Downing Street refuse to face Campbell on Question Time.

Friday 28 May 10

A storm is brewing over Downing Street’s refusal to field a panellist for this weeks edition of BBC Question Time because the panel also featured top Labour strategist Alastair Campbell.

Downing Street told the BBC in no uncertain terms that Government ministers were available to appear on the programme but only if Mr Campbell was removed and replaced by a member of the shadow cabinet.

The BBC however refused to give in to Downing Street’s demands on a point of “fundamental principle”.

The result was that Mr Campbell did appear on this weeks programme but the government’s front bench was notably absent. Introducing the programme, host David Dimbleby said he would have "expected" to have had a government minister on the panel in the week that it unveiled its legislative agenda for the year ahead in the Queen's Speech.

Explaining the government's decision, a Downing Street spokesman said: "In the week of the Queen's Speech the BBC booked Alastair Campbell in the place of an opposition front bencher to appear on Question Time - which we questioned.

Mr Campbell has for many years been a key figure within the Labour Party. He was a key adviser to Tony Blair in opposition and was No 10 director of communications and strategy between 1997 and 2003 - when he stepped down from the role.

He recently returned to the forefront of the party advising Labour on its general election strategy and was among those coaching Gordon Brown ahead of the leadership debates.

The governments decision to try to vito Mr Campbell has turned into a bit of a PR disaster for the government who have been working hard to promote the virtues of openness and accountability.