campbell made his first appearance on the bbc one political discussion programme "question time" on 27 may 2010. at the opening of the edition, presenter david dimbleby said that the new conservative-liberal democrat coalition would not allow a frontbench member of the government to appear on the show unless campbell was dropped. the bbc refused to do this. the government later accused the bbc of behaving improperly for allowing campbell to appear as a more in-depth version of his diaries was due to be published the following week, and a downing street spokesman told "the guardian", "campbell seemed to be on because he's flogging a book next week, so the bbc haven't behaved entirely properly here." campbell said that he had waited until labour were in opposition before appearing on the show and that the date was a coincidence as it was the only time he was free. he suggested the discord was part of a conservative anti-bbc agenda. the minister who had been scheduled to appear was the then-chief secretary to the treasury david laws who campbell produced a picture of during the programme. three days later, laws resigned his post following revelations about possible irregularities in his expenses claims in "the telegraph" the day before.