13 November 2003

Find out what you had to say about the topics discussed on Question Time, broadcast on 13 November from Omagh.

The topics discussed this week were:

• Iraq
• Northern Ireland elections
• Panellists
• Gender selection
• ID cards
• General comments on the programme

Iraq

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Audience question: Do the panel believe the Americans are preparing to do a "runner" in Iraq?

You said:

Why ask politicians who can't sort out their own politics about sorting out Iraq?
Noel, Antrim

I am a British Muslim and I supported the war in Iraq. Considering the atrocities committed by Saddam and his regime, including ethnic cleansing, we should all get behind our troops. Iraq is a better place without Saddam, but Iraq would be better still with a government, not necessarily democratic, chosen by the people of Iraq.
Ibrar Ali, Slough

Should a nation have the right to impose laws based on their social and political systems on another? Democracy should be the future but that should be left for the Iraqi people.
Ahmed, London

Here is a cynical view about the USA in Iraq. If they are going to do a runner, shouldn't they show us the weapons of mass destruction first???
Alan Knight

Text: The Americans need to leave now. We do not need another Vietnam.
Bob, Antrim

Text: Time for all Iraqis to stand up and be counted otherwise Saddam will return with his bully boys.
JH, Mossley

Text: Bush bombs Iraq in the name of democracy and free speech, but he doesn't want to see or hear anti-war protestors. It stinks of hypocrisy!
Brian, Cardiff

Should a nation or nations (US & UK) have the right to impose laws based on their social political systems on another? Democracy should be the future but that should be left for the Iraqi people.
Ahmed, London

Text: If not for the current fiasco of Afghanistan, US troops would be less thinly stretched.
Simon, London

Text: Is it not obvious that Iraq is becoming the new Northern Ireland?
Paul Bradley, London

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Northern Ireland elections

Audience question: Can the members of the panel give assurances that after the elections they will participate in the assembly and do the jobs that they are paid to do?

You said:

Why will the DUP refuse to sit in the same assembly as Sinn Fein ministers? The DUP are anti-agreement, but don't you think that anti-agreement parties could challenge the Belfast Agreement inside Stormont as opposed to outside, leaving the electorate of Northern Ireland without a real political vote?
Colin, Stoke on Trent

There is one obvious solution to the impasse over decommissioning which was not mentioned. If John de Chastelain was to oversee the decommissioning of an equivalent amount of weaponry on the loyalist side, then double the amount of arms would have been removed from Northern Ireland; the loyalists and unionists would then know how much was yielded by the other side and the nationalists wouldn't be made to feel as though they had been made to concede.
Brian, London

Despite all the problems it is very pleasing to see all parties around a table and discussing issues. It shows that there has perhaps been more progress than some people will have us believe.
Mark Jelley, Northampton

Text: History will show that unionists will not accept any form of power-sharing with nationalists and simply play the orange card.
P McMahon, Motherwell

Text: Trimble keeps lying to the unionist people and has lost the confidence of the Protestant community.
Tom Robinson

Text: I wish David would bang the panels' heads together and urge them to sort the Northern Ireland situation once and for all!
DM, Loughton

Text: How many arms have the UDA decommissioned?
SM, Scotland

Text: Does Martin now admit the war is over and the democratic process is the only way?
Keith, Edinburgh

Maybe it's time NI looked towards California and elected non-politicians, who could actually breathe new life into what is a stagnant political process.
Suneel Jaitly, Cobham, Surrey

It would seem to me that as long as Northern Irish politicians keep off politics and stick to the important things such as health, education and social support, then perhaps the NI Assembly would have a chance of working.
Paul Dow, Edinburgh

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Panellists

Audience question: If you and your fellow panellist were shipwrecked on a desert island, what qualities and talents in each other do you think you would learn to love and admire?

You said:

I was the person who asked the question about what qualities and talents in each other they might learn to love and admire if shipwrecked on a desert island. Although a lighthearted question I had hoped it might extract from those hard-nosed men a bit of warmth and humour and maybe even give them a platform to show that they could envisage trying to find some common ground.

