Laura Kuenssberg’s Angela Rayner ‘gotcha’ wasn’t the slam-dunk she thought it was and and it’s a fabulously satisfying watch

To BBC1’s Sunday morning politics show with Laura Kuenssberg – no, stick with us, please – where the guests included deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner.

The presenter was especially keen to talk about the government’s plans to boost homebuilding by bypassing local authorities to remove ‘chaos and subjectiveness’ from the system.

Kuenssberg had a picture of Rayner from back in the day which, she suggested, was proof that the deputy PM had been a housebuilding ‘blocker’ back in the day.

Except it wasn’t quite the slam-dunk she thought it was.

#bbclaurak: In 2017 were you a naysayer & blocker?

Angela Rayner has the perfect response to this attempted gotcha. pic.twitter.com/BjAn8zYwWs

— Haggis_UK (@Haggis_UK) December 8, 2024

Ooof.

No wonder she quickly moved on to the next topic of discussion.

Just catching up on #bbclaurak
Angela Rayner, calm & sublime, educating Laura Kuenssberg pic.twitter.com/2oaLRG6GxP

— Chirpy Chet (@ChirpyChet) December 8, 2024

Laura Kuenssberg after hearing that response

““Yeah well, you can prove anything with facts” pic.twitter.com/PwhcAumXMT

— Joël Grimal (@FFP83) December 8, 2024

KL’s gotcha backfired

— Philippa Shallcrass (@pippip343) December 8, 2024

Tory Laura's Gotcha moment turns in to s severe burn #ToriesAreOut #StarmerIsPM156 #farrightfails #politics https://t.co/qZw8lgUONJ

— dave lawrence (@dave43law) December 8, 2024

I wonder how long it took to trawl through the archives to find that?
Funny,I don’t remember that sort of diligent research when the Tories were in power.

— Ann Miles (@AnnMile71721158) December 8, 2024

Yes, Kuenssberg was chewing her seat with the cheeks of her arse by the end of Rayner’s reply. https://t.co/OCzz9W2xZL

— Lord Steve of Toffeeland (@marrtoffee) December 8, 2024

You've got to feel for Kuenssberg here.

She didn't just trot out a very lazy, poorly researched trashy gotcha question. She took the time to get a photo for her big screen in the studio.

We're paying her £325,000 salary folks.

A nurse has to work 10 years to earn that.

— ZippiddyDo (@ZippiddyD) December 8, 2024

Source @Haggis_UK