Question Time slammed for 'most rigged audience ever'

The SNP may have the third most MPs at Westminster, but that hasn't stopped producers of the BBC's flagship political show from offering its politicians only occasional appearances.

This week's panel included one SNP MSP, Fiona Hyslop, Michael Forsyth of the Tories, Anneliese Dodds of Labour, model and actress Eunice Olumide and The Times journalist Hugo Rifkind.

Here is your look at this week’s #bbcqt panel. Join us from 10:45pm on Thursday on @BBCOne and @bbc5live as we are joined by Michael Forsyth of the Conservatives, Labours @AnnelieseDodds, SNP’s @FionaHyslop, Fashion Model Eunice Olumide and Journalist @hugorifkind pic.twitter.com/P3NxWhzIg6

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) February 6, 2019

Held in Motherwell, which is in the council area of North Lanarkshire where 51% voted in favour of Scottish independence, this viewpoint was only represented by Hyslop and Olumide.

But it was the make-up of the audience which had Scottish Twitter fuming last night, as member after member lined up to criticise the SNP and independence.

Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire pointed out that the local government in North Lanarkshire has an SNP majority.

He said: "Who knew that Motherwell was a bastion of Conservatism? Must be all the Tory MPs/MSPs they elect."

Who knew that Motherwell was a bastion of Conservatism? Must be all the Tory MPs/MSPs they elect. #BBCQT

— Pete Wishart (@PeteWishart) February 7, 2019

Gavin Newlands, SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, agreed, describing the show as a "sham".

Another perfectly balanced #bbcqt audience again.
Anybody watching @bbcquestiontime from anywhere else in UK would be astonished, astonished, that @theSNP has won 10 elections in a row & that 45% of Scots voted for independence (& it currently polls 45-50%).
The show is a sham.

— Gavin Newlands MP (@GavNewlandsSNP) February 7, 2019

Phantom Power, a filmmaker that many may recognise from his Journey to Yes videos, mentioned the hypocrisy of the number of Brexiteers in the audience, pointing out that Scotland voted to remain in the EU by 62%.

And many other Twitter users agreed.

This must be the most rigged #bbcqt audience ever with maybe 25% Yes.
Watching this farce, you would never think Scotland had voted in a pro-independence majority, emphatically SNP and was pro-EU.

— Phantom Power (@PhantomPower14) February 7, 2019

BBC Question Time tonight is without doubt the worst I’ve ever seen. Fiona Bruce has shown no sense of balance, she threw Fiona Hyslop to the dogs of BBC unionist plants then asks her to respond briefly. That’s not balance, that’s deliberate bias. #bbcqt

— Iain McEwan (@Ulren_Sothoth) February 7, 2019

Not one for the BBC bias bandwagon but that was horrendous viewing, a total hatchet job.
Unrecognisable audience!
You’d think Motherwell was a Tory stronghold!

A town that voted Yes to Scottish independence.
Elected a SNP MP, closely followed by Labour
Elected a SNP MSP#BBCQT

— Derek Watson (@derekwatson89) February 7, 2019

I have watched this show for the best part of 40 odd years, tonight I have witnessed the worst 60 minutes of #bbcqt ever

The balance of the audience was skewed to be anti Independence & anti SNP

What a shocking bias Unionist propaganda machine it has become!

— Brendan Hynes (@Hyvast) February 7, 2019

An audience not at all representative of the demographic. What’s going on? Could BBC be anti-SNP? A local authority that voted 61.7% remain and also voted for independence #BBCQT

— Taylor_S (@Sharon_Taylor17) February 7, 2019

Motherwell, in North Lanarkshire, which voted Yes, seems to have become a Tory stronghold.  Despite them polling less than 20% at the local elections in Motherwell's wards.  #bbcqt

— Euan Bruce (@euanbruceSNP) February 7, 2019

Motherwell voted Yes and Remain, not that you’d know that from the audience and questions... #BBCqt

— Andrew Scott (@AndrewScott98) February 7, 2019

Twitter users were also quick to point out Billy Mitchell, who ran as a Ukip candidate, has been an audience member at least three times.

This bloke is no random member of the public but Billy Mitchell, a failed UKIP candidate, who's reportedly also a loyalist drummer. He's been on #bbcqt at least three times & was seen chatting to the panel at start pic.twitter.com/Ngw6jcL8xI

— Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) February 7, 2019

Recently, BBC has been caught using:
A fake vicar
2 Tory councillors posing as random public for vox pops
Repeated Tory/UKIP plants like this.#BBCQT https://t.co/7MBmZqskgk

— Interim Queen Melanie Melvin  #NoPVYesGE #JC4PM (@melaniekmelvin) February 8, 2019

#BBCQT dreadful show last night. Audience selection process failed to deliver representative balance. Audience plant obvious from start pic.twitter.com/83s4CKUuxG

— JCW (@jcw911) February 8, 2019

Can now confirm that Billy The Bigot has in fact made speaking appearances on at least FOUR episodes of #bbcqt. https://t.co/lpFGfiwYHd pic.twitter.com/aGJKmTiJES

— Wings Over Scotland (@WingsScotland) February 8, 2019

Big billy McBillyson. Grand wizard of the local Orange Lodge. Season ticket holder for #bbcqt . UKIP candidate and all round "yinyinist"  representing ra  peepul of Scotland. https://t.co/q5OxGvntvm

— Gio (@GioGlasgow) February 8, 2019

You could hold #bbcqt in the Shetlands and the BBC staff would ensure this UKIP failure would be in the audience. pic.twitter.com/tu0SbmJSZ5

— Doogs  🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@Doogsta) February 8, 2019

We'll have more on Mr Mitchell in tomorrow's edition of The National. Stay tuned...