Thursday 13 June 2013

Question Time: Twilight edition.


David Dimbleby presents Question Time from Edinburgh, with an audience of 16 and 17-year-olds. The 2014 referendum on Scottish independence will be the first time anyone under 18 has had a vote in the UK.

Well, that should be interesting. A north of the border youth only, single issue show.
I can't help feeling uneasy when the Beeb do these semi-breakthrough events. The all female question time panel. What was the point of it? Did it prove women are just as capable of  telling  half truths backed up by dodgy statistics as men?  If its about minorities being heard should the BBc have an all Jewish panel? I doubt they would. But I bet an all disabled panel has been discussed many times. Doing something because it can be done isn't really groundbreaking is it?Avatar was simultaneously groundbreaking and a complete waste of time.
Anyway ..on with the show.

And points deducted if any of you try and type in a 'down with the kids' manner. Innit,loud deadbear rha!


1. When asked "Should Scotland be an independent country?" – the same question to be put to voters next year – 62% of the 2500 students who voted said no. .. is that job done?

2. Is it right teens are given the vote even though the majority are a massive drain on societies finances?

3. Would an independent Scotland be able to join the Euro?

4. How could the BBC collect revenue from an independent Scotland? 

5. What time do members of the panel think is too late to be going out?

Dimbytie - Angry Birds App tie.


Week 20

DtP 147

Measured 137
 Timbo614 128
 BQ(MP) 127
GSD 116
  ND 112
 
 Budgie 102 
 Hopper 99

Malcolm Tucker 96
Blue Eyes 70
 kynon 78
 Botogol 65

Taff -59
CU 57
Idle 48

Sackerson - 15
 Andrew -13

James Higham - 7 
 Graeme - 6
EK -6
anon - 3
 Phil5 - 2

28 comments:

Hopper said...

Dimbletie: tartan, why not?

1. Is it time to put a Scotsman back in charge of RBS?
2. How much tax should Scotland wring out of those sassenach companies like Google?
3. Why not give 16 year olds the vote? What could possibly go wrong?
4. Something something free education, innit?
5. Should a new Scotland be a better European?

I'm glad I'm not watching this one. I don't think I could take an entire room of self-righteous politically active yoof.

Nick Drew said...

dimbletie vaguely thistle-coloured

1) are under-18's much different in their attitudes to their elders and *ahem* betters?
2) is it right that English kids have to pay £££ to attend Scottish universities?
3) what are Scotland's great attributes that making going it alone so errr, attractive? (like mortality rates in Glasgow, secratian politics in Glasgow, etc etc etc)
4) do Scots really hate the Sassenach, or was it just a stunt to annoy Farago?
5) is the whole Salmond thing a stunt to annoy David Cameron? (answer to his hand, 'cause his face is rather studiously *not listening*)

Graeme said...

1/ since it is ok to use diesel generators to back-up windfarms, wny not just use diesel power to generate electricity in the first place?
2/ what will the BBC cut if independent Scots no longer pay the license fee
3/ is it viable for Scotland to be independent from the rest of the UK?
4/ should RBS sell off its English assets?
5/ should bScots who attend English amnd Welsh universities be charged as if they are overseas students?

measured said...

Evenin’ all.
Well, Scotland and youth … that changes everything. They are going to be far too sensible.

1. Are we going to let them keep their passports? How old do you have to be to vote, Jimmy?
2. Privacy vs. terroists. Now don’t you go reading my mind. When does the prying stop?
3. Education. Should we make bright students work harder? I thought they didn’t have to work at all.
4. Children in poverty. When will they get a proper population control policy on the agenda. Living standards have gone up in Scotland though. A bit awkward that. Triple lock. Ed? Chastity belts are not a good idea.
5. Some green environmental woolly subject. Who is going to pay for it, boys and girls? You!

Tie – a phosphorescent fluorescent green.

Sorry I didn’t meet you the other night BQ.

Kynon said...

Ye gods. Which particular fish in the barrel shall we go for tonight, I wonder (with salt & sauce & a bottle of Bru, of course)? Also, any idea who is on the panel?

Dimbytie - a lurid pink & blue effort. Possibly in a Paisley (see what I did there?) pattern.

1) Polls show support for independence is diminishing rapidly. Is this due to the persuasiveness of the "Better Together" campaign, or to the evasiveness/lack of clarity in the "Yes" campaign? (Messrs Salmond et al)

2) Should a newly independent Scotland become a member of the EU?

