Politics brexit election

Mishal Husain making this Tory tie himself in excruciating knots over Labour’s Brexit policy is today’s unmissable interview

Oonagh Keating. Updated June 24th, 2024

It’s eight years since the referendum result revealed that the UK had not only shot itself in the foot, but had pulled out its own healthy teeth, punched itself in the face, and kicked itself up the arse.

Brexit hasn’t been a hot topic in this general election campaign, despite Reform UK’s desperate attempts to release a medley of its greatest hit, but the news (which isn’t really news) that Labour would try to renegotiate some of the Brexit terms has thrown the Tory spin machine into top gear.

When the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, ventured into the BBC Radio 4 studio to be today’s sacrificial lamb for the increasingly pointless Tory election campaign, Mishal Husain quizzed him on his party’s reaction to Labour’s Brexit plans.

‘Quizzed’ isn’t really a strong enough word. She skewered him.

“If you’ve got Keir Starmer who’s always wanted free movement, I can guarantee to you one thing that’s going to be on the table would be free movement.”

“He says he doesn’t want free movement.”

“Michel Barnier says he does. Oh, does that mean Keir Starmer’s changed his mind again?”

“Have you ever changed your mind about anything? Has your party ever changed its mind about anything?”

“I’m quite sure I’ve changed my mind about all sorts of things.”

“Why is it okay for you to change your mind and not for people in the Labour Party to change their mind?”

Textbook car crash interview. Here’s the verdict.

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Here’s a Spot the Difference for Chris Heaton-Harris, and Chris Heaton-harris alone.

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Mishal Husain magnificently owning Nigel Farage is a supremely satisfying listen

Source HaggisUK Image Screengrab, Screengrab