6 November 2003

Find out what you had to say about the topics discussed on Question Time, broadcast on 6 November from Glasgow.

The topics discussed this week were:

• Banning BNP members from the police
• Holyrood
• Blair's main threat
• Interest rate rise
• School safety
• General comments on the programme

BNP banned from the police

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Audience question: Is David Blunkett right to want to prevent members of the BNP from joining the police force? You said:

The idea that anyone can be hounded out of their job because of their political affiliation is terrifying. Every day this country seems more like Zimbabwe.
Richard, Manchester

Text: BNP members are still real people. Stop attacking the right and praising the left.
Andy, Manchester

If a BNP member is not allowed to join the police force, does that mean they are not allowed to be a teacher, army/navy officer, nurse/doctor, fireman/woman, etc. If so, I don't want my taxes paying left wing socialists doing those jobs either!
Emma, Leicester

Text: The police have so much power - it's vital they have no innate prejudice.
Poppy, Lincoln

BNP members cannot be police officers as they belong to a racist organisation. I trust that police constabularies across Britain are committed to anti-racist and equal opportunity law. A fascist for a policeman, especially if they were known, would bring chaos and acrimony in the area where they would be serving.
Rob, Northfleet

I am not a member of the BNP. However since they remain a legal party, their members shouldn't be banned from any jobs.
Adam Campbell, Leeds

If the BNP's support shot up, would there still be a valid argument for disregarding their views?
Adrian Watson, Milton Keynes

Text: Joining a political party is a basic right in a democracy so if policemen can't join the BNP, they shouldn't be allowed to join ANY political party.
Paul Stratton, Basingstoke

It's not about democracy, it's about employment law. If you can't agree with employers' avowed anti-racist policy you should be sacked.
Alan Maycock, Liverpool

I am a white "middle class" police officer of 10 years service and I, like my colleagues am totally appalled at the news of police officers being affiliated to the BNP. I would wish to state that such officers are not the norm and speak purely for themselves and not the rank and file like myself.
Andrew Clarke, Nottinghamshire

Text: Why not ban the extreme left too? Such hypocrisy.
JM, Glos

I fully agree with Denis MacShane, there is no room for any followers of the BNP in our police force. The police force must be totally inpartial in it's views on any incidents that it has to deal with.
Steve Fuller, Hove, East Sussex

Text: All public servants should be banned from the BNP.
Joy, Co Durham

Where there should be no place in this country for racism, surely there is a place for right wing parties simply like the BNP because we are a democracy aren't we?
Stephen Hughes, Wolverhampton

Why can't white police officers be members of the BNP when black police officers can join the Black Police Officers Association? Isn't that racist?
Andy MacDonald, Petersfield

Incitement to racial hatred is a criminal offence, so why is the BNP allowed to exist as a legitimate mainstream political party?
Christine Allen, Carlisle

Text: The BNP have racist and fascist beliefs, and these beliefs have no place in the police force of a racially diverse country such as ours.
Tim, Bude

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Holyrood

Audience question: Considering the Millennium Dome took a year to build and cost £700m, is Holyrood a "bit of a bargain" at £400m?

You said:

You can't put a price on democracy.
Garth, Hull

Text: Why should the English pay for the whingeing Scots? David, Manchester

If England can spend £600m on a new football stadium then surely £400m for our future is a bargain.
Ronnie Walker, Troon

Text: Scots Parliament! Sounds racist to me.
Ian, Middlesbrough

Text: It's scandalous the cost of Holyrood. As a nurse I would prefer the overspend to be spent on the health service.
Robert, Cumbernauld

Text: I voted against the parliament. Why should I pay for it? Bob, Aberdeen

Text: MSPs were given power to raise taxes so what's the problem?
John, Cumbria

Text: The Dome was such a waste of money!
Baz, Rothwell

Text: The Scots should be paying for their own folly.
Pam, Herts

Text: England stole Scottish oil. It's pay back time.
May, Maghull

Text: Scottish tax payers funded the Millennium Dome. What did that bring us Scots?
Adam, Aberdeen

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Blair's main threat

Audience question: Who is now the greatest potential threat to a third term for Tony Blair - Michael Howard or Gordon Brown? You said:

Text: Michael Howard will move the Conservatives forward to become the next government and replace President Blair and his cronies.
Andy, Bolton

If the the Tories have found a leader to unite behind, is the biggest threat to them Gordon Brown? Is Blair now a liability as his popularity slides? Can Brown, who has remained disconnected from the war debate, keep the votes that may stray from Blair?
Steve Tudor, Romsey

Text: Tony Blair wished to be the new Tory leader but most of the Tory MPs thought him too right-wing.
Danny Cleary, London

Text: Gordon Brown for PM! Bring back old Labour.
Sean, London

Text: Tony Blair is the biggest threat to his own third term.
S, London

Text: Blair, Brown or Howard as Prime Minister. Each option makes my blood run cold.
Annie, Blackburn

Text: The Tories have brought back Howard like Eastenders brought back Dirty Den to raise the viewing figures.
Rob, Dorset

Text: Michael Howard will go the same way as Hague and IDS - obscurity.
Barbara, Blackpool

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Interest rate rise

Audience question: Will today's rise in interest rates mark the beginning of the end of excessive spending by the British public?

