Question Time screening sparks Hartlepool Twitter storm

Last night's Question Time panel (from left) Yanis Varoufakis, Lisa Duffy, Angela Rayner, David Dimbleby, Ken Clarke and Conrad Black.

David Dimbleby chaired the BBC show, which came from the Borough Hall, with a panel made up of Conservative Ken Clarke, Labour’s Angela Rayner, UKIP’s Lisa Duffy, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and cross-bench peer Conrad Black.

Unsurprisingly, given the town’s overwhelming vote to leave the EU, Brexit was high on the agenda - and viewers took to the social media site using the hashtag #bbcqt to share their opinions.

Jessica Selous (Tweeting as @JessicaSelous) said: “Forget Mexico... let’s build a wall across Hartlepool,” while Jonathan Christie (‏@JonoTheBoyyo) said: “Did Hartlepool show itself to be the self-obsessed, politically uninformed bubble of ignorance that it is?”

Philip Proudfoot ‏(@PhilipProudfoot) asked: “What happened to our Northern hospitality #Hartlepool? Booing and braying racists. shocking.” while Boota ‏(@Boota_SM) wrote: “Too scared to go up to bed now. Feels just like I’ve just watched a really scary horror movie. #questiontime #Hartlepool” and Hugh Broughton ‏(@hugh_broughton) said: “Wow, this audience is terrifying #BBCQT #Hartlepool.”

Nina (@nina697121931) wrote: “Angry, shouty & very rude audience. Not willing to tolerate any views except their own #bbcqt,” and RobTheRunt (@robtherunt) asked: “Can we get #Hartlepool towed off into the North Sea. Tonight, if possible. #bbcqt.”

Tweeters disagreed over the treatment of a Polish lady in the audience, who said she felt unwelcome in Britain since the Brexit vote.

Trotskee ‏(@Leonmexico40) said: “#bbcqt When a Polish woman shouts down an entire audience to say she doesn’t feel welcomed since Brexit, it’s time key politicians owned up,” but Richard Evans ‏(@63blueevans) argued: “The Polish lady was not booed, her comment saying “she felt no longer wanted by 52% of the voters” was booed. Big diff & I voted remain #bbcqt.”

Not everyone was negative, however - jo ‏(@Isdemocracydead) wrote: “For the first time in ages I enjoyed #bbcqt, the lefties heads were spinning with that audience” and Ian Williamson ‏(@spudgunpreacher) had little patience for the anti-Brexit brigade: “What part of democracy don’t you understand? If you don’t like it clear off! #hartlepool #bbcqt.”

And at least Duncan Hall ‏(@doktordunc) had some words of consolation: “Don’t worry Hartlepool people will forget #bbcqt eventually. Hardly anyone mentions the monkey thing anymore...”