A GRAND NIGHT OUT...FOR MRS BALLS

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There was an early exchange between David Dimbleby and William Hague on last night's Question Time that seemed to show characteristic Dimbleby bias:
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Dimbleby: Last week he did 26% to Clegg's 43% in terms of winning
Hague: Well the figures are much better for him this week
Dimbleby: Yes, he did 30% to Clegg's 33%
Hague: Or 36 to 32, depending on the survey
Dimbleby: He hasn't overtaken Clegg. It's still Nick Clegg as the most honest, Nick Clegg as the person most people would vote for.
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Having either been caught out, or having made an honest mistake (and what looked like dawning realisation on his face that William Hague had been right suggests that the latter possibility should at least be considered), Dimbleby then 'fessed up, initially somewhat grudgingly: "The poll I was quoted was Comres. There was also a poll for The Sun by YouGov which had David Cameron admittedly ahead of Nick Clegg, 36, you're quite right (pointing to Hague), Nick Clegg on 32, down from 51" and then covered up his embarrassment by suddenly growing very animated and saying "the people who decide of course are you, the audience" before invitating an audience member to speak. Bias, caught out and unwillingly corrected? Or am honest mistake, (eventually) willingly corrected? You decide.
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This next point, however, cannot be so easily excused. After badgering Mr Hague, he turned to Yvette Cooper and asked: "Yvette Cooper, why do you think Clegg gets top marks for honesty of all three, way ahead, 43%?" There was no follow up question, asking "Why did Gordon Brown lose out to Nick Clegg again, 33% to 30%?". Nor, after his 'clarification' did he return to her to ask "Why has Gordon Brown come third again, 29% to David Cameron's 36%?" Why not?
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Later in the programme David Dimbleby sent a swarm of questions/interruptions flying at William Hague, but he also launched several surprisingly stinging forays against Sir Ming Campbell. Only Labour's fragrant Yvette Cooper ('Yvette' to David Dimbleby) escaped almost entirely unharmed. This, as you know, is far from unusual with David Dimbleby. Far too many Labour politicians come away pretty much unscathed from Question Time.
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Who got most time to speak?
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1. Yvette Cooper - 11 minutes 46 seconds
2. Sir Ming Campbell - 10 minutes 41 seconds
3. William Hague - 10 minutes 20 seconds
4. Ann Leslie - 7 minutes 10 seconds
5. Elfyn Llwyd - 6 minutes 3 seconds
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Who received the most interruptions from David Dimbleby?
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1. William Hague - 10
2. Sir Ming Campbell - 8
3. Ann Leslie - 4
4. Elfyn Llwyd - 3
5. Yvette Cooper - 3
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Who scored the highest interruption coefficient?
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1. William Hague - 1.2
2. Sir Ming Campbell - 0.8
3. Ann Leslie - 0.6
4. Elfyn Llwyd - 0.5
5. Yvette Cooper - 0.3
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Who was asked the most supplementary questions by David Dimbleby?
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1. William Hague - 14
2. Sir Ming Campbell - 10
3. Ann Leslie - 5
4. Yvette Cooper - 4
5. Elfyn Llwyd - 3
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In less than a week's time David Dimbleby will host the final prime ministerial debate.