BBC Breakfast star slapped down by James Cleverly

Cleverly clashes with BBC correspondent over interest rates

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Wednesday’s BBC Breakfast saw the politician being joined by Eardley to discuss his take on the latest goings-on in government. During the discussion though, Cleverly hit back at Eardley to reiterate a point he was making, snapping: “I’m saying what I just said!” after Eardley tried to make sense of his comments, which Cleverly saw as adding words to his mouth.

Discussing Liz Truss’ month as Prime Minister and the backlash which has followed her policies, Cleverly stated: “Stagnation or recession are not what anybody would want us to go for.”

“I think most people would agree that,” Eardley replied before Cleverly cut in: “There we go! Most people would agree with that.”

The BBC correspondent continued: “But, the question I’m asking is the Prime Minister says disruption is worth that, how much disruption?

“Are you okay for example, with people who have houses paying higher mortgage interest payments to get to economic growth?”

“So look, we absolutely understand that people who are worrying about their mortgage payments going up need to be reassured that we will see growth in the economy.

“Now we have had a very, very long period of unprecedentedly low interest rates and what we’re seeing right across the globe – in America is interest rates are already going up.

“In other European countries, those interest rates are already going are starting to go up.

“We’re seeing upward interest rate pressure right across the globe, what we need to do is we need to make sure that we can offset that through economic growth because that is the only way that you can sustainably keep the economy going.”

Eardley began to say: “So it sounds a bit like you’re saying interest rate increases or mortgage payments are okay, as long as you get that final-“

However, Cleverly pointed his fingers and cut in to argue: “No, what I’m saying is what I literally just said that! You’re saying something different!”

“I’m just trying to interpret it,” Eardley argued. “And trying to figure out whether you think it’s okay for interest rates to go up.”

“It’s not whether or not it’s okay,” Cleverly hit back. “What I’m saying is-“

“That’s what’s happening,” Eardley cut in, continuing to press: “And is it okay?”

“Yeah, I know it’s happening,” the MP retorted. “But the point I’m making is that went interest rates across the globe are starting to go, we need to recognise that there is almost an inevitability about an increase in interest rates, because it’s going on around the globe.

“What we need to do is make sure we find a way of offsetting that by having a growing economy, growing wages – growth, growth, growth.

“That’s what the plan is because as I say, the alternatives are stagnation or recession and we are not going there.”

Changing the subject, Eardley pointed out: “One of your former Cabinet colleagues, Grant Shapps, said last night that he thinks the Prime Minister has 10 days to turn around her premiership. How long fo you give her?”

Pulling a confused face, Cleverly scoffed: “We’ve got probably a selective election.

“We’ve got to make decisions that are right for the British people, right for the British economy.

“As I say, it’s about investment, it’s about growth. If people are saying, ‘Oh, hang on a second, we need to see the fruits of that in 10 days,’ that is ridiculous.

“The point is the chancellor, the Prime Minister, the government have said, ‘We have got to give a turbo boost to the British economy.’

“That’s what that’s why we gave that tax cut – the 20p down to 19p – the tax cut for 30 million working people.

“That’s why we’re looking at investment savings. That’s why we’re looking at infrastructure investment. That’s why we going for growth.”

BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 7am on BBC One.

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