The BBC’s agonising political version of some “two-bit” game show was an insult to us all, and total failure when it broadcast the so-called debate between candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party (June, 18, 8pm).

The presenter was totally inadequate for the responsible role in hand.

Was this selection made by positive discrimination in favour of gender rather than skill and ability?

A more useless and ineffective chairman could not have been chosen for the role, the bias against one of the candidates bounced around the studio.

The programme degenerated into a free for all with no real purpose and no direction whatsoever.

Viewers watched this programme to learn from the candidates, and it should have been a serious opportunity to understand their political convictions and ambitions.

In the event, disappointment does not cover the result, utter condemnation of the BBC is far more appropriate.

In future, all such guests be individually vetted for impartiality before appearing in serious programmes.

The BBC has clearly shown that it cannot be trusted.

Those clowns are playing with OUR democracy.

There is also the question of the set itself; if the intention had been to humiliate the candidates then the person responsible achieved the bidding from those on high.

It was the most ridiculous set for serious debate.

Indeed if a female candidate had been amongst those included in this horror, we would have been subjected to a display of cabinet drawers.

Perhaps the candidates should have left their seats and stood behind their respective chairs, they certainly would have been more comfortable.

The BBC is a shadow of its former self.

The dreadful hour of misery has shown that due to its own failings the BBC wants to cancel the right of over 75s to have free TV Licences.

In fact, today so many programmes and presenters have degenerated to the lowest common denominator many broadcasts are unwatchable.

There is no doubt that if the BBC imposes the Licence, the 75+ group should have the option of not receiving BBC TV.

With today’s technology surely it would be a simple matter to arrange on instruction from the viewer.

Royston Gay

Cirencester