Panel revealed for BBC Question Time in East Sussex town

The political debate programme, hosted by Fiona Bruce, will be filmed in Bexhill tonight.

Question Time will be available to watch live on BBC iPlayer from 8pm and again on BBC One at 10.50pm.

On the panel tonight are social care minister Helen Whately MP, Labour’s shadow leader of the House of Commons Thangam Debbonaire MP, writer, musician and former vicar Richard Coles, who was part of The Communards and Bronski Beat, journalist and activist Ash Sarkar, and radio presenter and columnist Nick Ferrari.

The programme is expected to feature questions about the Home Office’s plans to build a centre for asylum seekers in the town.

The Observer understands that a protest against the proposals will be held by concerned residents outside the De La Warr Pavilion from around 6.30pm today ahead of the programme being aired.

The district and county councils are urging the Home Office to ‘urgently’ provide more information regarding its plans for the site at Northeye in Bexhill, a former prison and training centre.

It is one of three to be chosen in the UK by the Government and will accommodate up to 1,200 people.

The proposals were first announced on March 29. Since then residents in the area have raised concerns, who held a public gathering held outside Northeye on April 1.

Bexhill Town Council also hosted a public meeting on April 26 to hear residents’ concerns.