Some hope! I encouraged some of my English friends to watch in case I might be on but I regret doing that as the behaviour of those four men just confirmed all their prejudices about N Ireland.
Jane Russell, Enniskillen

Those grey, hard-faced men on the panel are unwilling to concede an inch. When will they ever learn?
Mike Hunter, Edinburgh, Scotland

It is disappointing to witness the total lack of communication between panel members. It seems that the last 30 years have not moved things on one iota. The DUP is still implacably opposed to any move out of the 18th century. "No Surrender" remains their battle cry. Depressing.
Chris, Leeds

Having watched this lot of politicians debating, I can see no way that they will ever agree on anything. I despair of NI.
Alba, Scotland

Text: Trimble and McGuinness can't even look at one another. What hope is there?
Jason, Meriden

Text: I am a native of Omagh now living in England. Listening to your panel reminds me of why I no longer live there. The politicians are as narrow-minded as ever. I blame the extreme views of the DUP and Sinn Fein equally for the ongoing problems.
Orla, Reading

What possessed you to ruin a generally interesting programme by visiting Northern Ireland? The lack of discipline from the panel, the factionalism, and the narrow-mindedness of panel and audience alike were all predictable. Please come back to earth next week and stay here.
John McNeil, Helensburgh, Scotland

Unfortunately, the misguided comments from John McNeil in Scotland are typical of a proportion of people living in the UK. As an Irishman living in London, I was amazed when I first moved here of the ignorance of most men in the street of the situation in the north of Ireland. There seems to be no understanding of what the causes of the problems are and no conception of the suffering that the people of the province have been through in the last 40 years.

As this is as much a problem and concern for the UK as it is for Ireland as a whole I would expect a little bit more education on the subject. I suggest that John McNeil and people who share his views take the time to educate themselves on the history of the country before they make such bigoted and ignorant references.
Steve Nealon, London

I would just like to offer thanks and congratulation to the panel for progress.
JM, Douglas, Isle of Man

Once again we see a programme from Northern Ireland disintegrating as there are some politicians on the panel who believe that shouting for a long time is the best way to debate issues. I'm going to bed.
Ron, Glasgow

I always look forward to watching QT each week, but this week have just had to turn off midway. The continuous arguing, talking too long, turning every question back into the interminable haranguing between the different Irish factions was completely headache-making. Mr. Dimbleby, if you ever take QT back to Ireland, please choose a panel of normal Irish people, not a bunch of petulant politicians behaving like a group of spoiled schoolboys.
Pat Norman, Swindon

What a rabble! I'm sorry, I try to see the bigger picture but it just isn't there. Would you want these people as your government?
Paul B, Oxfordshire

I returned from Zambia this year having done voluntary medical/missionary work where some 78 tribes live in peace, to return to N.I. where 2 tribes are at odds - rhetorical question for the chairman David, aren't you glad you live on the mainland?
Denis Shortall, Maghera, Co., Derry

Text: Jesus said "Love thy neighbour". Why don't the panel agree?
Rev G, Chester

Text: I almost prefer the row between Arsenal and Man Utd!
Lyn, Halifax

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Gender selection

Audience question: Should parents be allowed to make use of technology to pre-select their child's sex on social grounds?

You said:

The gentleman in your audience seemed rather pleased with himself that he had fathered seven children. On the contrary, he should be ashamed of himself for breeding excessively in this over-populated world. Furthermore, re all this "children are a gift from God" nonsense, get real - God doesn't exist!
Charlotte Lewis, Croydon

Text: Don't mess with nature.
Lee, Stoke

Text: Parents should never be allowed to choose the sex of their child unless it is for medical reasons. Otherwise it is unethical and immoral.
Robert, Cumbernauld

Text: As someone who can't have children - parents should be happy having any gender.
SD, Lancs

Text: Can you select a child's religion?
John, Brigg

It would have been better if the panellists' parents could have chosen to have girls.
Cea, Slough

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ID cards

Audience question: Do you think ID cards are an infringement of civil liberties or necessary to combat terrorism, fraud and illegal immigration?

You said:

Text: The photo licence is an identity card by the back door.
Neil, Wrexham

Text: Blunkett doesn't want ID cards to combat fraud or terrorism. It's just a further extension of the Big Brother state.
SB, London

Text: If you have nothing to hide, what's the problem?
Dave, Liverpool

ID cards are a good idea and they should be introduced on a voluntary basis at first. Providing people are good law abiding citizens then they have nothing to fear from them. They will solve a lot of problems and in cases where proof of who people are is required, they are the answer. The only thing I do not like the idea of is having to pay for them. The first one should be free, if lost, then a replacement should have to be paid for.
Steve Fuller, Hove, East Sussex

Announced on Remembrance Day that commemorates millions of lives expended to maintain our freedom, it is an insult to them all for a minister of our own government to wish to impose ID cards. Here the state answers to the people not the other way round. ID cards reverse this. At least he does not need to use tattoos to number us. There are already implantable chips available now. Freedom is messy. People will misuse it. That is never any excuse to end it with ID cards. Any form of resistance to ID cards is acceptable. Will this generation be up to the war needed to stay free?
JamesSG, Stortford

