This Tory minister was shut down on Question Time for dismissing Brexit as 6 years ago and every word hits home

Poke Staff. Updated November 18th, 2022

It’s the morning after the Question Time the night before, and this exchange went viral after Conservative MP and Treasury minister Victoria Atkins dismissed Brexit as ‘six years ago’ and suggested everyone should move on.

It prompted a devastating and emotional response from this particular audience member, an exporter, and it got much of the audience – and a large part of the internet – applauding.

“We need to export to our biggest and most obvious market which is 20 miles across the Channel”

This #bbcqt audience member who trades with European countries says his business is “hanging in there”, claiming Brexit is a “disaster for our economy”

Watch https://t.co/GFV3dQK0an pic.twitter.com/mEDoWlp8V2

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 17, 2022

Here’s a longer clip including the previous contribution by another audience member for a little bit more context.

#bbcqt audience 1 – When are we going to start talking about rejoining the single market?

Victoria Atkins(Tory MP) embarrasses herself.🤦#bbcqt audience 2 – I’m not interested in Trading with Australia or NZ…. brexit is a disaster.. pic.twitter.com/t9LoWmo9vT

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 17, 2022

‘Brexit is a factor. The two main parties are not talking about it. But we are talking about it, and BBC journalists are starting to question politicians about it. And it’s about time we got it out in the open.

‘We had a vote, we had a marginal decision in favour of leaving, whatever that meant. It meant lots of different things to different people. But Brexit … it’s a disaster. It’s a disaster for our economy.

Growth is not a new thing. We need to grow and we need to export, and we need to export to our biggest and most obvious market, which is just over 20 miles away and across the Channel.’

And just a few of the things people were saying about the exchange on Friday.

"It's about time we got this out in the open. The 2 main parties aren't talking about it, but we businesses are. Journalists are starting. Brexit is a disaster. We need to export – not to Australia but to our biggest and most obvious market 20 miles across the Channel" 👏#bbcqt https://t.co/GxFDYe7Vjz

— Alex Taylor (@AlexTaylorNews) November 18, 2022

The bloke at the end nailing it. Brexit was a marginal vote but meant a lot of things to different people, we need to start talking about how the #brexit we got is a disaster (especially for small export businesses) and we without addressing it growth will be very difficult!

— RemainerNow (@RemainerNow) November 17, 2022

Nutshell. https://t.co/7Dt2BoB1Lf

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) November 18, 2022

The sad thing is that her tired, head in the sand/ deflection response is pretty much the same as Labour’s stance on brexit. In the end public opinion will force a shift in one or both parties, meanwhile the country sinks further.

— steveb4u (@steveb4u) November 17, 2022

All the MPs & politicians who sold Brexit to their constituents & the union leaders who sold it to their members, they should hang their heads in shame. https://t.co/A0zKT6HNwY

— Eddie Marsan (@eddiemarsan) November 18, 2022

The arrogance of conservatives to say Brexit is done and let’s move on is saying “we know it’s crap, but let’s just make the best of it”

— IanD (@IanD58079699) November 17, 2022

Source Twitter @bbcquestiontime