Who should be on BBC Question Time panels in this age of Coalition government?

This how The Times summarises the controversy surrounding last night's Question Time panel:

"Downing Street has been accused of refusing to allow a Cabinet minister to appear on Question Time last night unless Alastair Campbell was taken off the panel. The BBC said it rejected the demand on principle. It is understood that No 10 refused to allow a senior MP to appear unless a Labour frontbencher appeared. No 10 allegedly said Mr Campbell was not suitable. The panel consisted of the Tory MP John Redwood, the defeated Lib Dem MP Susan Kramer, Piers Morgan, Max Hastings and Mr Campbell."

Mr Campbell loved the experience and, as a stunt, held up a framed photograph of the Cabinet minister who had been expected to take part, David Laws.

Iain Dale attacked Downing Street for its alleged decision not to send a Cabinet minister:

"What a ridiculous decision by Number Ten to withdraw a panellist from Question Time because Alastair Campbell was representing Labour rather than a Labour frontbencher. It makes them look petty and small minded. The Question Time production team were quite right to tell them to bugger off. It's for Question Time to invite guests onto their programme, not the government."

My guess is that this is only the beginning of problems with panel selection on programmes like Question Time. The BBC has already said that "in discussions or packages the coalition will only need one representative - Conservative or Liberal Democrat." Will this mean that Vince Cable or Chris Huhne will be the person loyal Tories will have as their 'spokesman' on some editions of Question Time? Yes. Liberal Democrats will sometimes have to swallow Iain Duncan Smith as the representative of 'their government'. The BBC is also saying, however, that it will include "different voices of opposition parties". So Norman Tebbit and Jill Kirby might get more appearances as representatives of conservatism. Jenny Tonge and Charles Kennedy may appear more often as representatives of grassroots Liberal Democracy.

I was on stand by for Question Time two weeks ago but was not used. Given the new set up where the Coalition will often have just one representative there will be more spaces on such programmes for different voices. It could make the programme more interesting.

As for last night's programme I can't be so critical of Downing Street as Iain Dale. In the week of the Queen's Speech it was legitimate for the Coalition to expect a more traditional panel choice with elected party representatives debating the government's programme. Mr Campbell has a book to sell and that is why he - after many attempts by the BBC - finally agreed to take part. But rather than have a shadow cabinet minister alongside him Question Time chose another left-wing media star, Piers Morgan, to appear on the panel. Campbell AND Morgan on the same programme was an odd choice. I think it was legitimate for Downing Street to question that choice and it was naughty of the BBC to install John Redwood - a critic of Coalition policy on CGT - as a representative of the other side of the debate before discussions with Downing Street had concluded. But Iain is right that it looks messy.

Tim Montgomerie