3) There has been much talk in the media about an "independent" Scotland keeping Sterling as a currency, and sharing other infrastructure-type things (certain bits of welfare state) with Westminster - not much of an independence? (We have seen how well having multiple countries with a shared currency is working out...)

4) 16-17 year olds being given the vote in the referendum - why are 16 & 17-year-olds deemed fit & competent to have a say on the future of the country, but not to vote on the members of the Scottish/UK parliaments who will govern them?

I think only 4 q's tonight. Hopeful that the youth will do us proud by being much sharper than some of the usual public attendees...

Kynon said...

Also - the end of the world is clearly nigh, as I have actually entered questions for the QT competition!

CityUnslicker said...

1 - should kidz get a vote?

2 - If scots in london can't vote, can we outlaw them evil tories too?

3 - Scotland NUCLEAR FREE Zone, is this a good idea?

4 - RBS should have Scotsman lead it, someone sensible, maybe Gordon Brown?

Dimbytie - Old school stripes for the kids!

Anonymous said...

Did anyone see that survey in the Economist saying that under-25s now tend to be more classically liberal?

If that's true, then I wonder if in 5-10 years the left will still be obsessed with "youth" and the "next generation" once they realise that they probably won't be voting for them.

Will they become obsessed with old farts and "wisdom"?

Taff said...

Going for 5 and a Gordon tartan tie.

1. Should RBS be taken into [Scottish] government control?

2. Scotland be a nuclear free zone - power and militarily.

3. Should Scottish secondary education be more rigorous and adopt the new proposed English system

4. Is Devo-max a better alternative to independence.

Last question is a long-shot.

5. Is football north of the border broke?

Let's hope its a lot better than last week

Taff

Malcolm Tucker said...

och aye, porridge etc.

1. Independence - good idea or bad?
2. How many kids will actually vote? historically its under 15% of 18-21 year olds.
3. RBS - 2000 more jobs losses. Is banking finished in Scotland?
4. If independence fails does the SNP cease to have a function?
5. Should the age of consent be lowered to 15 in Scotland?

gsd said...

Hi all. This is going to be difficult -not only are the audience foreign, but they are young too!

1) Should Scottish glens be despoiled with windmills to provide power to England? And would they still be subsidised?

2) Should the voting age be lowered permanently?

3) Is there a split along age lines for those in favour/against independence? If so, why?

4) Should Scotland adopt the Euro?

5) Lobbying: Is the proposed plan for a register going far enough?


Dimbletie = blue & grey

Taff said...

Twitter says that Farage is a late addition to QT tonight!

So you can change your questions now,

Budgie said...

1. As a new member of the EU, how could an independent Scotland possibly avoid being forced into the euro (as all newly joining nations are bound to do)?

2. Where will the English put their nuclear submarines?

3. The UK will lose its UN seat when Scotland leaves the UK; which eager bloc should get it instead?

4. How can an independent Scotland protect itself from state snoopers like the NSA and GCHQ? Surveillance/"nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide"/Ed Snowden/civil liberties/etc.

5. Should Wendi Deng become a Scotsman?
Wendi:
When shall we three meet again,
In thunder, lightning or in rain?

Salmond:
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.

MacMurdoch:
That will be ere the set of sun.

Wendi:
Where the place?

MacMurdoch:
In court.

Salmond:
There to meet with the sassenachs' doom.

DtP said...

Evenin all

Dimbletie - a green acoutrement!

1) Franchise

2) Frakkin

3) Independence

4) Monetary policy

5) Booze

Cheers Bill.

Budgie said...

Arrrgghhhh, Sun, not sun.

Timbo614 said...

OOh, err, missus. Scottish yoof questions!

I am going to shamelessly pinch a mixture of everyone else's :)

1) How are young people in Scotland supposed to plan for the future given they might be in/out of the Euro and/or in/out of the UK?

2) Is the hospitality afforded Mr. Farage what the [Spit]English[Pah!](TM) should expect after independence?

3) The lobbying register thing, will it be enough?

4) General Free stuff like Medicines and uni that the [Spit]English[Pah!](TM) have to (LOL) pay for - will the younger generation have to pay in future(if independence thing again)?


5) If Scotland gets independence will they stop charging VAT and [Spit]English[Pah!](TM) climate levies on my fuel bills? Maybe it can just be lower(Higher!) Could that be a market opportunity?

Dimby Tie: White with Blue things on it.

