'He's still not listening. Not hearing. Refusing to accept. Even now'
Rishi Sunak failed to dispel his reputation for being tetchy during another leader’s debate grilling on Monday evening.
Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak faced questions from an audience of The Sun readers in the Never Mind the Ballots show, with even the conservative backing paper not holding back from quizzing Sunak over Tory failings.
When challenged on the realities for people in Britain after 14 years under the Tories, Sunak hit back in “desperate” defense of his party.
The Sun’s political editor Harry Cole put it to Sunak: “Do you understand that feeling people have, something we hear time and time again from our readers, nothing works, rivers full of sewage, schools with crumbling concrete, pot holes knocking out tyres.
“14 years of Tory government, it feels like the country’s falling apart.”
Clearly frustrated at being reminded of this reality of Britain since his government came to power, Sunak appeared to lose his nerve.
Rishi Sunak replied: “Look, well of course, it’s been difficult the last few years and that’s made everything a bit more challenging particularly the NHS.. but, I’m not for one second taking away from the things that your saying, but I dont think it’s right that we haven’t made progress in 14 years, I simply don’t believe that.”
One social media user responded: “The only progress made in the last 14 years is Sunak’s who’s gone from millionaire investment banker to multimillionaire Prime Minister.”
Another said: “He’s still not listening. Not hearing. Refusing to accept. Even now.”
At another point in the interview Sunak again attempts to defend the party’s record by throwing blame at the previous Labour government.
“I’m not going to sit here and say that 14 years hasn’t made the country a better place,” said Sunak. “We were left a note by the Labour party laughing about the fact that there was no money left. They bankrupted this country.”
To which one X user pointed out that the UK’s national debt had increased from £1.0 trillion in 2010 to £2.5 trillion in 2023.
The X user asked: “So since then the Conservatives have more than doubled national debt, and despite that, nothing works and everything is broken. Where did the money go?”
Another wrote: “A UK Prime Minister ( who was also the Chancellor ) saying the country was bankrupt knowing this country can’t go bankrupt is the most bizarre and desperate thing I have ever heard.”
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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