This Sky News man’s righteous fury at the Tory chairman refusing to answer his question had everyone cheering
When it comes to capturing exactly how well the Conservative election campaign is going, it’s not quite up there with Rishi Sunak’s decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early, but it’s very close.
It’s the Tory party chairman Richard Holden who, you might have heard, has been parachuted into a particularly safe Conservative seat in Essex after previously saying he was ‘bloody loyal’ to the constituents that he previously represented in north west Durham.
Sky News chief political correspondent Jon Craig was naturally keen to ask him about it, and just when you think it can’t get any more awkward for the Conservative Party chief …. it does.
Oooft Holden mauling on Sky News just now as advisor steps in to complain about the questions pic.twitter.com/mH0CwLj3Xd
— Calgie (@christiancalgie) June 9, 2024
Mega oof.
And the full video of their exchange, such as it was, is even more striking.
The full vid shows the extent to which Richard Holden shamelessly evaded during a Sky interview.
He was asked THREE times about being parachuted into a safe seat in Basildon & Billericay. Jon Craig eventually snapped.
He’s an idiot. This will only draw MORE attention to it. pic.twitter.com/kpaUV1765B
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) June 9, 2024
They do know there’s an election on don’t they?
And just a few of the things people were saying about it today.
Every now and then we get a glimpse of the way these interviews are carefully managed – and what it would look like if politicians were just held accountable for their actions like normal people. https://t.co/czVNxqWioe
— Stephen McGann (@StephenMcGann) June 9, 2024
Oh man, this is terrible. Rishi Sunak cancels press event and now this https://t.co/esXIfzH0PA
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) June 9, 2024
The brilliant @joncraig trying to get answers out of Richard Holden on behalf of the broadcast pool.
The PM hasn’t done a TV interview in 48 hours. His party chairman now cutting them off halfway through. https://t.co/CPSdrpsyZc
— Tom Larkin (@TomLarkinSky) June 9, 2024
Jeez. The state of this lot https://t.co/JxB0tlD1ZO
— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) June 9, 2024
Tory Chairman Richard Holden @richolden asked 3 times by @joncraig on a pooled interview about the “stitch-up” of Holden parachuted into a safe seat of Billericay
Holden utterly ignores the question 3 times
Gobsmacking
It doesn’t end well @SkyNews
pic.twitter.com/3B0luL1Jg2— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) June 9, 2024
Yes, this is ridiculous https://t.co/Z5QvXZ3fKs
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) June 9, 2024
Can’t help wondering where we’d be as a country now if political correspondents had been doing this for the past ten years https://t.co/P45LGl76Gy
— Mitch Benn (@MitchBenn) June 9, 2024
We’re getting a lot of this at the moment. It’s a General Election. You’re standing for office. You don’t get to decide what questions you’re prepared to answer. This is a function of democracy. https://t.co/zELcYMUikj
— Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) June 10, 2024
Over to Sam Coates, the Sky man who brilliantly put those questions to Rishi Sunak about his D-Day evacuation last week.
One Conservative candidate just messages this for circulation:
“Richard Holden is a disgrace to the Conservative Party. He’s put himself over candidates. He’s shown complete disdain for Party members. The only reason this fool won’t be associated with this disastrous… https://t.co/qg9JPBwoSo
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) June 9, 2024
To conclude …
This is essential viewing. The Tory party chairman is arguably the second most important campaigner for the Conservatives. Here he is supposed to be answering questions on behalf of all broadcasters. Naturally we wanted to know how he secured a safe seat for himself without… https://t.co/flOrfO68gf
— Robert Peston (@Peston) June 9, 2024
And this.
https://t.co/p3sh8TsywB pic.twitter.com/Tknubcq4aR
— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) June 9, 2024
And finally, this.
Look at this clown getting utterly humiliated on national television! My favourite bit: the desperate glance to his team off camera when he realised the interview had gone south. And also his panicked, rapid breathing towards the end of the clip. pic.twitter.com/zUzQteEUxZ
— Moog (@a_toots) June 9, 2024
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Source @christiancalgie