This derisory interest rate increase is well overdue and now far too late to have any real impact. The average first time buyer on 1 May, 1997 was aged 25. Today it is 37! Most badly needed nurses will now probably never be able to buy their own home. Well done Blair and Brown.
Adam Campbell, Leeds

Text: I hope higher interest rates make house prices crash so that I can afford more than a cupboard.
Sean, London

Usual tired nonsense trying to make out higher interest rates are bad. There are vastly more savers than borrowers, who are cheated every way possible, not least by the derisory low interest rates. Let's hope they are on a long and sustained upward direction. It may even make house prices fall to affordable levels!
James, Stortford

Text: Spending is the new religion. Debt has become a way of life.
Mark, Glasgow

Lord Strathclyde is quite right when he says that we are under a bigger threat from rising taxation than we are from rising interest rates. We can control the affect interest rates have on our lives by borrowing less money and controlling our spending. What we cannot control is tax rises and by what percentage of tax rises the Chancellor wishes to impose on us.
Steve Fuller, Hove, East Sussex

Text: If you can't afford it - don't have it.
Ros, Arran

Text: We have low unemployment, low inflation, low interest rates... what's the problem?
Trev, Macclesfield

Text: 0.25% on Holyrood's mortgage would worry me.
James, Harlow

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School safety

Audience question: After the stabbing of a young boy this week, how can we make our schools safe without turning them into fortresses? You said:

Text: What about the hundreds of kids killed on the roads?
Paul Davison, Stirling

The reason we have problems with our children and teenagers is that they are treated like adults from the day they are born. Kids need to be kids and not adults at the age of 13. School is too easy; no discipline anywhere and too much TV and computer games.
Stewart Hannah, Huddersfield

Text: The parents are to blame for their kids' actions. And the way they are brought up!
Stacey W, Leicester

Text: Discipline! Totally lacking at all levels thanks to namby-pamby trendy left wingers!
Rob, Kent

In a culture which glamourises violence, will we be expecting to find the memoirs of the child who has allegedly stabbed another school pupil on sale in high street book shops in a few year's time?
Paul Armstrong, Whitby

Text: If parents were allowed to chastise their children perhaps they would be better behaved. The Labour government have taken all deterrent means away from parents and teachers.
Neil

Why do politicians constantly talk about the gun and knife culture in todays society but they never come up with answers?
Ian McLean, Glasgow

Text: Schools are like everywhere else. Nowhere is completely safe in 2003 unfortunately.
K, Pembs

Text: How long before a pupil shoots another?
Nigel, Bridport

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General comments on the programme:

It was very refreshing to see the cordiality between Lord Strathclyde, Rosie Kane and John Swinney, despite holding different political views. I wish more politicians were like that, and less like Edwina and that condescending chap, Dennis McShane. Good to see the Scots still have quite a repertoire of audience reactions.
Dixie, Bath

The Glasgow show was one of the dullest I have seen. The panel was so boring and unoriginal.
Nadeem Shaikh, London

I am thankful that a man of such stature in politics as that of Lord strathclyde was present on the panel this week to counter balance the constant drone of ignorance flowing from the mouths of those sharing the floor with him.
Peter Milton, London

Typical!! You allow questions on the BNP yet you NEVER have a member on the panel to defend their party.
David Jones, Carmarthen

It was good to see the SNP and Scottish Socialists invited on to this week's programme due to the programme coming from Glasgow. However, it was very disappointing that the Green Party was not also invited to have a seat on the panel. They have more seats in the Scottish Parliament than the Scottish Socialists.
Adrian Ramsay, Norwich

Text: Edwina Curry is VERY patronising!
Lizzie Cheshire

Text: Edwina for Tory leader.
John, Cambridge

I swear that even if the panel had been talking about baked beans, Rosie Kane would have got a comment in about Iraq.
Nick, London

Why does Question Time allow the panel to push their own party politics? The Scottish Parliament is a failure, as are the present members of your panel, who are members of it.
Alexander Smith, Dunoon

How can Edwina Curry say that she doesn't like to see the Union Jack on anything other than a flagpole when her party used a quarter of the flag as its emblem for years?
Andy Jackson, Glasgow

Text: Rosie at her best - saying not very much!
Jim, Strathaven

What's the point of having an exciting politician like Rosie Kane on if David Dimbleby never calls her to answer a question. Other than at the start of the programme, she's barely been called.
Bill Scott,

Next time you have Edwina Currie on the programme I do think a larger venue will be needed. How else will her ego be able to fit in the room?
Alisdair Gray, Edinburgh

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