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Watch Barry Gardiner ambush Robert Peston with the host’s true colours, on his own show
On 28 November, Labour’s Barry Gardiner ambushed Robert Peston with a tweet showing some of the host’s own true colours. Appearing on Peston, Gardiner pointed out that Peston tweeted that the Brexit debate was “becoming cruel” for the prime minister.
“Cruelty is when…”
The shadow secretary for international trade wasn’t impressed:
Barry Gardiner to Robert Peston: "You tweeted 2 days ago, and said that people were being cruel the prime minister over her deal" ??? – "Cruelty is when you have record levels of child poverty, record levels of food banks, record levels of homelessness.."#Peston pic.twitter.com/SzowT10PuB
— C0RBYNAT0R (@Corbynator2) November 28, 2018
Peston retorted that Gardiner was
making an absurd political point
But others on social media disagreed:
Robert @Peston
Examples of being cruel:-
Hostile Environment
Austerity
Heartless welfare system
Vicious sanctions regimeExample of NOT being cruel:-
Holding a prime minister to account for a disastrous policy https://t.co/qJBXdOj1o0— Tom London (@TomLondon6) November 28, 2018
Gardiner later expanded on Labour’s Brexit policy and what will happen if May’s deal is voted down:
Barry Gardiner: If she cannot get her deal through parliament, then "We will call a Vote of Confidence & a General Election."
Barry also points out that Labour could support a deal from the govt if 'a permanent Customs Union' was on the table.#Peston pic.twitter.com/mREAy8tXvi— C0RBYNAT0R (@Corbynator2) November 28, 2018
How likely is a general election?
Like Gardiner says, there could well be a general election. If a simple majority of MPs vote ‘no-confidence’ in May and no alternative government forms within 14 days, a general election automatically goes ahead.
Parliament has been in deadlock over leaving the EU since the 2017 general election. And with Brexit coming to a head, it’s difficult to see where the Conservative Party can turn.
With that in mind, it’s important to call out the corporate media when pundits try and paint May as the victim. She has a rich family, but has still been implementing the Conservatives’ counterproductive austerity regime on working people. Gardiner is spot on to take Peston to task on the matter.
Featured image via Corbynator/ Twitter
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