People are calling comedian Francesca Martinez’s speech the best Question Time moment ever
It’s been called the best Question Time moment ever, a brilliant speech by comedian Francesca Martinez lambasting the government for having ‘blood on its hands’.
The 40-year-old comic, who has cerebral palsy, took aim at the Tory government and PM in waiting Boris Johnson, describing cuts to disability benefits as ‘absolutely outrageous’.
The two-minute clip went wildly viral on Twitter because, well, have a watch for yourself.
“Whatever your politics, you can agree that punishing disabled and sick people for falling on hard times is absolutely morally wrong and they have blood on their hands”@chessmartinez on the government’s austerity policy. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/3zQUDVLvOa
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) June 13, 2019
‘The biggest reason I am not a fan of Boris [Johnson] is he has backed austerity policies, again and again.
‘Austerity has caused the death of 130,000 human beings in Britain. That is absolutely outrageous.
‘That’s 130,000 mums, dads, daughters, sons, uncles and aunts who have died because the Tories and the Lib Dems decided to make ordinary people pay for a crash that was caused by bankers, who we bailed out.”
‘As a ‘wobbly woman’, I really have to highlight the tens of thousands of disabled and sick people who have died after being found fit for work.
‘We are one of the richest countries in the world and this is absolutely outrageous. Even the UN has called Tory welfare reform a violation of disabled people’s rights.”
‘Anyone can become disabled or sick at any time and right now this government is taking away the safety net that we have fought for collectively over decades to help those in need.’
And here are just some of the things people are saying about it.
The greatest moment of #BBCQT for a long, long time. Thank you @chessmartinez pic.twitter.com/1ODf6zVApE
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) June 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/NeilGrayMP/status/1139290694550528004
Francesca Martinez for PM. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/lSYqse80oG
— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) June 13, 2019
I’ve never heard a more moving, honest speech. How dare the UK treat vulnerable people so badly. How dare we allow the hard fought for Welfare State be dismantled or sold off under our noses. Clearly those in charge don’t care. We have to. https://t.co/OhXExvubSk
— Donna Scully (@Donna_Scully) June 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/LabourDarren/status/1139295691648512006
Should’ve got an ovation https://t.co/JhFD5N10yK
— Anthony Stewart Head (@AnthonySHead) June 14, 2019
