The Conversation (0)
Kate Plummer
Oct 05, 2021
Boris Johnson was asked to “stop talking” during a BBC interview and it is as uncomfortable as it sounds.
Speaking to the Today Programme on Radio 4 (for the first time in two years) about the energy crisis and supply-chain issues potentially causing “1970s style” inflation, Johnson babbled about potential solutions, claimed things would “naturally” resolve themselves and rambled on when asked questions about whether businesses should be allowed to rely on immigration to plug labour shortages.
Johnson talked about using British workers and the economy readjusting after Brexit and Robinson replied: “Prime minister, you’ve made that point at length in a series of interviews up to this point.”
Eventually, after Johnson ranted uninterrupted about businesses not investing in youth skills, presenter Nick Robinson got frustrated and said: “Prime Minister, stop talking.
Boris Johnson: "Flibble Flabble wiffle waffle, carpe diem, aqua vitae..." Nick Robinson: "Prime Minister stop tal… https://t.co/K3AxA9QRTr— Martin Abrams🌹😷✊🏼 (@Martin Abrams🌹😷✊🏼) 1633422768
“We are going to have questions and answers not where you merely talk if you wouldn’t mind.”
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Ouch.
Many people couldn’t help but revel in Robinson’s comment.
“Prime Minister, stop talking” - how often we’ve all wanted to say that! Boris Johnson sounds most put out. @BBCr4today— Jayne Kirkham (@Jayne Kirkham) 1633418366
#r4today fantastic! "stop talking" - could do with using this technique more often when interviewing Boris Johnson— Maddie Parnell (@Maddie Parnell) 1633418314
Feisty on @BBCr4today as Nick Robinson tells Boris Johnson to 'stop talking' and answer some questions #r4today— David Wilcock (@David Wilcock) 1633418261
Nick Robinson tells Boris Johnson to ‘stop talking’ on Radio 4. Interview is going well.— Ava-Santina (@Ava-Santina) 1633418283
Robinson then asked Johnson about the cost of living crisis and Johnson snarkily replied that his asking him to stop talking before was “an injunction you have seemed to revoked”.
Robinson said he wanted Johnson to talk about “a range of subjects not just one” which is why he had moved the conversation on.
And in the conversation that followed, the prime minister was also pressed on the cut to Universal Credit, women’s safety, and whether it is appropriate that the minister for women also has to deal with a rather large department - the foreign office.
Meanwhile, in another interview with Nick Ferrari he was also told to keep schtum.
The Today interview came to an end when Robinson thanked Johnson for “talking to the Today Programme”, and “allowing the occasional question as well”.
The prime minister replied: “It’s very kind of you to let me talk! Very kind, very kind.
“That’s the point of having me on your show. Anyway, lovely to see you.”
We doubt Johnson and Robinson are on each other’s Christmas card list.