Question Time has female panellist following all-male controversy

A female Labour candidate will join the line-up on Question Time following controversy over an all-male panel.

The BBC One programme was criticised for having no women in Thursday night's line-up, with Harriet Harman tweeting: "I thought we sorted this in the last century!"

A BBC statement said the situation was "not ideal" but a female Labour candidate – Laura Pidcock – had to pull out of the programme, presented by Fiona Bruce.

Fellow Labour candidate Anneliese Dodds has now agreed to appear on the high-profile show.

A female Labour candidate will join the line-up on Question Time following controversy over an all-male panel.

The BBC One programme was criticised for having no women in Thursday night's line-up, with Harriet Harman tweeting: "I thought we sorted this in the last century!"

A BBC statement said the situation was "not ideal" but a female Labour candidate – Laura Pidcock – had to pull out of the programme, presented by Fiona Bruce.

Fellow Labour candidate Anneliese Dodds has now agreed to appear on the high-profile show.

Labour candidate Jonathan Ashworth, who had been on the all-male panel, wrote on Twitter: "I had no idea it would be an all male panel when I agreed to do BBC Question Time.

"I don't believe it should be an all male panel tonight, so my brilliant friend Anneliese Dodds is heading to Hull to represent Labour instead of me.

"She'll be a fantastic voice for Labour."

Labour candidate Ms Harman had tweeted: "Oh for goodness sake! Why does (the) BBC think men have all the answers!!! I thought we sorted this in the last century!"

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