BRING BACK THE BULLOCK!

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The stats for last night's Question Time show that David Dimbleby picked on one of the guests above all others - and by some margin:
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Andrew Lansley (Conservative) - 21 interruptions, I.C. of 1.9
Vince Cable (Lib Dem) - 7 interruptions, I.C. of 0.8
Kirstie Allsopp (TV presenter & babe) - 4 interruptions, I.C. of 0.6
Margaret Beckett (Labour) - 5 interruptions, I.C. of 0.6
Clive Anderson (TV presenter) - 5 interruptions, I.C. of 0.5
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Note that Andrew Lansley's I.C. was twice that of Vince Cable and three times larger than Mrs Beckett. That's David Dimbleby for you!
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As to the nature of the questioning, Dimbleby's attitude to Vince Cable was affectionate, despite some gentle ribbing over the 'Mansion Tax' ("Do you think the halo's slipping?"), and even supportive at times (as at 4.42 when he interrupted Vince only to back him up: "You're saying they've always been risking our money." "That's right", said Vince and flowed on. (Another example will be given later.) When Afghanistan was discussed Cable was allowed to speak for 1 minute 18 seconds without question or interruption.
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Margaret Beckett was treated with even greater respect, despite a brief bit of ribbing over the length of her time in government, only being seriously interrupted over Gordon Brown's class-warfare. Sample the questions at 9.30 and 9.58 to hear what I mean about Dimbleby's respectful tone towards the much-loved ex-minister (sic).
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Compare that to Mr Lansley's treatment. During his first answer to the first question alone he faced an onslaught of intentionally disruptive interruptions from the ultra-biased Dimbleby. At 7.44 came "Well how would you stop it? You can say it till you're blue in the face. How can you stop it?" Then at 7.56 "A windfall tax on the banks. Is that what Tories are proposing?" Then at 8.00 it was "Well what are you proposing, if you say you're going to do something but you're not going to do anything as far as (mumble)?" followed at 8.06 by "Nobody could make head nor tail of what he (George Osborne) was saying at his conference speech" (provoking audience laughter). At 8.09 Dimbleby graciously said, "Go on then", though at 8.29 he was back at it, interrupting Andrew Lansley yet again "But these are wishes, these are wishes". He tried to stop him at 8.45 "All right" (perhaps to ensure that there would be no chance for applause, though given the large left-wing majority in the audience, he probably needn't have worried!!). Mr Lansley struggled on but Dimbleby persisted, "Margaret Beckett. Hold on, hold on a moment (to Lansley). Margaret Beckett (inviting her to attack the Tories), what do you make of that suggestion from the Tories?" All this happened in less than two minutes!!
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During Mr Lansley's brief intervention during the 'Mansion Tax' question, the second question, (less than 35 seconds in all!!), he was interrupted yet again - first to be corrected by Dimbleby on Dr Cable's constituency (18.21) ("Twickenham he represents, not Richmond, much poorer") and then at 18.39 to defend Vince Cable!! ("But you've all got to raise taxes. I mean if you get in this time you've got to raise taxes. He's (Cable's) just thinking of ways of raising money.")
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Four more interruptions followed during the Afghanistan question. No one else was interrupted more than once, indeed - as mentioned earlier - Vince Cable got in a long, interrupted answer, and Clive Anderson banged on for nearly two minutes without interruption. When (at 33.38) Lansley began attacking Labour Dimbleby swiftly interrupted again, saying "All right, I want to move on". I bet he did!

During the fourth question - on Brown, class warfare and the politics of envy - Dimbleby had close at hand the story of Nancy Mogg, as well as a mocking comment from Kelvin McKenzie about Etonians in the Tory Party (which he was determined to read out in full & get his laugh at the Conservatives' expense ("Hold on!")) He invited Clive Anderson to have a go at Zak Goldsmith and during Lansley's attempted defence of his party was found talking over him (at 36.02 he muttered "I didn't think Harriet Harman went to Charterhouse" and tried to hand over to "Margaret Beckett?"), then as Lansley ploughed on "I went to.." interrupted with a quip at his expense "You went to school!" (provoking laughter from the moronic audience.) He interjected again at 36.27 "But are you saying it's wrong, sorry I won't go on about this, that Gordon Brown is trying to use the politics of envy?" but, barely before Mr Lansley's answer has begun (at 36.34) said "Margaret Beckett" again & this time succeeded in shutting the Tory up.
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On the fifth question (about the Swiss referendum on banning minarets), Andrew Lansley was badgered about a referendum on Europe, again receiving almost all the panel's quota of interruptions on offer (4!).
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Even on the frothy final question (about Tiger Woods), Dimbleby said "Andrew Lansley, very briefly if you would" before his only answer on the question. This was the only guest of whom brevity was requested. When Mrs Beckett followed all Dimbleby said was "Margaret Beckett?". This would be a small point were it not for the fact that all such requests made in the last four programmes have been directed at either a Conservatives (Cheryl Gillan and Nick Herbert) or a conservative (Melanie Phillips) - and no one else.
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It's well beyond time that David Dimbleby was pensioned off. If not that then at least let the bullock have another go.
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