REFORM has lodged an official complaint with the BBC for putting migrants who arrived in the UK illegally in the Question Time audience.
Policy chief Zia Yusuf called it “extraordinary and frankly, inappropriate for a licence fee-funded broadcaster”.
He appeared on Thursday night’s immigration special from Dover, where an Afghan and Iranian who had both arrived on small boats participated.
In his letter to both the complaints team and Board of Directors, Mr Yusuf said: “This programme represented a serious failure of impartiality, editorial judgment, and audience selection standards expected of the BBC.”
The Afghan man revealed on the show he had his asylum claim rejected by six countries before making his way across the Channel.
And the Iranian launched into an impassioned defence of the European Convention of Human Rights.
Mr Yusuf said: “Should we now expect the BBC to invite tax evaders to comment on the Budget?
“Would it stack an audience with convicted burglars to discuss law and order policy?
“Yesterday’s programme was a comparable breach of common sense and public trust.”
The BBC said it made all parties aware it planned to feature the two migrants the day before it was filmed.
A spokesman said: “Over 20 audience members asked questions and contributed to the debate — including two people with direct experience of the asylum system in the UK who have been granted refugee status.”
It deepens the row between Reform and the BBC after Nigel Farage yesterday slammed the broadcaster over “double standards” after being grilled about historic antisemitism claims.
