A TORY MP has come under fire for "losing his rag" and shouting over a member of the Question Time audience who expressed concern over sleaze in the party.
Robert Buckland interrupted the man as he accused the Conservatives of implementing a windfall tax to distract from Thursday’s damning Sue Gray report.
The BBC show was in Northern Ireland on Thursday night with Buckland joined by Labour MP Peter Kyle, Sinn Fein MP John Finucane, DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly and Alliance Party MLA Naomi Long.
The panel was discussing the fresh cost-of-living crisis measures introduced by the Tories just after the Gray report was released, which investigated lockdown parties in Downing Street.
One member of the audience took issue with the timing of the newly-announced windfall tax.
He said the support was an attempt to win back public support after the partygate inquiry.
He said: “It's just [Boris] Johnson's government trying to buy forgiveness from the population. That's all it is.
"It’s trying to buy forgiveness for the rotten things [the Tories] have done while you’ve been in there.
“All the sleaze in the scandal.”
Buckland then interrupted the man to talk about UK Government measures throughout the Covid pandemic.
He said: “What, the £400 billion spent on Covid? What about all the jobs the Government saved during Covid?
“What about the £400 billion that was spent by the Government to save jobs and save the economy?
“You can’t ignore what this Government has actually done to help people.
"To sit there and to say that we don’t care ... stretches credibility to its breaking point.”
The South Swindon MP saw backlash for his interjection, with viewers at home accusing him of losing his temper.
The rage from the audience at Boris Johnson and the government is palpable. #bbcqt
— Nick (@NickCymru) May 26, 2022
Joseph Wilde said: “Robert Buckland shouting over member of the #bbcqt audience. Not sure that’s the look you want! Temper lost is a weakness.”
Another Twitter user said the Tory MP was “showing in three minutes what hypocrisy looks like, and why you should never try to defend your own hypocrisy”.
While user Olly said: “Tory MP losing his temper because he's being held accountable by the public for enabling a corrupt government.
“Not a good look for Conservatives - a representative angrily lecturing the people of Belfast - for daring to challenge his complicity & authority.”
And Harry Dibbs said: "Robert Buckland not doing well here, not a good luck to lose your rag with the general public."
The panel was told of a man who had to skip meals due to the cost-of-living crisis as some audience members were heard shouting “shame on the Tories”.
One woman accused the Tories of using the newly-announced support measures to "deflect" from the Gray report.
Robert Jenrick, don’t you *dare* shout at a member of the public. We pay your wages. That’s shameful.#BBCQT
— Diane McElroy (@dannimac1204) May 26, 2022
She said: "It's typical Conservatives. They knew what was coming with the Sue Gray report and this is just something to deflect. They have to have something better to deflect from parytgate and the disgrace they are as a government."
Rishi Sunak has insisted he did not time handing out £21 billion worth of cost-of-living support to deflect from the controversy over Downing Street lockdown parties.
The Chancellor bowed to demands for the UK Government to step in and help households to deal with ballooning energy bills and rising shop prices, which are being fuelled by 40-year-high inflation, by revealing an emergency package of extra cash for millions of people.
Every household will receive a £400 energy bill discount while extra support was also unveiled for the lowest paid, pensioners, and those with disabilities.
Under the plans, almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households could receive at least £1200 of support, including a previously-announced £150 council tax rebate.
Sunak confronted criticism that the measures were announced as part of a plan to move the focus on from rule-breaking in No 10 following the publication of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report on Wednesday.
The report contained a photograph of Sunak attending Boris Johnson’s surprise birthday bash in the Cabinet room in June 2020, for which the Chancellor and the Prime Minister were both fined £50 by the Metropolitan Police.
In an interview with Martin Lewis, founder of the Money Saving Expert website, the Chancellor was asked whether the fiscal measures had been quickly unveiled to act as a “fig leaf” after embarrassing details of the late-night raucous parties in Downing Street were laid bare.
He replied: “I can categorically assure you that that had no bearing on the timing for us announcing this support, and I can give you my absolute assurance on that and my word.
Tory MP Robert Buckland: I asked Johnson if he lied to the commons, he said he didn't, I believe him **audience laughs*#BBCQT pic.twitter.com/4Fjfs76s33
— UK is with EU (@ukiswitheu) May 26, 2022
“The reason we acted today was because we had more certainty about what will happen to energy prices in the autumn.”
Industry regulator Ofgem said this week that the typical annual household energy bill is forecast to rise by more than £800 in October when the price cap goes up, having already risen by more than 50% in April.
Measures announced by the Chancellor in the Commons included a one-off £650 payment to low-income households on benefits, paid in two instalments in July and the autumn at a cost of £5.4 billion.
Pensioners will also receive a £300 payment in November/December alongside the winter fuel payment in a move costing £2.5 billion, while £150 will be paid by September to individuals receiving disability benefits.
Sunak announced that £5 billion of the package would be paid for by a levy on the profits of oil and gas giants, and around £10 billion will be covered by extra borrowing.
The Chancellor attempted to avoid calling his plan for a 25% energy profits levy a “windfall tax”, as he was accused by Labour of having been dragged “kicking and screaming” into a U-turn on the policy the Opposition has spent months
