Charlie Stayt’s brutal shutdown of Nadhim Zahawi was magnificent (more of this sort of thing, please)

It’s a common complaint that TV and radio interviewers aren’t ruthless enough with politicians, and when they are ruthless the politicians simply stop turning up.

So we’ll watch with interest the next time newly-installed education secretary Nadhim Zahawi turns up on BBC Breakfast after this fabulously straight-talking intervention by presenter Charlie Stayt.

Charlie Stayt: ‘I’m going to jump in because I don’t really understand what you’re saying if I’m honest with you’

*Nadhim Zahawi nods in agreement*#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/kZGBi8TIkp

— Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) October 7, 2021

“I’ll jump in, as I really don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Everything about it – from Stayt’s interruption to Zahawi’s response – is simply perfect.

Here’s a longer clip and – not unlike Dominic Raab’s struggle with the meaning of ‘misogyny’ on the same programme yesterday – it just gets better and better.

New Education Secretary @nadhimzahawi is stumbling and floundering under intense questioning by Charlie Stayt on #BBCBreakfast. This is what happens when you challenge this governments rhetoric and hold them to account.

— Wayne Smith (@WayneSmithUK71) October 7, 2021

https://twitter.com/CrowtherSim/status/1446004582807638020?s=20

https://twitter.com/FranS199/status/1446021459684495361?s=20

Not only did Charlie Stayt not understand what Zahawi was saying, Zahawi himself didn't understand what he was saying. He's making Gavin Williamson look like a genius. He's an Education Secretary who can't string a sentence together – what an example to hold up to students! https://t.co/BjWzAClxi3

— Iain Birtwell (@WolfofBadenock) October 7, 2021

Charlie Stayt to get a medal from the RNLI for saving Nadhim Zahawi from drowning in his own words. https://t.co/9qbOh76Fca

— John O'Shea (@politicalhackuk) October 7, 2021

Well done Charlie Stayt. Zahawi being reduced to a rambling wreck. #BBCBreakfast

— John Duncan Burns (Dogooder human rights advocate) (@jb4cfm) October 7, 2021

Nadhim Zahawi the new Secretary of State for Education has just achieved the impossible.

He’s just made it look like Gavin Williamson knew what he was doing.#bbcbreakfast #nadhimzahawi #bbcnews pic.twitter.com/OKHI2SsKOb

— Andrew Jazzie (@AndrewJazzie) October 7, 2021

And @PeteTwynamUK did a considerable public service by doing this.

Someone suggested that Nadhim Zahawi's remarkable interview with Charlie Stayt this morning might make more sense if it was transcribed. And lo! The veil of gibberish was lifted… pic.twitter.com/yovRL1CYCy

— Pete Twyman (@PeteTwymanUK) October 7, 2021

And here it is in full.

Best 5 seconds of breakfast TV since Piers Morgan walked off.

To conclude …

https://twitter.com/SpanishDan1/status/1446034866689224706?s=20

READ MORE

Dominic Raab doesn’t know what misogyny means – 13 favourite responses he probably won’t get either

Source Twitter @tobyontv @Haggis_Uk https://twitter.com/Haggis_UK/status/1446009744129503238?s=20