What you've said

Find out what you had to say about Question Time on Thursday, 16 March, 2006, from Gateshead.

Add your comment

The topics discussed were:

'Cash for peerages' row

Drug testing

Education bill

Pensions

Lasting trends

General comments on the programme

The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received:

"Cash for peerages" row

Audience question: If I won the lottery on Saturday, could I enter the House of Lords on Monday?

You said:

If there is no ulterior motive of any kind, why then are the loans kept secret? I do not believe there were no corrupt plans afoot as they did not wish, and still do not wish, to disclose from whom the loans came.
John Younger, Bewdley

I personally don't care how political parties are funded, so long as all those individuals or businesses who donate money, gifts and/or loans to political parties are strictly barred from becoming members of the House of Lords and/or the House of Commons, where they can be in a position to influence their chosen party's policy-making and voting-ratings to their own favour.
Denise Kettle, Romford

Baroness Tonge suggested that state funding of political parties should be considered as a future way of paying for political parties. State funding of political parties is anti-democratic. Political parties are formed and funded from passionate people with certain kinds of beliefs, not from states. So if state funding for political parties is instituted it biases the political process in favour of the status quo. Such a situation would stagnate any possibility of change from new political parties which obviously would not receive such funding because the cut off point for funding would be after the biggest parties, all of which seek the political centre-ground.
James, Belfast

Text: Cash for titles stinks but every other party has a history of doing it that's just as bad.
Polly, Biggin Hill

Can we really call this country a democracy?
David Morris, St Andrews

Text: Is it just my imagination, or has there been a deafening silence from the Tories on this one?
Jocky, Sunderland

I am disgusted Margaret Hodge's ostrich-like response to the question about buying a place in the House of Lords. Tony Blair has fudged reforming the House of Lords - it is worse than before, filled with unelected cronies there in perpetuity - and all parties are equally guilty. No wonder the older I get the more disenchanted I get with our political system. Sack the lot I say.
Peter Turvey, Marlborough, Wilts

Text: High time the Lords were given a proper shake-up. Didn't Labour promise that?
LR, Thame

No to state funding. Better to limit the amount political parties can spend. How can they justify spending £32m? It's a huge sum - how is it spent - and how much tax payers money is paid to politically appointed persons effectively working for a party in power? Answer these questions and important issues can come to light. Money is power.
Jeremy Spencer, Cosford, Shropshire

Text: How white is Tony Blair's white?
David, Margate

If honours are to be awarded at all they might as well go to successful business people as failed politicians. It's always been a murky business. I've often thought the Queen touches knights with a sword only because a forty foot pole would be too heavy.
James Hilley, Middlesex

Text: I think that it's a disgrace that a seat in the Lords can be bought.
Tom

Can't understand why anybody would give any money to this shambolic bunch!
Matt, Epsom

Text: I'm not against Tony Blair raising money for the Labour party but selling peerages off is not on.
Mic, Romford

Text: Money has always equalled power! Why change now?
Al, Penge

Bribery is a criminal offence and such an allegation against government is serious indeed. Can we expect a full INDEPENDENT public inquiry, and if the allegation is substantiated, can we expect criminal proceedings to follow?
Doug Travers, Leeds

Text: When oh when are we going to have a democratically elected second chamber?
Will, London

Text: Reforming the Lords is like going to war in Iraq. Started with no idea on how to finish it.
Roy, Redhill

Why should political parties be state-funded? If they do not have public support and funding they are obsolete and should be left to die. If we went down the state funded route it would be just another gravy train favouring the big three parties.
Mike, Sunderland

Text: I'm not sure that getting into the Lords is what I'd want to do with a million.
HC, Sussex

Return to the top of the page

---

Drug testing

Audience question: Does the near killing of volunteers testing new drugs make animal experimentation more necessary, if not more palatable?

You said:

Text: These drugs WERE tested on animals first. If anything, it discredits vivisection as safe testing.
Frances, Greenwich

Why can we not use prisoners who are guilty of murder of children and police and also convicted paedophiles for testing drugs? They would then be re-paying, in a sense, part of the damage to life they have committed.
Christine, Milton Keynes

Text: Animals are specially bred for lab research - it isn't affecting endangered species.
Callie, Norwich

Text: Lab animals scream with pain too.
Cee, Kent

Text: Animals are not more expendable than humans. Animals don't go to war.
PT, Birmingham

Text: It shows just how poor and desperate students are now!
SG, Rugeley

The unfortunate incident with drug testing on humans has shown how pointless testing on animals has been.
Stephen, Swansea

Text: Testing on animals is vital. How else will modern medicine improve?
Pete, Rotherham

Text: Difference is the animals don't volunteer!
A, Kent

Return to the top of the page

---

Education bill

Audience question: Does the fact that the PM had to rely on Conservative votes to pass his flagship education bill hail the end of his political life?

