BEREZOVSKY GIVEN HALF OF QUESTION TIME

WTF?

Last night's BBC1 Question Time was lower than today's The Sun. Yesterday I was shocked to discover that the scoundrel Boris Berezovsky was to guest on Question Time. He was given prime spot next to Dimbleby in the middle of the panel with Tony Benn on the end. But I was even more shocked when the first half of the show was dedicated to slandering Russia, and Putin in particular.

How can a man permitted to stay here allegedly for politcal asylum be allowed to take the prime spot and express his strong and inflammatory opinions on arguably one of our best interactive political TV shows (although some of the questions and panelists are very lame)?

Are the BBC intending to allow any other persons seeking political asylum to have a half hour to express their opinions on Question Time? I seriously doubt it.

So what is so special about Berezovsky? Who does he employ? Where are his billions stashed?

The first question was inevitably on Russia,
"Who is the greater threat to peace and security in Europe; Putin or Bush?"

Tony Benn spoke first and said that he was not a fan of either Putin or Bush, and suggested that the missile rhetoric should stop. Fair comments.

But then Berezovsky took over the show, labelling Russia as dangerous and Putin a tryant etc. Melanie Phillips followed and said virtually the same thing. It then became a Russia-bashing session, but some sense was brought to the proceedings when it was pointed out that Putin is no Stalin by murdering millions in death camps, and had not invaded Iraq to install a false democracy by killing hundreds of thousands of civilians for oil. Guantanamo was mentioned once, but discussion was quickly moved on.

Inevitably Litvinenko was brought up, and Berezovsky then spoke at length on that, with the rest of the panel agreeing that Lugovoi should stand trial here, but when the prospect of a swap for Berezovsky or Berezovsky going over there to defend his name the "I won't receive a fair trial" argument was brought up, as if that didn't apply to Lugovoi. Say the name Luguvoi to anyone in the street and they will reply, "he poisoned Litvinenko". Good 'ol British justice will guarantee a fair trial?

No one asked Berezovsky for a detailed explanation on how he came to be so wealthy, or why he was wanted for fraud in Russia.

No one asked Berezovsky why it is that Putin has 80% ratings and many wanting him to stay on for a third term.

It was "Putin is a bad man and a tyrant. Russia needs a revolution." type stuff, and mainly from Berezovsky, with Benn trying to inject some sense into the Berzovsky ranting.

Half the programme was over before Dimbleby realised that one question on Russia had taken a half hour to answer, with an exiled Russian billionaire oligarch wanted for fraud dominating the answering and discussion.

Can I have a half hour on Question Time? I doubt it.

Absolutely unbelievable!!