Fiona Bruce was joined on tonight’s programme by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, and the Conservative shadow Science Secretary, Andrew Griffith.
Question Time’s audience erupted in laughter as the Conservative shadow Science Secretary, Andrew Griffith MP, gave a sharp response to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones MP, during the programme that aired on Wednesday, October 31.
During a heated discussion on the recently-unveiled Budget, Mr Griffith told Mr Jones, who kept interrupting the Tory MP: “I’ll let you rant.”
Fiona Bruce was joined on tonight’s programme by politicians, business leaders and members of the public from Guildford in Surrey.
On the panel alongside Mr Jones and Mr Gr iffith MP were Munira Wilson MP, businessman and philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, and former Downing St director of communications Sir Craig Oliver.
They reflected on the Budget announced on October 230 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, as well as other stories currently in the news.
Andrew Griffith and Darren Jones (Image: BBC)
When asked about whether the Budget will increase economic growth, Mr Jones said he “refutes every single accusation of dishonesty”.
The MP continued: “And if we have time, we can go through them line by line. The thing with this budget is that it was an honest budget about the inheritance from the Conservatives, it was an honest budget about the poor state of our public services, it was an honest budget about the cost of getting a grip of public finance.”
Ms Bruce then interrupted Mr Jones saying that despite Rachel Reeves saying, “I don’t have plans to be a big tax raising Chancellor”, “tax is going to be at record levels”.
Mr Jones then said: “To be fair to Andrew we have worked together for many years, I’m very fond of him.” But the reaction he got may not have been what he had hoped for, as members of the audience erupted in hysterics.
Fiona Bruce presented tonight’s Question Time (Image: Getty)
Mr Jones then added: “Andew was the economic secretary to the treasury when Liz Truss was Prime Minister and what happened then Andrew? When you ignored the OBR, when you sacked the permanent secretary to the treasury, when you announced £45 billion of unfunded tax cuts, when you sent the market spiralling, mortage rates through the roof and completely disregarded your party and the economy.
“That is the mess we are having to deal with and this is why it is an honest budget. Did I want that inheritance absolutely not.”
Hitting back, Mr Griffith said: “We shouldn’t just look backwards Darren as you are in Government.”
Mr Jones quickly interrupted him saying, “that’s why we are making the choices” and continually repeated “What would you do instead” every time Mr Griffith tried to speak.
Mr Griffith then swifty replied, “I’ll let you rant”, raising a series of laughter from the crowd.
The shadow Science Secretary continued: “You inherited an economy where inflation had come from 11.1 percent to 2 percent, where interest rates were falling and we were able to bring taxes down. We presented a balanced forecast to the OBR.”
