James Cleverly became rattled on Sky News after being grilled over a Tory campaign video featuring an upside down Union Jack flag.
The Home Secretary was described as ‘grumpy’ by Sky’s Kay Burley after she confronted him about the upside down flag meaning a signal of distress in military terms. Mr Cleverly became rattled and said it was “nonsense”, insisting that the Conservatives would not be editing its first major campaign broadcast
Asked about the gaffe in the clip, which claimed victory for tax cuts and mortgage rates coming down, Mr Cleverly said: “It’s a video of the flag. I’m not sure that, I’m not sure umm…”
Ms Burley pressed: “Do you notice anything wrong with it?” He responded: “So I mean, I noticed it actually when it was highlighted to me when I, when I, watched the video I was concentrating on our commitment to defence…”
Asked what was wrong with the flag, Mr Cleverly said: “The video’s obviously been transposed or or has been flown upside down.” When Ms Burley said it’s the latter, he added: “Quite possibly.”
In a painful back and forth, Ms Burley then asked Mr Cleverly about an upside down flag meaning “a distress signal”, to which he said: “No it doesn’t. This is complete nonsense.” But the Sky presenter hit back: “I did check with top brass and they told me it did.”
Asked if the Tories would redo the video the Tory minister said it wasn’t “worth doing a whole video over”, as Ms Burley said: “You’re quite grumpy today. Have you been rattled by that poll?” She was referring to a bombshell YouGov poll which on Monday showed the Tories were on course for an historic electoral wipe.
The Home Secretary James Cleverly acknowledged he would prefer Tory poll ratings to be better than they are, with the analysis showing his party could be reduced to just 140 seats.
Mr Cleverly told Sky News the only poll that mattered was on July 4 but added: “If you are asking ‘would I prefer going into the last few weeks of this election campaign with the polls in our favour?’, of course I would prefer that.”
Later on BBC Breakfast he insisted the Tory Party’s commitment to capping the number of visas will balance “the benefits and the cost” of migration. But Labour said the plans were “meaningless” and a rehash of failed announcements from previous Tory Prime Ministers.
He added that he was surprised at the decision by Reform UK’s Nigel Farage to stand in Clacton. “The last time I heard him make reference to Clacton, he was saying that he didn’t want to spend every Friday in Clacton,” Mr Cleverly said. “Reform has always been a vehicle for Nigel Farage’s self-promotion, I think Richard Tice is now discovering that rather painfully.”