You said:

Text: Wasn't reforming education one of Blair's top priorities eight years ago? We're still waiting.
DG, Sussex

What's all this about "bringing down Blair" if the Conservatives had defeated the education bill? Blair lost the 90-days terrorist amendment in a fully-whipped division, and he didn't disappear. As much as I'd love to see him get tipped out of office unceremoniously, I sincerely doubt that the Conservatives would have the ability to get rid of him (any more than Labour rebels can).
Will Liddle, Belfast, UK

Text: I am still waiting for David Cameron to disagree with Tony Blair!
David, Worsley

Text: I dint get no ejukashon so eni change wil elp.
Annie

What a very clever Conservative Prime Minister we have. Masquerading as he is, he is able to carry the Trade Unions and the working classes with him. Why on earth should I ever vote Conservative again?
Jean, Bristol

Text: It's a complete disgrace that a supposedly socialist govt has introduced this bill.
Marco, London

I totally agree with the gentleman in the audience. I think the quality of education is more to do with the local area rather than the quality of teaching. The teachers I know do a fantastic job.
Tony, London

Text: Margaret Hodge was leader of the council. She was in charge of the schools she is complaining about.
L, Islington

Text: The biggest difference with private schools is the real discipline without interference.
Chris, Blackpool

Text: It's not the local authority control that's the problem, it's the government and Ofsted.
A teacher

Text: Education starts in the home. So does discipline.
Shirley, Southport

Text: Education is not just about money - it's about adapting to the needs of different communities.
John, Nottingham

Return to the top of the page

---

Pensions

Audience question: What is the point of asking the ombudsman to investigate pensions if the recommendations will be ignored?

You said:

As a nation we cannot afford not to provide a safety net for members of failed occupational pension schemes. How much will it cost the taxpayer if people get the idea that their employer's pension scheme is not safe? Use the orphaned assets to meet the cost - or cut back on paying benefits to some of the less deserving cases. Who deserves our support more than people like these who have paid into a pension most of their working life?
Clive Hall, Tadworth, Surrey

Margaret Hodge repeatedly claimed that, to abide by the recommendations of the ombudsman to compensate pensioners due to the failure of companies, the government would have had to use taxpayers' money. Funny how the money required to fund an illegal war in Iraq could be found in a contingency fund. What is the difference between this and taxpayers' money? Another Tony Blair Con Trick.
Gordon Davidson, St. Helens

My mother was a victim of a failed private pension scheme. She saved for 15 years, yet her company last made a contribution in 1995. When the firm went bankrupt, the scheme was only half funded. Margaret Hodge's inability to fix the problem or even apologise is frankly disgusting. Her government's poor regulation allowed this under funding and should be held accountable. While David Willetts may not be exciting, I trust him infinitely more to run my pension scheme competently.
Simon, York

Margaret Hodge says taxpayers can't guarantee pensions. Why not? They guarantee hers.
Barbara Lightfoot, Congleton

I am a 58-year-old person with a disabled wife. I contributed to the Dexion Pension scheme for 32 years and was looking forward to a retirement in December 2007. The scheme folded in 2003. Because of my age and retirement date, I miss out on help from the government's financial assistance scheme by seven months. As it stands I will be compelled to look after my wife and continue working until the day I drop. As a person who has contributed to the economy all my working life, could somebody explain to me how I can get myself out of this predicament? Work hard, contribute to a scheme to protect my retirement which I believed was completely safe and end up with NOTHING. The Parliamentary ombudsman has stated clearly that people like myself should be compensated, only to be ignored by the government. What is the point of having a watchdog? My wife and I feel completely let down by the politicians who rule our lives. Shame on them. As lifelong Labour supporters we feel betrayed and will NEVER vote for that party again.

A very disgruntled and dismayed John Botfield.
John Botfield, Hemel Hempstead

Obviously this government considers itself above reproach and thus will ignore any criticism, even if it is 100% justified as in this case. Why appoint an ombudsman, who is tasked with investigating any alleged injustice in an impartial, unprejudiced manner, when, if you don't like their conclusions you ignore them anyway! As one of the 85,000 I am extremely bitter, since I gave 31 years to a company, always knowing that my investment in my pension was safe - what a disgrace. Any party that unreservedly states that it will correct this disgraceful mismanagement and failure to ensure proper protection for loyal employees and their pension expectations will deserve their undoubted victory at the next general election.
Bob Ford, Penryn, Cornwall

