Fiona Bruce became the first female presenter to be part of the BBC general election results programme. In 2006, following a court case whereby British Airways requested that a Christian employee conceal her cross because it infringed the airline's dress code, the BBC disclosed it had some concerns over the fact that Fiona Bruce often wore a cross necklace although she was not banned from doing so. In December 2018 it was confirmed that Bruce would become the new host of "Question Time," following the departure of long-time host David Dimbleby. Her first appearance was scheduled for 10 January 2019, the debut
Question Time British National Party controversy signal the BNP was part of the political mainstream in the same way that her appearance on "Question Time" in 1987 had signalled black people's acceptance as part of the mainstream. She said: "It's not a programme that's going to scrutinise his views, it's not that sort of programme, it's politics as entertainment". Andy Slaughter, a Labour MP whose constituency includes the BBC Television Centre, arrived to support the protests, scathingly attacking the BBC's "smugness", saying that local people on the estates were "utterly affronted". Ten MPs signed an early day motion tabled by the Labour MP Mike Gapes which