Evan Davis ran economic rings around the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in this The-Thick-Of-It-esque interview
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, demonstrated Nadine Dorries-like levels of knowledge of her brief while speaking to Evan Davis on BBC Radio 4.
It’s quite the listen.
Evan Davis schools the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Laura Trott, on debt to GDP.
ED: This is really basic… I'm amazed you don't know that debt is rising
LT: I've got different figures#bbcpm pic.twitter.com/ujVfOybVcv
— Haggis_UK (@Haggis_UK) February 8, 2024
“23/4 – 89% of GDP 28/9 it’s 93% of GDP. Debt goes up. It falls at the end of five years a little bit, but that doesn’t mean debt is coming down, that means debt is going up”
“I’m amazed that you don’t know that debt is rising.”
“No, it’s not – as a percentage of GDP …”
“I’m looking at the percentage of GDP.”
Well, that’s awkward. Eyebrows raised en masse.
1.
Evan Davis schooling Laura Trott on numbers.
I wish he'd also read out the shocking words of the Chair of the Office of Budget Responsibility a few weeks ago“Beyond March 2025 the govt has told us virtually nothing….TO CALL THIS FICTION IS GENEROUS.
Someone has bothered to… https://t.co/KMIFPQi27g— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) February 8, 2024
2.
It was an extraordinary exchange. It’s possible that Laura Trott is not completely across the facts… https://t.co/SBJHhxv7xc
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) February 8, 2024
3.
There’s been a car crash in which a journalist has to explain the government’s own economic figures to the government’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who doesn’t understand any of them.
Vote. Them. Out. pic.twitter.com/2YyyBCNhHV
— Brendan May (@bmay) February 8, 2024
4.
The only thing missing from this conversation is the visuals, which would clearly show Malcolm Tucker on the other side of the soundproof glass screaming himself hoarse https://t.co/9wT7fnM7tm
— Andrew Hunter Murray (@andrewhunterm) February 8, 2024
5.
play a drinking game where Laura Trott says 'I think' and you're on the floor within two minutes https://t.co/XKlHUFQ7Th
— Toby Earle Threads tobyontv (@TobyonTV) February 8, 2024
6.
Sensational https://t.co/rWLXbsFcEr
— Rosie Holt (@RosieisaHolt) February 8, 2024
7.
In a serious government the Chief Secretary to Treasury would not come so audibly off the rails in an interview on fiscal policy. This is the reaction of a junior press officer not a senior cabinet minister. https://t.co/ZIIjuqIyMD
— Rafael Behr (@rafaelbehr) February 8, 2024
8.
Christ. We’re in deep sh*t. https://t.co/Wa7oHV6p55
— Owen Williams (@OwsWills) February 8, 2024
9.
Oh it was delicious. It’s a primary school question.
In month one Laura is paid £1000 and has an overdraft of £750
In month five Laura is now paid £1500 and has an overdraft of £1400
Is Laura using more or less of her overdraft as a % in month 1 than in month five.
— Joseph Loveland ️️⚧️ (@jfaloveland) February 8, 2024