Home secretary Priti Patel has been accused of laughing about the impact of a no-deal Brexit in the latest interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
The BBC host was listing the fears of British industry groups in the event of a no-deal Brexit when the home secretary who was being interviewed over a video link, “appeared to be smiling”.
Halfway through reading out a list of groups who have raised concerns in a letter to the government about a no-deal Brexit, Mr Marr said to Ms Patel,
“I can’t see why you are laughing.”
The Conservative minister did not respond to the accusation and instead replied by saying the government has been making preparation to mitigate any potential negative impact of no-deal. Emphasising that she had every confidence in British businesses and the economy to perform well regardless of Brexit, she said
“Well, I don’t accept that, and you know, I don’t know which data you’re quoting.”
Nigel Evans a Conservative MP for Ribble Valley defended the Home Secretary. He told the Press Association,
“Priti Patel and the government are fed up with ‘project fear’ stories and being hammered by journalists who are critical because a government is working tirelessly to deliver what people voted for in the 2016 referendum.”
In the meantime, Labour MP David Lammy responded to Patel by saying it was “unforgivable” that she did not know her own government’s analysis.
