The National:

THE BBC's Question Time has quite the reputation for ignoring any part of the UK that isn't England, and in particular Scottish political parties.

The SNP may have the third most MPs at Westminster, but that hasn't stopped producers of the show from offering its politicians only very rare appearances.

Dumfries hosted the last edition of Question Time to come to Scotland on January 25.

It will return to Perth on May 31 – a mere 16 episodes since David Dimbleby last hosted the show north of the Border.

We don't know what the line-up will be, but surely this will mean – given the make-up of panels in English cities – some appropriate representation of Scotland's MPs? Let's take a look at the past two.

In Dumfries, those appearing were:

  • Conservative politician and former Scotland Secretary Michael Forsyth
  • Labour MP for Derby North Chris Williamson
  • Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop
  • Scottish Greens co-convener Maggie Chapman
  • English journalist Peter Oborne.

When Kilmarnock hosted Question Time on November 2, 2017, those appearing were: 

  • MEP for South East England Dan Hannan
  • Scotland's Social Security Minister, Jeane Freeman
  • Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale
  • English journalist Anne McElvoy
  • English columnist and activist Owen Jones.

Two SNP and a Scottish Greens politician from two episodes is above average, but overall ... it looks like we'll have to temper our hopes.