The BBC is at the centre of a bias row over its Question Time Makerfield by-election special. The candidate for Rupert Lowe‘s Restore Britain is not included in the line-up, despite the party coming third in polling.

Parties which polled lower, including the Tories, the Lib Dems and the Greens, will take part in Thursday’s show, as well as Labour’s Andy Burnham and Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who are the frontrunners. Mr Lowe hit out at the BBC for not including Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd on the programme.

The Great Yarmouth MP wrote on X: “Restore Britain was not invited on the BBC Question Time Makerfield special. The British establishment despise us.

“Makerfield – vote Restore Britain to send the biggest shock in British political history.”

Restore Britain is speaking to its legal team over not being included in the show.

A spokesman told the Daily Mail: “There is one thing the British establishment does not want Makerfield voters to do. Vote Restore Britain.

“This is yet another attempt from the BBC to suppress our support. They despise Restore Britain and want us to fail.

“Our legal team is being consulted over this blatant election interference and bias.

“We have been very clear – a Restore Britain government will defund the rotten BBC on day one. It will be glorious.

It comes after a Survation poll put Labour in the lead for the crunch by-election with 43%, while Reform was on 40%.

Restore Britain, which was launched by Mr Lowe after his acrimonious exit from Reform, was in third place with 7%.

Mr Burnham, the Mayor for Greater Manchester, is making a bid to return to Westminster in the ballot to challenge Sir Keir Starmer‘s leadership.

A BBC spokesperson said: “There are 14 candidates in the Makerfield by-election on the 18 June. Question Time has invited five parties to take part in our debate in the constituency based – as is always the case – on their past and current electoral support.

“The programme will ensure there are appropriate references to all the candidates standing.”