — Luke Turner (@LukeTurnerEsq) December 9, 2019

4.

COLLECTIVISE SAUSAGES. GRANT THE WORKERS THE MEANS OF SAUSAGE PRODUCTION — Xenon From the Void 🌍 (@VoidpunkXenon) December 9, 2019

5.

You are a highly regarded well respected journalist. A candidate is talking about the urgent need to do more on climate change. Do you interrupt them to ask a) a question drilling into the detail of the plan or

b) ask them if they are going to nationalise sausages. — Political Football (@politicalfutbal) December 10, 2019

6.

Omg more fake news they definitely want to nationalise sausages😷 What a disgrace https://t.co/3EZDpvsVQc — Francesca (@Cheskarr) December 10, 2019

7.

Emma Barnett decides to call Labour "The party of the Big State" and asks if it wants to "nationalise sausages". Is this her brief? #BBCQuestionTime #bbcqt The BBC must be SO proud of its presenters and journalists today. #KuenssbergGate — Clapton Blues (@garyfoskett) December 9, 2019

In spite of the look on her face after hearing the question, it looks like Angela Rayner saw the funny side.

I did have a chuckle tonight on #bbcqt when all the issues facing our country in one of the most important general elections in decades l get the question…… Will l nationalise sausages? 🤔 My answer was no for the record 😁 #VoteLabour12December #GeneralElection19 🌹 — Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) December 9, 2019

Tune in for the next episode, when Fiona Bruce asks Richard Burgon if Labour will tax dancing.

READ MORE

The 15 best reactions to the latest of the neverending election debates

Source BBC via @LabGND Image BBC, kingslayer77 on Unsplash Twitter