Who’s on Question Time tonight?

Liz Truss

Who? Chief secretary to the Treasury

Where is she on Brexit? Truss backed Remain in the referendum but has since changed her mind, saying warnings of ‘massive economic problems’ had ‘not come to pass’ despite Brexit having, you know, not happened yet. A former environment secretary, she came under fire after moving to Justice in 2016 when she was accused by the legal profession of failing to defend the judges accused of being “enemies of the people” by the Daily Mail over the Article 50 legal case. Founder of the pro-market Free Enterprise Group, her name remains indelibly linked with two things: calling for children to learn “the proper names of animals” and a meme-spawning speech in 2004 when she reacted to the news Britain imported two thirds of its cheese with the staccato delivery: “That. Is. A. Disgrace.”

Emily Thornberry

Who? Shadow foreign secretary

Where is she on Brexit? A passionate Remain campaigner during the referendum, Thornberry has increasingly given the impression Brexit is somewhere below what she’s having for lunch in her list of priorities. At a Chatham House event last month she said that Labour would ‘probably’ back Theresa May’s agreement, saying: ‘What’s the nature of the divorce? And I think if past evidence of the last few months is anything to go on, it’s going to be a ‘blah, blah, blah’ divorce.” Previously seen as being on Labour’s soft left, Thornberry’s Islington South and Finsbury constituency neighbours Jeremy Corbyn’s and she has signed up to his project unconditionally. Probably Parliament’s most accomplished performer of the theatrical eye-roll.

Sir Vince Cable

Who? Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Where is he on Brexit? Leader of the only UK-wide party committed wholesale to an “exit for Brexit”, Sir Vince has been relegated to jumping, waving and shouting “hello, we’re still here!” while centrist columnists write articles feverishly speculating about the need for a new party. The former business secretary has put opposition to Brexit at the heart of a local election campaign unique in that, unlike the referendum, non-British EU citizens are allowed to vote. Has struggled to turn the dial on the Lib Dems’ poor poll figures since succeeding Tim Farron as leader last year, although can point to a few positive council by-elections. Will be repeatedly reminded by Thornberry that he sat in a coalition with the Tories irregardless as to whether it’s pertinent to the question being asked.

Nesrine Malik

Who? Guardian columnist

Where is she on Brexit? Anti, although it’s not a regular theme of her columns (with the honourable exception of one attacking the constant appearances of Nigel Farage on, er, Question Time). Malik’s output tends to focus on issues of immigration, gender, race, Islamaphobia and the media. The former private equity investor is left-wing but critical of Labour on Brexit, and her columns suggest the sort of nuanced political thought which makes you wonder why she’s on Question Time. Last weekend tweeted “In ten years I’ve gone from the Sunday papers as treasured weekend ritual to almost every single one of them being a hate read. The Corens’ smug phoned in content in particular is enraging,” which must have gone down well with her colleagues at the Observer and its columnist Victoria Coren Mitchell.

Iain Dale

Who? Broadcaster, commentator and publisher

Where is he on Brexit? A vocal Leave voter and supporter, the LBC presenter and – full disclosure! – sometime contributor to this organ has always stressed his opposition to the EU as an entity (he is a German-speaker who has said “being European is… part of my identity). The former chief of staff to David Davis, Dale made several attempts to become a Conservative MP before turning to blogging and eventually becoming an award-winning presenter at the cabbies’ favourite, where he employs a unique approach of being civil to people he disagrees with. Has said he has “a deliberate policy of not using the word ‘Remoaner'”. A successful publisher, he once wrestled a pensioner on Brighton seafront.

Question Time is on BBC One at 10.45pm tonight (11.15pm in Northern Ireland).