ON the eve of the General Election campaign, four high profile politicians were in Holsworthy's Memorial Hall on Friday evening for the live broadcast of Radio 4's topical discussion programme 'Any Questions?' hosted by the Hall's committee.

With Jonathan Dimbleby in the chair to keep order, the panellists were Welsh Secretary, Rt Hon. Peter Hain MP, Nick Herbert MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Susan Kramer MP, (Lib Dem) and Nigel Farage (MEP and former leader of UKIP).

The hall was filled to capacity when Mark Grinnell, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Devon 'warmed up' the audience with some amusing banter and answered questions about Radio Devon.

On arrival in the hall the audience had posted a large number of questions into a box in the foyer and with 15 minutes to go the producer Victoria Wakely invited ten people whose questions had been chosen to sit in the front row.

Finally, the chairman and panellists, sustained by a meal at the White Hart, took their places on the stage. All was ready when just after 8.00pm Jonathan Dimbleby welcomed listeners throughout the UK and beyond to Holsworthy, 'in this enchanting part of rural England!'

There was time for only five questions: on the National Insurance contributions controversy, drugs control, immigration, hunting and daylight saving with drugs and immigration provoking the most heated discussion. Twice the audience were invited to vote with a large majority against a rise in NI contributions and against double summer time.

See this week's 'Post' for a full report.