Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Mark Jefferies

Matt Hancock reveals sneaky 'pivot' technique politicians use to avoid questions

Matt Hancock has revealed the secret way politicians avoid answering questions by using a "pivot" technique.

The shamed MP was grilled by pal Seann Walsh about how politicians always seem calm in interviews and say what they want to say.

But Hancock went further and illustrated how they also avoid questions, a growing problem in political interviews in the last few years.

Hancock said: "Firstly practice and prep. I've got like 20 years of answering the question I want to answer, not the one that is given right.

"Blair used the word 'look' right if people would ask a difficult question.

"He would say 'Look what I came here to talk about was my marvellous programme' and such and such.

Get all the biggest showbiz news straight into your inbox. Sign up for the free Mirror Showbiz newsletter.

Seann asked the politician about interviews (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"I mean, in politics it is called the pivot. And so you have to give enough link to the question that it doesn't look like you're avoiding the question. Whilst pivoting and a good pivot is admirable."

Seann replied: "So can politicians literally watch an interview sometimes and see a pivot and be like, 'good pivot'?"

Hancock nodded and said yes.

Walsh said afterward: "I've never seen a politician talk about how they dodged the bullets. And he was there just going 'look, this is how we do it'."

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct at 0207 29 33033.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.