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Kate Plummer
Aug 11, 2022
Liz Truss scolded by hustings host for 'cheap' dig at the media
Indy
The frontrunner in the Tory leadership race, Liz Truss, has been criticised after declining to be interviewed by the BBC's Nick Robinson.
The journalist interviewed the other leadership candidate Rishi Sunak last night but said Truss had not agreed to face the same scrutiny.
At the end of the programme with Sunak he said: “So far, she hasn’t been able to find a time or a date to do it. The invitation, of course, remains open. We’re told she’s still considering it.”
Meanwhile, Truss similarly appeared to duck an interview with broadcaster Andrew Neil, who Sunak also faced questions from.
Here's what people made of her avoidance:
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\u201cWhatever you think of @RishiSunak he's submitted himself to lengthy forensic interviews by @afneil and @bbcnickrobinson - unlike his opponent. Can you imagine Mrs Thatcher who faced Brian Walden and Robin Day being as frit of such an encounter as her admirer @trussliz appears?\u201d— Rory Cellan-Jones (@Rory Cellan-Jones) 1660157940
\u201cIt appears that our likely next PM is not only refusing an interview with Andrew Neil, but Nick Robinson too. Bodes well for the challenges ahead.\u201d— Keith Geddes (@Keith Geddes) 1660161936
\u201cWhat is she doing on GB news? Yet she won't do the BBC with Nick Robinson. Tells me a lot about what we have to look forward to.\u201d— Jan Whaley (@Jan Whaley) 1660160661
\u201cSunak was interviewed by Nick Robinson on the BBC tonight.\n\nTruss interviewed by Alistair Stewart on GBNews. \n\nThe lines are drawn.\u201d— sandieshoes \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@sandieshoes \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1660162102
\u201cLiz Truss turns down interviews with Andrew Neil and Nick Robinson. I suspect her handlers know she expose herself as the clueless lightweight that she really is.\u201d— Sam Lowry #FBPE \ud83d\udc99 (@Sam Lowry #FBPE \ud83d\udc99) 1660156389
\u201cTruss hides from Andrew Neil and Nick Robinson, but pretends she can stand up to the likes of Putin and Xi.\u201d— Dr Eric Farmer (@Dr Eric Farmer) 1660170751
\u201cFirst Liz for Leader Truss bottled doing an interview with Andrew Neil, now she\u2019s bottling doing one with Nick Robinson. She hasn\u2019t got what it takes to be Prime Minister and almost everyone knows it.\u201d— Matthew Stadlen (@Matthew Stadlen) 1660159936
Do we really want a PM who is scared to face the media? Or one who is willing to have their ideas scrutinised?
Sunak, who is in the latter camp said he'd rather lose the race but do "the right thing" in his interview with Robinson.
He added the next prime minister had a "moral responsibility" to support poorer households with payments for energy bills and criticise Truss's tax cut plans, saying they would not help people most at need.
The race rumbles on and we will find out who Tories have kindly picked as the next PM for the rest of us on 5 September.
Lucky, lucky us.
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