SCOTLAND'S Culture Secretary has led calls for the BBC to issue a correction and apologise after a glaring Question Time error was broadcast from Paisley.
The final show of 2025 came from Paisley on Thursday night with SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, journalist Angela Haggerty and Malcolm Offord, who defected to Reform UK this week from the Tories, on the panel.
The second question of the night came from audience member, who asked: "Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?".
READ MORE: 'Repulsive': Stephen Flynn tears into Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer on Question Time
However, after the question was asked chair Fiona Bruce said the pupils "have English as a second language", while the question which popped up on the screen stated they "don't speak fluent English".
The BBC has been approached for comment.
The mistake was branded "an appalling editorial error" by Sunder Katwala – the director of Britain's Future a charity that promotes education and research on immigration and human rights – and now, Robertson is leading calls for a correction.
The question came after Nigel Farage cited a statistic that one in three Glasgow schoolkids do not speak English as a first language, according to Scottish Government figures.
Robertson, whose first language is German, stating: "English is my second language but no-one has ever suggested I can’t speak it fluently. When racism is fuelled by Farage and Reform it is a BIG mistake for the BBC to amplify it.
"They must correct and apologise."
Katwala further added: "This was a serious editorial error from the BBC. Speaking English as a second language and not speaking English fluently are clearly two very different things – as many non-native speakers can tell you, in fluent English.
"Politicians like Nigel Farage may seek to exploit this kind of confusion for political ends, but it is not something the BBC should be propagating. I have raised this point directly with the BBC – they should learn from it and ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman echoed the call for a correction, telling The National: “Error or not, this is clearly not good enough and the BBC should apologise.
“There is rampant anti-migrant rhetoric across large parts of our media, and incidents like this only fuel it.
“When someone is not a fluent English speaker they are often treated as an outsider or as being unwilling to integrate and be part of society. When someone has English as a second (or third!) language, the same people complain about that too. And, people of colour whose first language is English also become targeted.
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“Instead of complaining about people speaking lots of languages, we should be asking how we can create a just and welcoming society. How can we ensure that people who choose to move to Scotland and those who seek asylum and want to rebuild their lives here are treated with compassion and basic human decency?
“As Greens, we recognise the value that migrants bring to our country and our communities. We see diversity as a strength. We want to see a fairer, more humane immigration system that does not demonise children and their families.”
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