BBC Question Time, as seen from Twitterland

Is Ben Brogan the bastard child of Lady Penelope and Parker?

I managed to be asleep during what was the year’s TV highlight it appears - and the iplayer won’t have it available until tomorrow.

So how to read the mood on the other side of the screen (in Grimsby it was obviously ‘burn the witch!’)? Twitter of course and - what’s this? - it’s ‘trending’? It’s number one trending?!

Thousands of tweets it appears and after sifting through the spam - oh yes, just add #bbcqt for attention for your eco-funerals or whatever - here are some highlights (going backwards, as is the twitway).

bengoldacre: #bbcqt can we have some kind of air raid siren for the next time something that good is on telly please?

jonreed of course, people in Grimsby are always that angry. The #bbcqt cameras just happened to be on them this evening.

barneygale @RhysT #bbcqt Did the irony of the McDonalds CEO talking about the elite few exploiting the weak not strike you? I’d laugh if I wasn’t cryin

stephenpglenn RT @steevbishop: #bbcqt The final question will be about the change to Twitter replies and the audience then burn the hall down.

adlopa I’m voting with my feet at the next election. I have a weeping bunion that I can mark the ballot paper with. #bbcqt

alexchafer #bbcqt, they didnt say it exactly as “it was withn the rules” but it was suggested 8 times in total using different terminology

jjaron And now it’s time to switch over to Question Time: You’re Fired http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7459669.stm #bbcqt

AndySawford #bbcqt none of the panellists happy chatter in the closing credits, they all looked stunned

gift_of_the_fab #bbcqt Arghh… they didn’t get to the bash Michael Martin question. Fail.

dancohen243 RT @craigmcgill Dear Mrs Beckett, journos have always found stories via leaks Don’t whine now or try & bring your staff in as victims #bbcqt

siliconglen #bbcqt And another “one rule for them and another for us”, how come House of Commons bar is exempt from smoking ban? MPs need to get real.

mathewhulbert @doktorb How dare Ming Campbell lecture Ben Brogan? #bbcqt.

andrewl No Ming, no transparency required - the DT are using *private* money - you’re wasting my money away. #bbcqt

KerryMP @doktorb Why - because I’m accusing Ming of being sanctimonious and desperately scrambling for moral high ground? #bbcqt

mutantsounds #bbcqt Sheesh, Margaret, seriously - just shut up and try to look sorry for the rest of the show. It’s working for Theresa May.

petermoore “The first rule of journalism: don’t discuss your sources.” (Ben Brogan of The Telegraph on the expenses ‘disc’) #bbcqt

mattwardman RT @KerryMP: #bbcqt Is Ben Brogan the bastard child of Lady Penelope and Parker?

antagonise Margaret Beckett, #tool of the DNA/data storing gov’t, is worried about personal data of #State employees. The #irony! #bbcqt #questiontime

siwhitehouse #bbcqt Telegraph a “receiver of stolen goods” . . . think I can guess the next audience comment

simonbarrow Good grief, someone on BBC QT wants to ‘knight’ the Telegraph. The kangaroo court’s rage blinds it to other forms of vested interest. #bbcqt

stephenpearne #bbcqt Presumably Beckett is wearing a bright red jacket to conceal the fact that she has been red in the face whenever she’s been speaking.

ComeOnYouReds Ming - afghanistan casulaties overshadowed by expenses debacle - 7 on the clapometer. #bbcqt

wardmanwire #bbcqt Where does one get a tool to manage 50-60 tweets a minute?

patricksmyth That fat guy in the blue shirt has heckled Beckett from the start,when she answers him he says ‘don’t talk to me like that’.Hilarious #bbcqt

crishawes #bbcqt Ming “It’s out job to clean it up”… yeah, like asking an arsonist to put out the fire.

KerronCross “Throw the bums out, on their ear.” I wonder if Ben Brogan is being anatomically correct there? #bbcqt

IanDouglas Margaret Beckett giving Ben Brogan the look of death #bbcqt

kcorrick Ronald McDonald is coming across very well #bbcqt Although is in slightly nicer position. Good point about potential apathy.

EbA Love the guy who said we want action but not spin then went on to talk about David Cameron. You been spun fool. #bbcqt

norock Ah. Beckett now suggesting that EVERYONE is too busy being good MPs to look after the details of claiming millions… #bbcqt

liambillington #bbcqt Theresa May sounds as if she is about to burst into tears.

doktorb #bbcqt - “You’re not trusted!” “You’re too busy fiddling expenses” “Don’t lecture me!” cries audience members.

lexij #bbcqt Margaret Beckett “people are at risk of losing their jobs” Hmmm. Indeed.

StephenMullen Audience member worried that because of the expenses issue, that the BNP may get elected. #bbcqt #votetostopthebnp

norock Wow - where did they find the ‘can’t we just say something nice about politicians’ woman for the #bbcqt audience?

Tweetolla #bbcqt String quartet now playing in background for Menzies Campbell’s 73 hours travelling a week ‘woe is me’ plea.

DarrellGoodliff #bbcqt surprising smattering of applause for attack on the media

KerryMP #bbcqt ‘Cameron showed leadership when he found out what MPs were up to’… Such as claiming £680 to remove wisteria from their chimneys?

doktorb #bbcqt - “Brown is a donkey” calls man from crowd.

ydue impressive fail-off from ming and beckett #bbcqt WHYYYYYYY AM I ONLY PAID 3X THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WHYYYYYYY DO I HAVE TO WORK SO MANY HOURS

radioproducer The #bbcqt discussion on twitter would appear to be, unplanned, unmanaged, unmoderated, free, and very successful.

.. and that’s where search twitter etc. stop as it goes way over 1000 tweets and my browser blows up …



Postscript: having now watched it I don't see the residents of Grimsby lynching Margaret Beckett. Compared to historical, riotous reaction to the-powers-that-be this was incredibly tame. Twitterland gave its own, quite different, perspective on last night's events.