AN AUDIENCE of almost 300 people came to Shebbear College recently as the BBC Radio 4 ?Any Questions?? team broadcast from the school.
The chairman of the show, as usual, was well-known radio journalist Jonathan Dimbleby and his guests on the panel were Ben Bradshaw MP, Minister at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Paul Keetch MP, Liberal Democrat spokesman for defence; Jan Berry, chair of the Police Federation and Alan Duncan MP, opposition spokesmen on overseas aid.
The audience was encouraged to provide questions for the panellists before the live show. These were scrutinised by the production team and a balanced collection of questions was drawn up. The topics covered included: the value MPs give for their seemingly large salaries; the treatment of Prince Harry by the paparazzi; the motive behind sending British troops south of Baghdad and the use of the Parliament Act.
The last subject provided the majority of the audience with the opportunity to leave Defra Minister Ben Bradshaw in no doubt about their feelings on the use of the Act to push through legislation against hunting with dogs.
While much of this was good-humoured, matters became heated after the programme came off air, with shouts from a small group of protesters. The Exeter MP had to be escorted to his car by police officers.
The event was organised by the Rotary Club of Hatherleigh in its tenth anniversary year. Almost £250 was collected for Rotary charities as the audience left.
After the programme was broadcast live on the Friday evening, it was repeated on Saturday afternoon, followed by the ?Any Answers? response show.