Tonight's Question Time programme (BBC1, 10.35pm) is the most important remaining event in this leadership contest. With ballot papers being mailed tomorrow it will be more important than the hustings or next week's Paxman grilling of the two candidates. David Davis needs to perform as well as he performed badly in Blackpool to have any chance of stopping his young rival from inheriting the Tory crown. Mr Davis rehearsed all day yesterday under the tutelage of, among others, ex-BBC newsreader Martyn Lewis.
I'll be looking for the charismatic David Cameron to offer something more substantial on policy direction than we've seen so far. I'll be looking to see if David Davis can offer anything more inspiring than the (welcome) core vote positions into which he has retreated in recent days.
I'll be blogging live tonight - question by question...
I didn't know Paxman was going to get a turn, is that on Newsnight?
Posted by: AnotherNick | 03 November 2005 at 17:35
So I understand.
Posted by: Editor | 03 November 2005 at 17:43
I'd quickly (busy busy busy!) like to point out to anybody here in Wales that Question Time will be on at 11.05pm on BBC One Wales. If you want to see it at the same time as everybody else, you'll need to point your television aerial eastwards, buy a satellite dish (I believe Sky Digital still allows you to flick between the regional stations) or watch it online.
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | 03 November 2005 at 18:06
But who is in tonight's audience? Can we be sure that it will be balanced? The last we need is a bunch of Labour supporters trying to screw up this vital debate.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 03 November 2005 at 18:12
All I know SM is that 17.5% will be DC supporters and 17.5% DD supporters. The rest - I think - are "representative" - or at least as representative as every other liberal-left QT audience!
Posted by: Editor | 03 November 2005 at 18:18
35% conservatives, 65% non-conservatives - NOT GOOD!
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 03 November 2005 at 18:25
Undoubtably DD has to perform well tonight to keep his hopes alive. At the very least he needs to convince a lot of those who are thinking about voting for Cameron to think again and see a little bit more of each candidate before voting.
Posted by: Richard Allen | 03 November 2005 at 18:28
"35% conservatives, 65% non-conservatives - NOT GOOD!"
As I understand it some of those 65% are floating conservatives.
Posted by: Richard Allen | 03 November 2005 at 18:29
I am not that worried about the audience. If its 65% Labour then its a real test for both candidates, coping under pressure, and isnt necessarily a bad thing. They have to show they can keep cool under the pressure of a more skeptical audience. The Conference wasnt such a challenge since everyone was a Conservative and were open minded. Now its different.
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 18:32
Two thirds have not made up their minds? At this late stage? Must be a bunch of thickos! That only gives more encouragement to the disenfranchisers!
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 03 November 2005 at 18:34
According to the BBC:
"About half of the live studio audience will be Conservatives, with the remainder drawn proportionately from the rest of the electorate, providing a broad range of views.
"The audience will also be balanced between those who think Mr Davis or Mr Cameron would be the better leader of the Conservative party."
This is taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4401724.stm
Posted by: Peter Harrison | 03 November 2005 at 18:35
My last comment reflected Richard's on floating voters.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 03 November 2005 at 18:35
Thank you Peter. 50% non-Conservatives is too high for my liking.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 03 November 2005 at 18:37
Selsdon - why should we have already made up our minds? Surely we should listen with an open mind at this stage.
Posted by: Derek | 03 November 2005 at 19:33
Clever idea Tim - where did I see that idea earlier today?
I'm all for competition, so readers should switch their browser between the two blogs.
Pre-registration is required to comment, but the X-rated, uncensored, unplugged live blogging will be over at:
Posted by: Guido Fawkes - Click here to Live Blog the Debate | 03 November 2005 at 20:26
I reckon DD will go for the single mother background and DC will go for the dsiabled child lines within 15 minutes.
Ill be posting here only.
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 20:31
15 minutes? A good choice. 15 minutes to see both lines, 10 mins to see the first sympathy bid.
Posted by: Guido fawkes | 03 November 2005 at 20:36
The drugs question WILL be asked by someone. DC will wheel out the same rhetoric and will say "I know what drugs does to people". I dont think he'll mention the relative though. That will be within 25 minutes. DD will repeat what he has already said.
Im hoping we get some left-field questions which will test their thinking on their feet response.
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 20:49
Is it going out live or was it pre-recorded?
Posted by: Elena | 03 November 2005 at 21:41
Its being recorded now. The first question was about youth/experience and the second one was about EU. The BBC is updating every so often about it
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 21:49
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4401724.stm
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 21:49
We could play Question Time bullshit bingo. I'm sure we can all think of a few good examples...
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | 03 November 2005 at 21:50
I dont understand. Maybe you'd like to go first Cllr...
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 21:55
Looking at the BBC site, DD might have done well. Arguments over DC and Blair comparison and a debate over tax... Sounds like it got quite personal too.
Posted by: James Maskell | 03 November 2005 at 22:34
Right, we're off. Swords ready...
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | 03 November 2005 at 22:38