BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty took on one of Westminster’s most outspoken MPs in an angry clash this morning.
The 47-year-old TV presenter challenged the Scottish National Party’s Ian Blackford over the energy crisis.
During an fiery debate he accused Naga of making arguments that were “flagrant nonsense”.
Referring to the Scottish leader, she asked: “Nicola Sturgeon said her government will provide practical steps to help households and businesses through the crisis. What are they?”
But when Ian brought up Scotland’s child payment – which was revealed in March and gives cash to low-income families – she challenged him.
Naga said: “The Scottish government can’t do anything new at this moment in time so those practical steps are retrospective.
“They’re ones that have already been announced. That’s what you said yeah?”
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Ian, 61, insisted firmly: “This is a Westminster-generated problem.
“Let’s not turn this around and say in some mythical way that it’s the Scottish government that has a responsibility for that because quite frankly that’s just flagrant nonsense.”
She interrupted: “No, to be fair I quoted Nicola Sturgeon saying she will offer practical steps and that’s the question I asked you.
“What practical steps will be offered? I haven’t said that the Scottish government has an overall responsibility, I am quoting the First Minister.”
Ian replied: “I’ve given you the example of what we’ve done with the child payment but of course we’re also seeing input prices rising.
“We’re seeing demand, rightly, for workers to see higher wages and the Scottish government has just given an extra £140million to Cosla [the body that represents councils] to deal with higher wages demands.
“What we’re talking is a cost of living crisis largely around energy prices.
“It’s the responsibility of the Westminster government to recognise now it needs to step in to stop the increase in the energy cap being forced on consumers.
“To stop people ultimately facing perhaps even an early death as a consequence of not being able to keep the heating on.”
Some viewers hailed Naga’s “aggressive” interviewing of the MP – who is leader of the Scottish National Party in the House of Commons.
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However, others were unhappy she spoke over him, with one tweeting: “Naga, your constant interruption of Blackford is ridiculous.”
Another wrote: “Naga Munchetty at it again @BBCBreakfast – speaking over her interviewer, Ian Blackford, SNP Leader, and asking fresh questions before he’s able to answer the previous ones.”
But one viewer defended her approach, replying: “Would you leave him to spout whatever he wanted….
“That’s not how things happen in reality …is that what you’d do..wait until the interviewee had stopped talking….that would be a very one sided useless interview.”
