A SENIOR Labour member dodged questions from journalist Owen Jones on Gaza while out campaigning.
In a video shared on Twitter/X, National contributor Jones said he “tried to have a little chat” with Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central.
The shadow culture secretary was confronted on her party’s stance on Gaza but repeatedly declined to answer questions.
I tried to have a little chat with Labour's Shadow Cabinet minister Thangam Debbonaire in Bristol Central. It didn't go very well. pic.twitter.com/GuYY5viHdw
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) June 4, 2024
In the video, Jones asks: “I was just wondering, on Gaza, keeps coming up at the moment, do you think arms sale embargo because at the moment, it’s easy to say that Netanyahu…”
At this point, Debbonaire stopped Jones to say that he was “interrupting” while a member of her team asked him to drop them an email to set something up.
“It’s just a video. Just very basic questions. Seems a bit. A bit fragile.”
When told the team was running on a “tight schedule,” Jones said this would “only take two minutes” before asking Debbonaire why the Greens “are doing so well” and if she was worried about them.
“Really don’t want to talk. Do you not think it’s a bit odd not to?”
Jones was again pressed on setting something else up by sending an email as Debbonaire walked away.
Labour have been under fierce scrutiny over their position on Gaza for months with the latest news being that a number of actors, including Steve Coogan and Miriam Margolyes calling on Keir Starmer (below) to halt arms sales to Israel if he is elected as prime minister.
In his video, Jones added: “I don’t know. Just in an election, journalist comes up to you, wants to talk about your election campaign.
“Might as well just answer a couple of questions. Seems… what’s she worried about? What’s she scared of?
“Yeah I just need basic scrutiny. It’s an election but obviously they had other ideas. Some would say that’s brittle.”
In a separate post on Twitter/X, he added: “My view is that if you’re intending to become a Cabinet minister in a government which is about to get a colossal majority to do what it likes for half a decade, it’s not unreasonable to spend a couple of minutes answering a few impromptu questions.”
Jones announced in March that he had quit the Labour Party after 24 years as a member and has since encouraged people to vote on a case-by-case basis, endorsing either Green, independent or left-wing Labour candidates.
