Extra BBC ‘Question Time’ Show With Reform UK Announced After ‘Exclusion’ Complaint

Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage (L) and leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth take part in the BBC Election Debate, at BBC Broadcasting House in London, on June 7, 2024. (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Following a complaint over his exclusion from the BBC’s “Question Time Leaders’ Special,” the broadcaster will allow Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to take part in the programme.

The BBC has added an additional episode of the “Question Time” show to its election coverage. It will air on June 28 on BBC One and will feature Mr. Farage and a Green Party representative.

According to the broadcaster, the decision to add an extra programme with Mr. Farage “reflects the fact that it is clear from across a broad range of opinion polls that the support for Reform UK has been growing.”

“As a public service broadcaster the BBC recognises that the policies and proposals of the party deserve scrutiny at a time convenient for mass audiences,” the statement added.

The BBC said that it offered the same scheduling opportunity on “Question Time Leaders’ Special” to the Green party “in the interests of fairness.”

A statement by the broadcast added that its programme schedules remain under review during the general election campaign. On Thursday, the “Question Time” programme will feature representatives from the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.

Mr. Farage, who had complained about being excluded from the line-up, has responded to the BBC announcement.

“I am pleased that the BBC acknowledge that support for Reform UK has been growing in this election,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

He added that Reform UK should also be included in the final head-to-head debate between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer on June 26.

Scheduling Changes

Mr. Farage, who resumed his role as leader of Reform UK after Mr. Sunak called for am election on July 4, took part in the BBC’s seven-party debate earlier this month. A snap viewer poll named Mr. Farage the winner of the debate, where politicians clashed over immigration, the state of the NHS and the support for war veterans.

The Tuesday announcement also included details of an altered schedule for the series of Panorama interviews with the leaders of the seven biggest political parties in the UK.

Hosted by Nick Robinson, the “Panorama” interview with Mr. Farage will be broadcast on June 21. The interview was originally scheduled for last week, but was postponed “for logistical reasons.”

It came after a row broke out over the comments by Reform’s candidate in Bexhill and Battle, Ian Gribbin.

A post made by Mr. Gribbin in 2022 came to light this month and caused a stir over his claim that Britain would have been better off if, had it “taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality.”

Voting Intention

Mr. Farage’s “Panorama” interview will be followed by that with the co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay on June 24. Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey will be featured on the show on June 28.

Both Mr. Sunak and Sir Keir have already appeared on the “Panorama” show.

Last week Mr. Farage’s party overtook the Conservatives for the first time in a major opinion poll. A YouGov survey released on June 13 had Reform UK at 19 percent to the Conservatives’ 18 percent in voting intention.

“With Reform UK having seen a slow but steady upward trend in their vote over the last few months, there had been whispers that the day might come when a poll shows the party overtaking the unpopular Conservatives,” said YouGov.

Mr. Farage hailed the poll, claiming his party is now the “opposition to Labour.”

Meanwhile, current headline voting intention poll by Ipsos shows Labour in the lead with 42 percent, followed by Conservatives with 23 percent, both Reform and Green Party with 9 percent and the Liberal Democrats with 8 percent.

PA Media contributed to this report.