'I think you need to read the room a bit'
An audience member on BBC Question Time has been widely praised for offering a brutal takedown to a Tory Minister about his party’s prospects at the general election.
The Conservative MP for Sherwood, Mark Spencer, got destroyed during the panel show when the man from Coventry tore apart the Tory Party’s legacy after 14 years in power, before offering him a reality check.
It seemed his views were widely shared, as the audience member, called Kam on X, wrote a message on social media after the show saying he was “a bit overwhelmed” by all the “nice messages” he had received following his speech.
The audience member from Coventry first advised Spencer to “read the room”, before he suggested how the UK general election was going to pan out for the Conservatives.
He said: “Mark, I think you need to read the room a bit. When you said you delivered for the country and that the economy has turned the corner, people around here laughed at you because no-one is feeling it.
“You know, you take a walk now through Coventry city centre, it’s changed. I mean, people are having to choose between heating their homes and feeding their kids, the NHS is on its knees, knife crime and youth violence is rising all over the country.
“Your party has let us down over the past 14 years. You’re gonna lose, you’re gonna lose terribly and you’re gonna deserve to lose.”
His speech was followed by an applause from the audience.
In response, Mark Spencer acknowledged that the country has faced “huge challenges”, before noting global issues such as the war in Ukraine as well as the Covid pandemic, which he said had contributed to long NHS waiting lists.
The Tory MP went on to argue that the economy was starting to “turn a corner” and improve.
Social media users praised Kam for his words, including Loose Women broadcaster Denise Welch, who wrote on X, “I’m abroad just reading about you!! Well done sir”.
Another X user said: “Absolutely nailed what a lot of people think! Thank you!”
This week’s programme was held in Coventry, the panellists were; Mark Spencer MP, Labour Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Daisy Cooper MP, and Conservative commentator Tim Montgomerie.
(Image credit: BBC Question Time screenshot)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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