Conservatives accuse the BBC of whipping up a hard-left 200-strong flash mob for PM Theresa May’s Question Time grilling

A TORY war with the BBC dramatically deepened after party chiefs accused the broadcaster of whipping up a hard left flash mob for Theresa May’s TV grilling.

A threatening 200-strong crowd carrying Socialist Worker and Jeremy Corbyn banners picketed the venue for BBC1’s Question Time election special.

The Conservatives accused the corporation of leaking the show’s York venue, which had been kept under wraps for security reasons.

A formal complaint was made to the BBC over the leak, The Sun can reveal – the THIRD in 24 hours. CCHQ have also complained about:

* the leftwing bias of the audience during Wednesday night’s rowdy seven-way election debate on BBC1.

* a BBC claim that Theresa May pulled out of a radio interview.

But instead of apologising, BBC bosses hit back in an angry exchange of letters.

The BBC’s Director of News and Current Affairs James Harding responded to insist his producers had carried out no leaking.

Mr Harding also refused to clamp down on audience members booing, insisting how they respond is “up to each individual”.

Corporation sources claimed the Question Time programme’s venue – The University of York’s Department of Computer Science – had been posted on the local police’s website.

A senior BBC source said: “We have not bent to their will”.

But a Tory HQ source said: “The BBC are behaving appallingly.

“All they’re interested in doing is stirring up controversy to try and boost their own flagging ratings.

“The place is still packed full of metropolitan lefties.”

Furious Tory chiefs were also infuriated by a BBC claim that the PM pulled out appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.

Education Secretary Justine Greening appeared in the slot.

CCHQ insisted that the PM had never agreed to it and was still happy to go on the show.

Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn committed the gaffe of the campaign on the programme last Monday when he forgot the £5.3bn cost of his new childcare plan.

During the debate on Wednesday night, Tory Home Secretary Amber Rudd and UKIP leader Paul Nuttall were booed and shouted at, while Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn and Greens co-leader Caroline Lucas were cheered.

But the corporation has insisted the show’s audience was hand picked by polling company ComRes to be representative of the country demographically and politically.

A BBC spokesman said last night: “The fact that some sections were more vocal than others doesn’t mean the audience wasn’t balanced.

“The way in which audience members respond is up to each individual and this inevitably comes across in the broadcast.”

Last night’s audience for the Question Time special, which also saw Mr Corbyn grilled, was made up largely of Labour and Conservative supporters with some undecideds too, the BBC insisted.

A spokesman added: “The Question Time team are very experienced at bringing audiences together and we are confident it will be fair and balanced.

“This is the same approach as Question Time took for its Leader Specials in the 2015 General Election and the 2016 EU referendum.”