The venerable BBC Radio 4 institution that is ‘Any Questions?’ came to the University of Reading on Friday 18 October. The broadcast was arranged by the Politics and International Relations Department and was new host Chris Mason’s first show. The other panelists were: Green Party co-leader Sian Berry, the Daily Telegraph’s Madeline Grant and Tottenham Labour MP David Lammy. Reading’s students helped out during the event and got to ask questions of the panelists after the show.
Cait Pilkington, a BA History and Politics student who helped during the event, said:
“I attended and helped out at the largest BBC Radio 4 Any Questions? event in its history with David Lammy MP as a panellist, which was hosted at the University. I even got to meet him and the other panellists afterwards. It’s amazing experiencing first-hand politics from within the core of our political system and getting to talk to those who really make a difference.”
Dr Mark Shanahan, Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations, said:
“Hosting BBC Radio 4’s flagship politics discussion programme ‘Any Questions?’ was another great example of ways in which we break down the barriers between the study and practice of politics. We drew in almost 600 attendees from across the department, university and local community on what was Chris Mason’s first show as presenter, and the night before Parliament’s first Saturday sitting since the Falklands War. Our students became the show runners for the night and got to question the likes of David Lammy MP and Green party leader Sian Berry on what matters to them once the show had finished. This is the kind of opportunity we strive to create, and I’m pleased to say that the politicians keep coming back!”