Tony Blair says he cannot justify using public funds to give the 85,000 people the pensions they have lost, but he had no problem finding public money for topping up the MPs' pension pot. Having been a Labour voter all my life this is not the action of a true Labour government and will not vote for them again
Barry Digwood, Richmond North Yorkshire

Why do politicians talk about a cheque for £15 billion? This will put the public off. The cost is spread over 30 or 40 years.
Trevor Woodcock, Darwen

Interesting debate on the pensions issue - the government is in the wrong and should compensate all of these people. If it was suddenly announced that all politicians had lost their pensions, I wonder what the government would say then?
Ken Powley, Hemel Hempstead

All Final Salary Pension Schemes should be scrapped since they are fundamentally flawed. This should start with the MPs, Civil Service, Police, Fire Service, Local Council and all other government bodies. The rest of the population who are suffering with their pension arrangements are the ones who are paying higher taxation to support these schemes. Although it is unfortunate that some employees are suffering with Final Salary Schemes how about all the Money Purchase schemes which have lost value partly due to the Chancellor's raid on pension schemes?
Don Baker, Great Missenden

Text: New Labour has destroyed this country's pensions.
Mark, Wakefield

As a tax payer myself, I would quite happily see the tax payer's money go towards those who have worked and saved for themselves rather than those who abuse the system to whom we pay millions each year.
Jessica Wallace, Manchester

Text: Don't expect politicians to reform pensions - they're doing all right.
Steve, Driffield

Text: This government can waste money on the Iraq war, yet not compensate these people.
Gary, Warrington

Text: Bring back a proper state pension scheme.
Susie, Leeds

Margaret Hodge appears to be a typical politician, shady with vague comments: never wrong. No wonder politicians throughout the UK are considered liars and self seekers of power. Question on pensions - How much is an MP's pension payout at retirement?
David Huggett, Ware, Herts

Text: I'll be lucky to have a job aged 60, let alone access to my chuffin pension.
Carmel, a nurse, Newcastle

Text: Usual, have a consultation, ignore contrary opinions.
Bernie, Cardiff

I think the government should compensate the workers who were wrongly advised about ploughing cash into final salary pension schemes. These workers now face a retirement of poverty after thinking that they would retire on a good pension. I do not think that, at a time when we are trying to encourage people to invest in a pension scheme at a young age, this situation will give them a lot of encouragement to do so. We need to know that any money invested in a pension scheme will be safe; this is clearly not the case at the moment.
Steve Fuller, Hove, East Sussex

Text: Brown has robbed people's pensions for nine years and ruined many schemes - he's the real criminal!
Rick, London

Return to the top of the page

---

Lasting trends

Audience question: It is 100 years since perms were first introduced. What is likely to be going strong 100 years from now?

You said:

What do perms have to do with politics?
Kim Heathcott, Norton, Cleveland

On the last question the panellists were talking about the city of Newcastle when they were in Gateshead - does it not show a degree of ignorance and rudeness to dismiss Gateshead for its neighbour?
Paulus, Sunderland

Return to the top of the page

---

General comments

You said:

Each week the New Labour representative on the panel is allowed to dominate the programme - DB allows them more airtime than any of the other panellists. Why is this - No 10 directive?
Linda, La Chapelle Neuve, Brittany

Those who continually criticise David Dimbleby's interruptions of panellists should watch the QT 25th anniversary programme. Sir Robin Day frequently interrupted panellists, even argued with them. Mr Dimbleby is well educated and well informed, and should thus be allowed to voice questions that members of the audience wished to ask anyway!
George Burr, Canterbury

Please could the panellists be allowed to make their point without being constantly interrupted by comments from the presenter. Politicians can often lead to their own demise just by letting them speak about their ideas and party lines instead of spending air time on what the current government is NOT doing. I will never vote for a party that does that, instead I want to hear exactly they would do if they were voted into exactly that position.
Mrs Hansford, Newbury

As usual Dimbers was a great host. If only the panel could see the comments that come up on Ceefax - some silly, some very good and some that just made me roar with laughter. Keep it up you lot.
Mr Athole Simpson, Woking

Last night's programme showed yet again that political high-office attracts the type of person who just shouldn't be allowed any responsibility over other people's lives. The 'non-Westminster' panellists invariably answer the questions pragmatically and to the point, whereas the professional politicians come out with prepared and theoretical dogma.
Paul S, Lichfield

I thought it was a good episode of Question Time. I'm 22 years old and watch it with my brother who is 21 and my friend who is also 21. Our favourite part of the show is the witty one liners David Dimbleby gives the politicians, always makes us laugh! Don't ever change David, we love you! The worst part of the show is probably listening to the Labour MP babble for ages. One thing I must say is why are the Labour and Conservative MPs always sat next to David, is it so he can ask them direct questions easier? I think the journalists and actors always being on the edge looking in can be bad.
Andrew, Worcester