Sackerson said...

Tie: a cross gules on ground argent.

1. If Scotland separates from UK, should it join the EU?

2. Should we be worried about Prism when we tell everything to Google, Amazon and Facebook?

3. Should Sir Alex Ferguson put himself forward for election as an MSP?

4. Will the film of the Heartstone books be made?

5. Will Rupert Murdoch marry a Scottish lass?

Bill Quango MP said...

Dimby tie black with pink stars and hint of green.

Dimby says this QT is NOT going to be about Scottish independence. I seem to have misunderstood the blurb on the BBC website. Damn!

First question : Is surveillance of our internet activity an acceptable price for national security?

Q2: What benefits would Independence bring for young people in Scotland?

Q3: Don’t agree that 16 to 17 year olds have enough experience to vote in Referendum, do you agree? {dimby realises he's only had 2 questions and everyone answers like they're on speed..rush rush rush.}

Q4: Should the UK intervene in Syria?

Well..it wasn't as bad as last week but that did set the bar very low.
Best bit was a kid getting a question about aliens in. Most likely for a bet.

I think the teens should have acted like proper teenagers and all got their phones out and called each other up.

Geroge galloway said Syria has been at the negotiating table and still is always.
So? So was Gaddafi. So was Saddam. His ambasadors never left the peace talks.
Neither did North Koreans or the UN from 1950-1953. Or North Vietnam and the US from 1965 until 1973.
Being at a peace table but refusing any demand sis a fig leaf.
He's a shameless apologist for dictators.

Bill Quango MP said...

Scores.

BQ-6

Hopper 5 +1 for first = 6

Nick Drew - sort of - 6 i think.

Graeme 5 +1 for the windfarm one - made me laugh - 6

Measured - 5 {sorry i missed you too. Did you drink much?}

kynon - 7 +1 for 4qs + the Dimbytie for 12.

CU -6 +1 for 4 qs = 7

Anon - doubt it. Youth is where it will be. Except on Yesterday channel.

Taff - bit awry. - 3 And it was a little better.

Malcolm - good 7

gsd - 5

Budgie - good try - 4

Dtp - 4

Timbo - 6

Sackerson - hello! 4

winner is kynon who get to say if Scotland could join the Eu without joining the Euro?

BrianSJ said...

The Greens have noticed that the BBC can be biased. http://www.patrickharviemsp.com/2013/06/scottish-greens-lodge-complaint-with-bbc-question-time/

They don't like it up 'em. No they don't.

Kynon said...

Clearly the trick for me is to not enter for a few weeks!

Could Scotland join the EU without joining the Euro? Answer is in the EU's T&Cs for membership - not a snowball's chance in hell!

Bill Quango MP said...

Not even if they have a quiet word with the club secretary? Pointing out that they are a member now, without the Euro?
Couldn't they have special dispensation .. for long service? And having indirectly paid green fees since 1973?

Kynon said...

I suspect that would require a very long "negotiating" session in the 19th hole...

Also, given that the UK's non-Euro membership is something of an oddity, and at odds with the rule that new members must adopt the Euro, secession of Scotland from the Union would render us to be effectively a new entrant to the EU...and membership of the EU is possibly the one thing that makes most golf course green fees look reasonable value!

The whole argument over whether Scotland would already be a member, or whether we would effectively be creating a new country (for EU purposes) is frankly a shambles, riddled with "he said she said" and no definitive statement from anyone - it's all opinion so far. I imagine that the legal wrangling over this all will take years, possibly decades to untangle. Then you have issues of welfare state sharing with Eng/Wal/NI, currency (if it's not the Euro) & associated monetary policy, nuke-free vs NATO...it all adds up to something that will keep a bunch of "worthy" individuals tied in knots for a long time to come.

However - the question asked as the winners prize was a straightforwardly-phrased one, and I have answered with my opinion. I am not a lawyer, politician, or constitutional expert, your mileage may vary, do your own due diligence etc etc etc.

(Also - have I got all my "turned up late again" points for the QT quiz?)

measured said...

Too much, BQ, as I hadn't eaten.

Very well done @Kynon I reckon you got enough points this week.

Kynon said...

Measured: You are probably correct, best not to be greedy! :)

10th out of 22 - I can probably live with that.

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Well, that should be interesting. A north of the border youth only, single issue show.
I can't help feeling uneasy when the Beeb do these semi-breakthrough events. The all female question time panel. What was the point of it?""

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