I am not a threat to society nor am I a terrorist. I was born in Chesterfield and I have three forms of identification, my original birth certificate, my driving licence and my passport, both have my photograph on. How many forms of identification do I need?
As for the reasons that they are to prevent terrorism etc, if the technology is there to produce, then it is also there to produce forgeries.
Martin Glasgow, Chesterfield

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General comments on the programme:

You said:

In all of the towns and cities in the North, why was Omagh chosen? Could it be that after the bombing there it was seen as "emotive" and therefore would give an anti-Sinn Fein bias ?
Margie Morgan, Bootle

Looking at a lot of the comments made here by viewers from the mainland I'm a little confused. Every week Question Time is broadcast in N Ireland and every week the program doesn't reflect the issues that concern people living in the province. So when it comes to N Ireland what do you expect people will want to talk about? The state of London's transport system? This is another part of the problem, that the mainland just couldn't care less about the people of N Ireland.
Martin White, Uk

Please reconsider very carefully about going again to NI for Question Time. I spent two years in NI in the 70s, and from last night's performance the politicans have never changed. They still can't agree and are out of touch with the decent people of NI.
Lachlan MacDonald, Lancaster

As a native of Omagh, now a student in Scotland, watching the programme gave me a sharp reminder of why I "escaped" Northern Ireland. For as long as politicians like those featured continue to play games with each other, I will not be returning to the place I really call home.
Julie, Scotland

We had four politicians on the panel. Where were the other representatives of society in NI? What is the percentage of women in NI? Where were the people that could have given a different viewpoint on the topics discussed, such as writers, people in public service and the arts? No wonder people on the mainland see NI as a hopeless situation. Put four politicians of opposing parties together and what do we get - a discussion that generates into a debacle!
Eileen Magee, London

The people of N.Ireland deserve better representation than this! Martin McGuinness mentions cynicism. I would like to remind him that a cynic is an optimist with experience.
Bill Davies, Ipswich

Text: Why is the Alliance Party not represented? Are they not felt to be important?
Marwan, Guildford

Text: It's all very well Trimble and McGuinness doing TV together but what type of commitment does it really indicate? Negotiations are necessary, not high level PR.
Matthew Hooper, London

Text: Jesus said "Love thy neighbour". Why don't the panel agree?
Rev G, Chester

Text: I almost prefer the row between Arsenal and Man Utd!
Lyn, Halifax

Text: I thought this was Question Time not Speech Time!
BR

Text: Best show since last Irish Question Time!
Al, Chesham

Text: The texts are more exciting than tonight's show.
Andy, Nottingham

I think the way David allowed Martin McGuinness to bully his way repeatedly into the debate spoiled an otherwise good program.
Rachel Orby, Belfast

Could you not have found a woman to be on your panel ?? it looks so biased with the grey men of Northern Ireland without the input of woman. Women often have a fresh outlook and angle on issues which you do not get when you just put up the grey men of the parties.
Very disappointing Question Time.
Mrs Turnbull, Tyne & Wear

Yawn! Perhaps it's time to give Northern Ireland back to the Irish and then we won't have to suffer this boring (old, grey, male) panel ever again. And where were the women?
Nicky, Sevenoaks

BBC are producing great TV at the moment so if you could pass that on to general comments, just watched QT FABULOUS ! Well done at getting the guests on the panel. Damian
Damian A. Armstrong, Stafford

Why was there not a member of the PUP on the panel tonight and someone from the UDP as they played a big role in the peace process yet they never get a look in is it because they have an input that the BBC do not wish the people to hear?
John, Glasgow (expat N.Ireland)

Did anyone notice that not a single comment was made about health, pensions, transport, student fees or even the trifling subject of the economy? What the national BBC audience was subjected to this evening was, sadly, what passes for political debate in Northern Ireland. As any reasonable person can see, this is not politics, it's pantomime! What is needed to establish proper and inclusive political discourse is the desectarianisation of the political framework that currently exists. We have seen in Northern Ireland in recent years the proliferation of new non-sectarian parties trying to establish themselves on the basis of various political ideologies, yet the electorate seems to fall back into the sectarianism that has blighted our history. Much more encouragement could be given to the growing number of voters fed up with the pantomime of sectarian politics in Northern Ireland, if the main national parties (Labour and Lib Dems) organized properly in Northern Ireland rather than hide behind the flimsy excuse that they have affiliated parties already here. (To their credit, the Conservatives are the only national party organised in Northern Ireland.) It's time we were given the same choice as the electorate in the rest of the UK. Maybe then we'll start to discuss the issues that really matter to people.
Steve Mac, Lisburn Co. Antrim

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