Who is on BBC Question Time tonight in St Andrews?
This week's programme is in St Andrews, where host Fiona Bruce will be joined by a range of panelists from across the political spectrum.
Here's everything you need to know.
Who is on BBC Question Time tonight?
Appearing on tonight's programme are:
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour
Andrew Bowie, Scottish Conservatives
Shirley-Anne Somerville, SNP
Thomas Kerr, Reform UK
Lesley Riddoch, journalist and broadcaster
READ MORE: MSPs pass legislation to abolish Scotland's exams body
How to watch BBC Question Time
The programme will air at 9pm on the BBC News channel, as well as on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Alternatively, you can also watch the programme on BBC One at 10.40pm.
The BBC Question Time Twitter/X account (@bbcquestiontime) will also share clips from the programme.
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Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Readers Letters: Scotland needs a strong and forceful leader
John Swinney is a little too nice to deliver independence, says a reader Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... First Minister John Swinney, in protecting the status quo, with his quiet courtesy, is not what is needed right now. With the forthcoming Holyrood election in mind, the SNP must work with the Yes campaign, Believe in Scotland and others in putting independence first, along with the good governance of the country. Scotland needs a strong and forceful leader, with the confidence and competence of an Alex Salmond, to lead and unite the country. Sadly, this SNP-led Scottish Government, with many prominent members retiring, is short on such leadership contenders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, there is the articulate honesty of Kate Forbes, whose early ministerial years have been tempered by diplomacy. The tenacity and eloquence of Stephen Flynn must feature, along with the brilliant Stephen Gethins. One person who should be listened to is Alba leader Kenny MacAskill, whose vast experience should be called upon to galvanise a listless and dispirited Scotland. First Minister John Swinney and Deputy Kate Forbes (Picture: Jeff) What is surely self evident is that the status quo is not an option and will not excite or persuade people that independence is the only way to a prosperous and fairer Scotland. In fact, English nationalism is also contributing to the breakup of the British state – the English have always been confused about being British! Grant Frazer, Newtonmore, Highland Flip the question A constant thread in Scotsman Letters is the subject of Scottish independence. Unfortunately at the moment the argument isn't strong enough to sway opinion in its favour. Perhaps a little lateral thinking might resolve the issue. A referendum held in Scotland has been tried. So why not turn the question round and instead of asking if Scotland wants to be part of the UK, ask if the rest of the UK wants to see Scotland independent. Perhaps we might see a Scoxit result in the same way we saw a Brexit one. C Lowson, Fareham, Hants Ban Kneecap Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Glastonbury and the BBC both have serious questions to answer after the totally unacceptable utterances by two bands at the festival on Saturday night. Glastonbury were warned not to allow Kneecap to play but did not act. This band is also appearing shortly in Glasgow. Similarly, the BBC must have known not only about Kneecap but the history of the preceding act, Bob Vylan, who go under this alias to avoid their real names being public, surely a 'smoking gun'? The tolerance of our society is being sorely tested by the extreme left wing. This is not freedom of speech but something far darker. Perhaps John Swinney can act and have the Kneecap Glasgow performance cancelled? Do we really need even more division in Scotland? Even tolerance has its limits, just ask an engineer. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow Fair comment Your editorial appears to support censorship of event broadcasts because of the chant 'death to the IDF' (1 July). The somewhat misnamed Israel Defence Forces has brought death to 55,000 people in Gaza, plus thousands more in neighbouring countries. It has pitilessly targeted hospitals, ambulances, refugee camps, so-called 'safe areas' and food distribution queues. It has used starvation as a weapon of war by blockading food and medical supplies. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad These activities have been characterised by responsible international bodies as war crimes. A few brave IDF members have protested at their government's excesses but the vast majority have gone along with it. No doubt at any future reckoning they will claim they were only obeying orders. Forgive me, therefore, if I do not agree with the pearl-clutching attitude of Keir Starmer towards the Glastonbury incident. His indignation contrasts badly with his failure to make any meaningful criticism of Israel's action or take any action to end the UK's complicity in Israel's inhumane war. Robert Cairns, Ceres, Cupar, Fife Called it wrong While I am delighted to see Lib Dems win a third Edinburgh Council by-election – Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart – out of the four held since the 2022 full elections, I despair at the lack of understanding and knowledge of so many political commentators and pundits. This victory was described as a surprise by many – they obviously did not remember the November Colinton/Fairmilehead election where the Lib Dems came from fourth place to first, with more than twice the number of the second-placed party. One article in the Edinburgh Evening News implied the Tories might win – they came fourth! There is a general lack of understanding among political journaliststhat much of the public is disgusted by the performance of the SNP, Tories and Labour in government, and repelled by the policies and political and economic naivety of Reform (who finished a distant sixth in the above election), making the Lib Dems an attractive option. The Greens will always win over the far left voters, disillusioned with Labour, and pro-independence voters, repulsed by the SNP, but are unlikely to win one-off elections. The lack of understanding is not confined to Edinburgh. The SNP MSP in Inverness, Fergus Ewing, will run as an Independent next year in the Holyrood elections, and some predict he may beat the SNP. A switched-on pundit might consider that the scenario may help the Lib Dems, who won the equivalent Westminster seat last July with the SNP vote lsplitting in two! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Last week's BBC Question Time was held in St Andrews, where the Lib Dems have one of the largest majorities in the country (both at Holyrood and at Westminster), but not one of the five guests was a Lib Dem. Seeing the unedifying spectacle of all the guests indulging in petty childish squabbling and point scoring, it is no wonder that NE Fife is such a Lib Dem stronghold. 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Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In light of this, might I suggest that the SNP, after 18 years in power, begin their intended cull of public sector jobs by scrapping Transport Scotland? Or does the SNP also have 'no plans to address the shortcomings'? Brian Barbour, Prestonpans, East Lothian Old argument A fuss is being made over the 'old' and 'proposed new' PIP payments. Where was the fuss when pensioners went through a similar review? A pensioner born before 1953 receives £50 a week less than one born from 1953. I guess fewer pensioners means fewer votes for MPs to fear losing, Elizabeth Hands, Armadale, West Lothian No honesty We have reached the stage in SNP Scotland where even the most outrageous political acts are considered the norm. For example, erring ministers, who in any other administration in the free world would have been instantly sacked if they had not the dignity to resign, are allowed to continue in office. 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The National
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