BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg challenged Labour Party MP Darren Jones as he evaded one of her questions insisting he “cut to the chase!” Citing remarks from Rachel Reeves she asked Jones: Should people watching – whether they run a small business or whether they’re watching as a family trying to get on and put food on the table – should we be prepared for an even weaker economy this year as a consequence of this?”

Rather than give a direct answer Jones began citing the global economy leading to the outburst from a frustrated Kuenssberg. “I’ll come to that in just a second,” she told him. “On this question, just cut to the chase because of all of this disruption and turmoil. Should everybody watching this morning just be prepared for things to be even tougher than they already?” she enquired once more.

“We’re trying to get ahead of these challenges,” Jones said finally answering the question which was put to him.

“That’s why the plan for change is important, because it means that we can support businesses through an industrial policy.

“We can support people through investment in the National Health Service, for examplend, a it’s right that we get ahead of that, so that the country can be more stronger and resilient,” he said.

His remarks came just minutes after he had appeared on Sky News and confirmed the Prime Minister’s true feelings about Donald Trump‘s trade tariffs.

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“Keir has been clear that he’s unhappy about the tariffs and broadly unhappy – the presidents got it wrong – (he is) broadly unhappy with tariffs in what was a well functioning global trading system,” he told presenter Trevor Phillips.

“…The United Kingdom had the lowest tariff, and that puts us in a much stronger position than other complex, large economies, which we think was a vindication of our engagement with the United States in the run up to the President’s announcements. But clearly we don’t like tariffs. We’re (Labour) not happy about that with negotiating this economic deal.”

He continued: “The good news is our negotiators have been in a very strong position from the start, because they had been negotiating with our American counterparts way in advance of the tariffs coming into force.

“We’ve already got a strong relationship with United States, as you know, a balanced trading relationship.

“But there’s things we can go further on this, in the interest of the British economy and the American economy. And that’s what our negotiators are currently doing,” he said.