BBC Question Time viewers howl with laughter at ‘Common Sense Minister’ McVey
Esther McVey’s unofficial function as “Minister for Common Sense” function in Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet prompted howls of laughter from the BBC Question Time viewers.
The bruising encounter got here because the senior Tory confronted a collection of hostile questions over the federal government’s failure to ship on its promise to degree up the nation. Officially appointed a Cabinet Office minister final month, the ex-GB News host was additionally dubbed the “minister of common sense” to fight “woke” points.
But showing on BBC Question Time, Ms McVey was requested: “I just wonder if it tells us something the Tory Party needs a minister for common sense?” As some members of the viewers laughed on the query, the Cabinet Minister mentioned it “seems in the media I was dubbed as Minister of Common Sense”. But you will really know what my function is… it is Minister within the Cabinet Office. It’s often known as with out portfolio, which suggests you’re employed throughout portfolios, so it’s about scrutiny, oversight and ensuring there’s supply for cash”.
Pressed on whether the “Minister of Common Sense” description was inaccurate, Ms McVey then swerved the question and listed alleged examples of “frequent sense”. They included Mr Sunak’s controversial decision to scrap the northern leg of the HS2 rail project and delaying the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
Prompting laughter and applause from the audience on Thursday evening the BBC Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce then asked: “Just to be clear – now you’re Minister for Common Sense, is that suggesting the ministers already doing their job within the numerous jobs in Cabinet, they do not have sufficient frequent sense? So you have to are available and show extra frequent sense? Literally how does it work?” Ms McVey was forced to say: “Yes they do have frequent sense, completely.”
The comedian Zoe Lyons, who also appeared on the panel, intervened, saying: “I can perceive how being introduced with a minister of frequent sense is kind of irksome.” She added: “All I can think about in my head is that your workplace is subsequent to the minister for humorous walks. It’s on that type of degree”.
Last month the Prime Minister’s official spokesman insisted that the “Minister for Common Sense” title was not “her public function”. Tory Party chairman Richard Holden also said Ms McVey was brought in to “symbolize part of that broad panoply of opinion that the Conservative Party symbolize”.
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