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Watch: Welsh Conservative MP asked the same Boris Johnson question five times in Newsnight grilling

22 Apr 2022 3 minute read
Kirsty Wark grills Fay Jones on Newsnight

A Welsh Conservative MP was asked the same question about whether the Prime Minister should resign if found to broken the ministerial code five times in a Newsnight Grilling.

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones, who was among the new intake under Boris Johnson’s premiership at the 2019 General Election, said that she would not answer a “hypothetical question”.

Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark ended up asking her the same question five times, with no direct answer.

“So if we get to the bottom of it, and find that the Prime Minister has broken the ministerial code, then you accept that that is a massive problem for you,” the presenter asked. “If anyone is found to have lied to Parliament, should they resign?”

“Look, you’re giving me a hypothetical question,” Fay Jones responded.

“I’m giving you a principle question,” Kirtsy Wark said. “I’m asking a generality. If anyone is found to have lied to Parliament, should they resign – in general? Should they resign?”

“Well, look I want to have this investigation,” Fay Jones said. “I want to know…”

“Yes but if the result of this investigation is that Boris Johnson has found to broken the ministerial code. If he is found to have relied to Parliament, therefore, the general question is and the general principle is, should they resign?” Kirsty Wark continued.

“Amber Rudd phone she broken the ministerial code inadvertently, she resigned. If it is found that Boris Johnson broke the ministerial code, should he resign?”

Fay Jones responded: “Look, ss I say, I don’t believe he has. But let’s have that investigation. Let’s find out and I fully expect the Prime Minister to comply as he has done over the last few weeks and months.”

“So I wonder what your constituents make of that answer because I’m asking you for an answer,” Kirsty Wark said. “There’s not a political question. It is not a political question is a question of principle and the way that Parliament operates.

“If Boris Johnson is found to have broken the ministerial code, if he is found to have lied to Parliament, should he resign?”

Fay Jones responded: “Well, look, I think I’m being quite clear, I’ve said that the Prime Minister has accepted it accepted the conclusion of Metropolitan Police.

“And I know that the Prime Minister will continue to comply, continue to engage, and we’ll see where this process goes. I agree with the principle you’re trying to make but let’s see where this goes.”

The interview had echoes of Jeremy Paxman’s famous interview with Michael Howard in 1997 during which the presenter asked the then Conservative leadership contender the same question, ‘did you threaten to overrule him?’, 12 times.


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Erisian
Erisian
2 years ago

Just another Welsh Conservative and Unionist afraid of her own shadow, trying to defend the car-crash that is Boris-the-liar.
Nothing to see here that you haven’t seen a hundred times before.
Brecon & Radnor should have stuck with the Lib Dems.

Last edited 2 years ago by Erisian
Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

It’s no surprise politicians are generally scorned these days. The Tory MP knows Johnson should resign but is too afraid of her party and the real prospect of being booted out of office in the future to say so. Ironically, her refusal to answer will actually see her booted out anyway. By not showing any backbone and stating what would be the right thing to do, she has doomed her own future and for what? Johnson will go on the post PM lucrative talk circuit while she ends up in some mediocre job. There’ll be no thanks from a person… Read more »

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

Don’t be too sure that she will not be re-elected. Powys is rapidly heading toward the situation whereby over half the population are incomers and the percentage of voting age, English born residents passed 45% a while back.

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

That is the underlying worry or indeed threat with Powys becoming the retreat of choice for many white flight types. Very similar to those other parts of Wales where traditionally a donkey with a red rosette would walk it at GE time. That trend is slowly changing although some constituencies still enjoy having a “godfather” presence rather than choosing on merit. Choosing a party candidate on merit would represent progress in some constituencies.

The original mark
The original mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

I would like to agree with you, unfortunately there are a lot of idiot tories in the area, just drive along the a40 and count the number of tory placards there are at election time, whoever challenges for the seat needs to get out into the rural areas instead of ignoring us.

Cathy Hill
Cathy Hill
2 years ago

I was lucky enough to find a copy of “The Conservative Approved Dictionary” from a gutter full of vomit the other day, I looked up the word “principles” but it wasn’t in there.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago

Why should a creep like Jones answer Kirsty Wark when her constituents can go blue in the face on email and twitter waiting for answers.
A nasty, hateful piece of work.

The original mark
The original mark
2 years ago

She is a complete embarrassment to the voters of brecon and radnorshire, actually she’s a complete embarrassment to the people of Wales, we deserve so much better than this amateur, absolutely fed up with these lying, self serving, hypocritical, tory scum.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Fay Jones like many Conservative MSs & MPs are schooled in evading the truth. Lying and corruption is a virtue. Nepotism the norm. Undermining Wales and Welsh society part of the course. I can remember one instance in the 1990s, 1997 to be exact, when that Llanelli Anglophile Michael Howard who was the then Conservative Home Secretary. He was grilled by Jeremy Pacman on the BBC about his role is the removal of the Governor of Isle of White maximum security prison Derek Lewis. He ike a sly snake avoided his questioning over & over. Pacman asked 12 times the… Read more »

Russell
2 years ago

Michael Howard does indeed have something of night about him

Alan Warner
Alan Warner
2 years ago

So,Ms Jones, I am a constituent of yours, if I asked the same question, would I not be given an answer?
May I ask, do you vote in parliament, a) according to your conscience, b) to represent your constituents, or c) to toe your party line?
It seems that it really doesn’t matter what is best for the majority of voters, just what your disgraced leader wants! I wonder how you would have responded if it was someone from the shadow cabinet??
Just for the record, I am an English person who moved to Wales to escape Conservative government!

Cynan
Cynan
2 years ago

This is what happens when your leader is an inveterate liar and criminal. You have to make the choice, which do you value more? Your honour or your career? We all fail from time to time. We all do things we regret. I can understand that there are many decent Tories who are choking down their revulsion to protect their careers.

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Cynan

I was with you until you mentioned “decent tories”

A Ross
A Ross
2 years ago

As her constituent, I sent her an email last week asking similar questions. The email was in Welsh, naturally. I received a reply about 5 minutes later asking for correspondence in English! Utterly embarrassing behaviour (and possibly illegal?). It will surprise no one that I am still waiting for a reply to the English translation.

Rob
Rob
2 years ago

She has ambition. She thinks she holds a safe seat (and is probably right in that) and wants to climb the ladder. Taking one for the team on this will earn her important loyalty points to be cashed in later. Secretary for Wales after the Tories scrape home next time round. You read it here first.

Last edited 2 years ago by Rob
Marc
Marc
2 years ago

She was damed if she did and damed if she didn’t, so what was she to do? Well how about showing integrity and rectitude and answer the bloody question

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Marc

Damed already ? Well I’ll be damned. There again not the first time someone gets elevated for taking flak on behalf of the boss.

Gwyn Evans
Gwyn Evans
2 years ago

People in the country, and especially in Wales, became infected with some strange deafness during the Referendum and, again, in 2019 when they knowingly voted for a liar who is now the Prime Minister.
The situation in which we now find ourselves is the direct result of voting for the lies and the liar. The sad thing is that people do not learn from their mistakes and it isn’t difficult to imagine that they will repeat the process although, by that time, Johnson should be long gone.

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