Downing Street snubs BBC in Question Time panel dispute
DOWNING Street refused to allow a government minister to appear on the BBC's Question Time last night unless Tony Blair's former adviser, Alastair Campbell, was removed.
No 10 complained about the presence of Mr Campbell on the weekly discussion show, the corporation said.
Downing Street said he was not elected or a front-bench spokesman and asked for him to be replaced by a shadow minister. The BBC said it refused the demand as a point of "fundamental principle".
No representatives from the coalition government appeared on the show, although Treasury secretary David Laws was understood to be available.
Besides Mr Campbell, the other guests were Conservative MP John Redwood, former Lib Dem MP Susan Kramer and journalists Piers Morgan and Max Hastings.
Introducing the programme, host David Dimbleby said it was up to "us on Question Time to decide who should be on the programme, not Downing Street".
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Monday 28 May 2012
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