Channel 4 News Presenter Turns Mel Stride's Words Back On Him In Painful Interview Clash

Cathy Newman used Mel Stride’s own claims against him in an awkward exchange on Channel 4 News last night.

The presenter was interviewing the Tory leadership hopeful over his vision for the party and his legacy as the former work and pensions secretary – and she did not hold back.

Newman began by referencing the new prime minister’s most recent speech, and said: “Keir Starmer says you guys left the country in a complete mess, this budget is going be painful and it’s your fault.”

“It’s a smoke screen,” he said, while claiming Labour had been planning to raise taxes “all along”.

But the presenter hit back: “No, hang on a second – I want to pick you up on what you just said, because you have advocated a ‘credible, persuasive economic plan’ – [but] saying you wouldn’t have to put up taxes or cut public spending is neither credible or persuasive, is it?”

Stride claimed Starmer was “ducking” decisions around welfare, while the Tories had proposed cutting the welfare budget in the run-up to the election which would raise £12bn – something which could go towards National Insurance cuts.

“That’s one aspect we’re talking about,” Newman replied. “This £22bn black hole that they’re talking about, they [Labour] say they’ve discovered, is largely because you hadn’t set aside the money for public sector pay rises of more than 2%.

“Inflation peaked at 11%. That wasn’t credible or persuasive was it?”

Stride deflected by claiming Labour were able to see the state of the UK’s finances before getting into office, and they “are the people who chose to give their union paymasters” salaries above inflationary increases.

But Newman cut in again: “Two per cent was not credible or persuasive, that’s what you had pencilled in.

“That was ridiculous. That was a smoke screen!”

As they continued to spat, Newman accused Stride of kicking the decision over pay increases “into the long grass”. 

She later added: “You’re not being honest now.”

She said that his colleagues have been “so obsessed” with “crazy” tax cuts, and referred to a new book’s claims that ex-PM Liz Truss considered cutting NHS cancer treatments.

Stride replied: “The most important thing with tax cuts is they have to be fiscally responsible.”

“We went into the general election with a clear plan for funding,” he claimed, including “tough choices” which would have “allowed us to cut taxes”.

Stride is up against Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, Priti Patel, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat in the race to be the next Tory leader.