Jenny Tonge is a complete waste of space. Why not have a proper Lib Dem MP or an MEP instead of this lightweight buffoon? With no real political accountability, she is free to spout irresponsible twaddle. Even Kwame was more realistic, and he's not even a politician.
Andrew Gill, London

Margaret Hodge I salute you. A new low in New Labour spin and evasion tactics. Here's a suggestion Margaret - see if you can pull a few strings in your ministry and claim YOUR PENSION NOW!!!
Philip , Stockton on Tees

Kwame's answers were so sickly sweet. What with his "in my humble opinions", it seemed that he was giving answers just because he thought they were what people wanted. Maybe a career boost?
Mark, Bristol

No more Mrs Hodge please... she likes the sound of her own voice too much , cannot respond with valid answers because of her party loyalty... the audience sighs to some of her comments tells it all.
Les Allan, Lichfield

I do enjoy your programme, but think that it would be greatly spiced up if all MPs were wired to a lie detector linked to a warning light. Then three strikes and their seat catches fire.
W Doe, Salisbury

Text: Hodge speaking from a parallel universe, as usual.
David, Cambridge

Text: QT should be re-named the Quirky Text show. They are SO much better than the programme, thanks texters.
Sue, Southsea

Is there any reason that Mr Dimbleby is unable to refer to members of the audience as that "lady" or "gentleman" rather than "woman" or "man"? It grates on me every time I hear it.
Nick Brown, Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Congratulations on a very good edition of Question Time tonight. A rough ride for the politicians. TV political policing which I normally don't approve of but done like this, serves us well. Simon Jenkins for Prime Minister.
Dorothy Smith, England

Text: Why Moscow?
Chris, Worcester

Text: Moscow, because it makes a trip to Ipswich look appealing!
Debbie, Norfolk

Would it be possible for the chairman of Question Time, Mr Dimbleby, to cease interrupting the panel members? During the answers to the first question tonight he constantly interrupted both the Labour and Conservative speakers. He is the Chairman, not a panellist and his behaviour has become totally unbearable. My wife and I will not be viewing the programme in future until he is replaced.
James McGraw, UK

Text: Note Labour MPs' tactic of shaking the head with a pitying look at the person they disagree with.
Jim, Nottingham

It would be interesting to have a breakdown week by week of exactly how much air time each member of the panel gets. For example, exactly how many minutes of air time did Margaret Hodge get tonight compared to the other panellists? I dare you to publish the result.
David Wilkinson, East Horsley

Text: Isn't the job of chairman to keep order, not interrupt?
Joyce, Lancs

Nothing overly constructive from Kwame this evening; he appeared to be taking all his notes form a pre-prepared sheet, so his contributions were not mind-blowing. However, worthwhile, interesting and passionate responses from Margaret Hodge and Jenny Tonge. The only thing shining about David Willetts tonight was his polished forehead; typical Tory. David Dimbleby continued in his aggravating fashion to interrupt the panellists, namely Hodge - unfair behaviour.
FMP, Ogmore

Text: They're all in the wrong studio. The Muppet show is next door.
Jeanne, Bucks

Why you invite Margaret Hodge on the programme only your producer, and Heaven, knows. It's quite obvious she treats anyone who doesn't agree with New Labour policies as "deeply disturbed".
Chris

Text: Thank heavens for Jenny Tonge.
Martin, Leeds

Please correct David Dimbleby that Baroness Tonge was never in the shadow cabinet. The Lib Dems have never been the main opposition party and therefore have never had a shadow cabinet.
Tim Croot, Chingford

Text: Can two-brains Willetts please lend one to Margaret Hodge?
Richard, Cardiff

Text: New Labour, keep smiling, the people might not notice.
Roy, Kent

David Dimbleby is getting far too cocky. Interruption after interruption, smart remark after smart remark. Let the panel talk without his constant unclever comments and remarks. We want to hear people's answers.
Douglas White, London

Text: We in Wales don't normally get a chance to text to QT as we usually get a rubbish Welsh programme.
Colin, Peniel

I'm 59... and since I was 15 years old I have supported Labour. Patricia Hodge, with her waffle, has just lost one Labour voter. I'm ashamed of being Labour when they have a spokesperson like her.
Leslie Watts, UK

Can I just ask why not one politician has given a yes or no answer to any question over the entire show and also why the current Labour Party takes no responsibility for anything that happens in this country?
Diarmuid Brophy, London

Return to the top of the page

---

Disclaimer: The BBC will put up as many of your comments as possible but we cannot guarantee that all e-mails will be published. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments that are published.