Wes Streeting grilled by host on Starmer's joke about Truss

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The government has faced a tumultuous past 24 hours in power, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman resigning and being replaced by Grant Shapps to an uproar over MPs’ vote against a fracking ban. Prime Minister Liz Truss has faced further calls to resign as a result and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to take great joy in mocking the Conservative Party in Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday. BBC Breakfast’s Charlie Stayt put this to Wes Streeting on Thursday, although didn’t appear to agree with Starmer’s approach.

After insisting Starmer would lay out Labour’s plans later today which would help ease the problems ensuing up and down the country, Stayt turned his attention to PMQs.

Streeting had stated “Labour has a serious leader with a serious team with a serious plan to put Britain back on track”, which prompted Stayt to ask: “You’re saying that the Labour Party has a serious approach…

“Why then did we have the spectacle of your leader starting Prime Minster’s Question Time with a joke?”

Streeting blankly stared back at Stayt’s question before the BBC host continued: “You know, he said, ‘A book’s been written about the Prime Minister’s time in office, apparently it’s gonna be out by Christmas, is that the release date or the title?’

“Much guffawing from your colleagues on the Labour benches,” Stayt continued. “Why take that approach?”

Streeting hit back: “Because there’s a serious point that underlines it which Keir outlined at PMQs yesterday.”

But Stayt interrupted: “You seemed to take glee out of the Conservative’s situation. 

“And people witness that and they see it in Prime Minister’s Questions and it does not reflect the point you’re making very importantly this morning, people are genuinely worried. So why the glee, why the delight in the demise of the Conservative Party?”

“It’s not that actually,” Streeting hit back. “The point is to highlight the absurdity of Liz Truss still being in office when she clearly isn’t in power.

“And worse still, the chaos of the government, if you can still call it a government, the consequence of the rabble is the rise in mortgage costs, people’s cost of living going up and no plan, no business stability, no certainty.”

While Streeting hit back at Stayt’s probe, it’s safe to say many watching at home found it a rather odd question.

Twitter user Mark Simpson hit out: “@BBCNews Strange line in questioning from BBC Breakfast, as if it’s Labour’s fault for the Tory f**k ups.”

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While Claire Simone blasted Stayt: “@BBCBreakfast Seriously? Starmer making a joke at PMQs is the best you can come up with? After the shameful behaviour of the Tories?”

Steve Cornforth echoed this: “Charlie Stayt doesn’t seem to appreciate that very serious points are made with humour…@BBCBreakfast.”

While Jay Connor weighed in: “Charlie Stayt to Wes Streeting on @BBCBreakfast ‘why the delight at the position the government is in’? Is he for real?”

And Kierna C was similarly outraged by the BBC presenter: “@BBCBreakfast really? You are taking umbrage at the tone of Keir Stamer’s questions yesterday & grilling the shadow secretary in a very rude manner.

“Haven’t seen Tory politician ever questioned this way. #biased,” they went on.

However, there was some support for Stayt and opposition to Starmer’s display yesterday.

User @DiddleK3 argued: “@BBCBreakfast spot on Charlie, no need for making a joke of things @wesstreeting @UKLabour @Conservatives.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One.

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