BBC Television - Question Time / BBC Radio - Any Questions

Politics and Social Issues
1

Every Thursday evening there is a BBC 1 programme, Question Time. It is held at a different location every week, from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The panel consists of four polititians (usually Members of Parliament, one from each of the four main parties) and someone from popular culture (maybe an actor, comedian, novelist etc). Sometimes the fifth member of the panel is a person representing the fifth most popular political party, currently The Green Party. The audience consists of a fair representation of the support of the five main parties.
All the questions are from the live audience and no panel member has advance notice of the content of any of the questions. The audience get invited to respond to some of the answers given by the panel. Sometimes the comments from an individual audience member can be of such consequence that they are re-played on the various news media and can be a ‘live’ issue for a few days.
There is a similar programme on BBC Radio 4 every Friday evening, Any Questions.
Question Time (Concurrently on BBC1 television and BBC Radio 5 Live [can be heard live worldwide on the internet])
Here is last Thursday’s episode. The Jeremy Corbyn that they speak of is the leader of The Labour Party. ‘MEP’ is Member Of the European Parliament.

Any Questions
BBC Radio 4 - Any Questions?, Edwina Currie, John Hilary, Tim Montgomerie, Leanne Wood (The programme can be heard live on BBC Radio 4 and worldwide on the internet. This episode from last Friday will play anywhere worldwide on the internet.)
There is a chance on these programmes that the government can get its arse well kicked, quite rightly.

2

oh, oh, looks like you are just cutting and pasting.
What’s your moral of the story?

3

I am asking what equivalents there are in the other countries who have people on this forum. Where else can ordinary citizens criticise goverment and kick arse so publicly and so regularly?

4
I am asking what equivalents there are in the other countries who have people on this forum. Where else can ordinary citizens criticise goverment and kick arse so publicly and so regularly?
Actualy, we can and do kick ass publicly and regularly in the US, just not often with the elected officials in the same room. US Presidents do hold press conferences, though they have many ways of refusing to answer or avoiding questions and can end the session whenever they wish, even with people waiting to ask questions. The Prime Minister cleverly avoids answering questions, too, even during question time. But I agree England's a better system. The parliamentary system is better all around than what we have, in my opinion, but I can't see the US ever having it. Americans prefer circuses and free-for-alls. Lois