Nadhim Zahawi has apologised for the economic chaos that followed the prime minister’s ‘mini’ budget during a heated debate on Question Time.
The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was confronted by Piers Morgan who argued Liz Truss “tanked” the economy with her new fiscal package.
He said that a “great person” would concede that they had made a mistake and let someone else take over.
The Talk TV presenter then challenged Mr Zahawi to apologise for the mistakes the government had made which led to financial turmoil for the markets and panic for UK households.
“Nadhim, I have great respect for you. You always used to come on Good Morning Britain when a lot of your colleagues wouldn’t. And I would bellow away and you would just take it, and (that’s) great, and you were great on vaccines.
“But for you, honestly, to sit there and try to defend this…,” he continued. “What I haven’t heard from any of you at senior level in this party in the last 10 days is one word, sorry – sorry to the country for what you have put the country through. Do you want to say it?”
Mr Zahawi spoke again about the U-turn the prime minister made with the 45p tax rate, but he was interrupted by Mr Morgan who pushed him to apologise.
“It’s one word, and I think the public would value an apology,” Mr Morgan said.
The chancellor responded with a comment that caused the audience to erupt into laughter, saying Russian president Vladimir Putin would want the country to be divided.
Mr Zahawi began: “Liz said ‘I’ve listened and I get it’, which is why 95 per cent of her economic policy, of her growth plan, she wanted to protect and she will deliver, and the five per cent which was damaging she cut, you cut and you move forward.”
However, he was cut short by Mr Morgan, who repeatedly asked him if he would apologise to the country.
“Ask yourself this question, what would Vladimir Putin want us to do, he would want us to be divided right now, because he’s using energy…” he said.
Mr Morgan said: “You can’t say sorry because Vladimir Putin would like it?”
Presenter Fiona Bruce cut in, telling Mr Zahawi: “Nadhim, people are laughing at that, I just want to point that out.”
“With respect, what does this have to do with the simple apology for the train wreck that has happened in the last 10 days?” Mr Morgan asked, before pushing again.
“Of course I’m sorry, absolutely,” Mr Zahawi conceded. “By the way there’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I get it, I’ve listened, and I’ve acted, and 95% of what I want to do I’m going to deliver, and I’ll drop the five per cent, that’s a good thing.”
It comes after the pound plummeted in value against the dollar following Kwasi Kwarteng’s announcement of a raft of tax cuts, including scrapping the 45p rate of income tax for higher earners.
