On the Road to a Big Debate
Post categories: Behind the Scenes, Blogs, Borders, Events, Glasgow, Inverness, News, Presenters, Programmes
|16:09 UK time, Thursday, 8 April 2010
Election season is most definitely upon us and one person who won't be escaping it is Brian Taylor or any of the news team for that matter - it's possibly one of their busiest periods.
Nevertheless, I took the opportunity to ask David Holmes Senior Broadcast Journalist and Producer of Brian Taylor's Big Debate to write a few words for the blog:
There's a noticeable buzz in the BBC Scotland newsroom now that the election campaign is officially underway.
We're in full electioneering mode with programmes gearing to "go on the road" to cover the different aspects of the campaign from around Scotland before May 6.Being on road for "Brian Taylor's Big Debate" is nothing new. We're there most weeks. But what is new is our start time? We're on air an hour earlier at 12:15.
And our panellists will now be politicians or political wannabes hoping to replace previous incumbents.
This week we're in Greenock where we're joined by Labour's David Cairns, the SNP's John Mason, the Liberal Democrats' Alan Reid and the Conservatives' Bill Aitken.
After that we're off to the constituencies where Brian will put the respective candidates through their paces in front of an invited audience.
First stop on Friday 16 April is Kelso in the constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk. BRS sees the Liberal Democrats trying to hold off the Tories.
Na H-Eileanan An Iar (Western Isles) is held by the SNP, but it's one of Labour's top five target seats in Scotland. We're in Stornoway on Friday 23 April.
Finally on Friday 30 April we're in Alloa. With a Labour majority of only 688 Ochil and South Perthshire is the SNP's top target seat.
If you'd like to be in any of the audiences for these programmes, email brian@bbc.co.uk.
Otherwise you can hear "Brian Taylor's Big Debate" on BBC Radio Scotland from the new time of 12:15 on Fridays.
Comment number 1.
At 21:35 8th Apr 2010, cynicalHighlander wrote:A question why is Purcell and the GCC not a subject to be debated on the BBC blogs yet it is allowed in other mainstream publications.
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Comment number 2.
At 22:12 8th Apr 2010, madmacfraeclydebank wrote:Did you not know, he's not subject to the General Election.
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Comment number 3.
At 22:27 8th Apr 2010, Barbazenzero wrote:Perhaps you could start by asking Brian who is the "owner" of his blog and why has that individual taken to closing live threads - something hardly ever done - just at the start of the UK general election campaign?
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Comment number 4.
At 23:58 8th Apr 2010, Barbazenzero wrote:Tomorrow's Big Debate would be a good opportunity to ask all four of Scotland's major parties to clarify their differences on defence policy? As an aide memoire, you could use the Thunderer's new leader - Arms and the Plan.
Beginning "Defence was once the most divisive issue in British politics. It is no longer." and going on to remind us that "The Liberal Democrats oppose a “like-for-like” replacement for Trident. That may be the worst of all postures." it rather implies that only the L-Ds are "iffy" about nuclear weapons. Perhaps I'm having what my kids call a "senior" moment [to my face, anyway!] but I could have sworn that one of Scotland's major parties wants to scrap them altogether. Again, maybe my geography is rusty but I seem to recall that Greenock, where you're debating tomorrow, is pretty close to where these Trident thingies are stored.
Wouldn't it be nice to have some clear blue heavy water between the parties? Your local audience might even think it relevant!
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Comment number 5.
At 18:57 9th Apr 2010, madmacfraeclydebank wrote:#3&4
If you'd like to be in any of the audiences for these programmes, email brian@bbc.co.uk.
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Comment number 6.
At 22:41 9th Apr 2010, Alan Braidwood wrote:hello madmacfraeclydebank,
thanks for passing on the email address to come along and take part in Brian's Big Debate. Here's Brian's homepage if anyone's looking for more info: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mk70p
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Comment number 7.
At 23:33 9th Apr 2010, madmacfraeclydebank wrote:No problem Alan.
Some bloggers ought to put their money where their mouth is!
Whoops, sorry that's another thread l.o.l.
Best wishes to you and the team with your blog.
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