I am really, really chuffed that BBC Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions?‘ programme was broadcast live from Leyton ward on Friday night.
Regular visitors to this site will recall that back in January, I invited Jonathan Dimbleby, and the Any Questions team, to broadcast the show from the gorgeous Score Building in my ward, as part of my continuing bid for Leyton’s world domination!!! 🙂
Political legend Tony Benn (pictured above far right); the Daily Mail’s chief sketch writer Quentin Letts (pictured partially behind Liz Forgan, second from left); English Heritage’s Liz Forgan (Front, second from left); and philosopher Professor A.C Grayling (pictured behind me, to the right) joined the programme’s Chair Jonathan Dimbleby (pictured behind me to the left) for a really cracking show.
Thanks so much to Julian Martin (pictured far left), Chief Executive of O-Regen, which manages the Score Building, and his team, for all their help and support in putting the event together.
Even though there were no elected politicians on Friday night’s panel, the show was an excellent one – in fact, most people remarked that they thought the level of debate was far higher on Friday night, as opposed to the usual shows where the elected politicians say barely anything controversial, for fear of upsetting their party’s high command.
Topics covered in Friday night’s questions included the UN’s latest warning on climate change, the latest bursts of football hooliganism we saw last week, the British Iran navy hostage crisis, the Olympics and young people and knife crime (little did we know that yet another young man was being stabbed to death only minutes away from us, as the programme went to air – I will write about that in a separate posting).
Prior to Friday, I had been quite nervous that, as the show was airing on Good Friday, audience turnout would be low. But I needn’t have worried as the room was packed.
I am really grateful to all the local residents who came along – but particularly the young representatives from George Mitchell school (where I am a governor), Leyton Sixth Form College, Kreative Culture Klub and the Noor Ul Islam mosque.
I am sorry that you didn’t get to ask a question but I’ll make sure you do when I get the TV version down to Leyton. Watch this space! 😉
After the show, I invited Harry Cohen MP (pictured above right) and his wife Ellen, to join Jonathan Dimbleby and the panel for some wine and nibbles, and to again thank the Any Questions team for accepting my invitation to our local area.
I was really pleased that Harry and Ellen were able to be there. I am always grateful for their support for the work I’m trying to do in Leyton ward and their presence on Friday made the show extra special.
So, once again, all I can say is I’m really chuffed that Any Questions came to my ward.
I’m now on a mission to get BBC One’s Questiontime here – by hook or by crook!!!
To listen to Friday night’s show, go to: www.bbc.co.uk/anyquestions/
What a fantastic show. Getting this bastion of the establishment to come to Leyton just shows what a fantastic job Miranda is doing putting Leyton on the map. I agree that the diversity of the panel made for an excellent debate
I’ve said this before but well done Miranda for getting R4 to Leyton! As an occasional Any Questions listener, I thought it particularly good they got to broadcast from such a diverse, and young, part of East London.
It’s always good to see and hear from Tony Benn and I thought the questions from the audience particularly fine! (Slightly biased as I’m the one who asked about climate change). Excellent programme.
Dear Laura and Andrew, thanks so much to you both! I am really happy you were both able to be there. Your support and friendship means a lot to me. Take care and see you soon. Miranda
Thanks for getting the show down to Leyton. I was there, enjoyed the debate and keenly anticipate the Question Time crew.