ITV wouldn’t let Liz Truss dodge this Tony Abbott question and it’s a toe-curling delight

John Plunkett. Updated August 28th, 2020

You might have seen how former Australian PM Tony Abbott is being lined up by the government for a senior trade role.

Abbott is viewed as sexist, homophobic and a climate change denier. He once said that global warming was “probably doing good”, and compared environmental policies to “primitive people once killing goats to appease the volcano gods”.

So when trade secretary and minister for women and equalities Liz Truss was interviewed by ITV, it was only natural that they asked her about it.

And no matter how many times she tried to move on they just wouldn’t let it lie. And it’s brilliant.

Also asked @trussliz about the controversial and imminent appointment of former Australian PM Tony Abbott as Britain's trade envoy: pic.twitter.com/wNFQ4lWuLm

— Harry Horton (@harry_horton) August 27, 2020

Magnificent stuff by @harry_horton.

And here are just some of the things people were saying about it.

Good morning Australia. Here's UK journalist @Harry_Horton asking trade secretary @Trussliz about Tony Abbott's appointment as trade envoy.

You're going to want to watch this one. pic.twitter.com/j3ceLAhgTd

— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) August 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/SpillerOfTea/status/1299107298988695560?s=20

First I knew she was minister for women and equalities, and get the strong sense she had forgotten, if she ever knew https://t.co/b2l5a9Lwzk

— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) August 28, 2020

https://twitter.com/DavidLammy/status/1299244357367853061?s=20

This is so good. As an aside, ITV News is absolutely bloody brilliant these days. https://t.co/FJWOMd1hvK

— Tom Peck (@tompeck) August 28, 2020

I had forgotten Liz Truss was Minister for Women and Equalities. Turns out she’s forgotten, too… https://t.co/dpuT7qLzDL

— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) August 28, 2020

And this, from @IanDunt.

From around 1:45, her eyelids start communicating a very different message to the one coming from her mouth. https://t.co/58FRhbT11U

— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) August 28, 2020

Here’s what another former PM of Australia makes of it all.

Is the UK joking? They are meant to be hosting the #COP26 Climate Conference next year. This is the man that called climate change “absolute crap”, likened climate action to “killing goats to appease volcano gods” and repealed Australia’s carbon price. https://t.co/QXMqAnNuuZ

— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) August 27, 2020

AND STILL MORE

Favourite 27 things people said about this photo of Liz Truss ‘doing trade deals with Japan’

Source @harry_horton