Absolute abject chaos. A government in its death spiral. Total seizure. Chaos on all fronts.
Extraordinary opening statements from the nation’s broadcasters on another extraordinary day in British politics.
After Liz Truss’ latest twist on the triple pension freeze at Prime Minister’s Questions, the resignation of the Home Secretary, confusion over the state of Tory whips and allegations of abuse in lobbies MPs during a key vote, the BBC and ITV’s flagship 10pm news programs were faced with the impossible task of distilling the day’s events into a concise and punchy curtain raiser.
With the exclamation of Day Today newsreader Chris Morris, ITV’s Tom Bradby opened the News at Ten with a hard-hitting summary.
It has been a night of startling scenes in Westminster with reports of beatings, abuse, bullying and shouting outside the lobbies of parliament in what is believed to be a vote of confidence in the government.
The deputy stage manager was reported to have left the scene saying: “I’m absolutely furious, I just don’t care anymore”, before resigning along with the chief whip. But they have just told us that they have now officially resigned. The Secretary of the Interior, however, has left for good.
In short, it’s absolute absolute abject chaos.
On the BBC, Huw Edwards adopted his trademark somber tone, as if announcing the death of another member of the royal family, but it was the demise of the government that he was conveying to viewers at home.
Tonight at 10, chaos on all fronts for Liz Truss. The Minister of the Interior resigns and party discipline breaks down in the Commons.
Suella Braverman leaves as Secretary of the Interior. He admits breaking the rules of official communications, but also criticizes Liz Truss. In his letter of resignation, he accuses the government of losing its way and breaking promises to voters.
In the Commons tonight, chaos and confusion in a vote on fracking reveals the depth of anger among some Tory MPs.
His opening was followed by a pithy breakdown of the day at Westminster with a damaging pay-off from the BBC’s political editor, Chris Mason.
A weak prime minister bouncing from one crisis to the next and a big burning question tonight: is this a government in its death spiral?
Later in the evening, Victoria Derbyshire opened BBC Two’s Newsnight with the question already on the minds of many across the country: is it over for the Prime Minister?
Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning
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Another day of great turmoil for the government. The home secretary has resigned and more cabinet ministers are eyeing the resignation. There was chaos over a fracking vote. And the prime minister was forced to make another promise, this time about pensions. So is it pretty much over for Liz Truss?
Consider Channel 4 News anchor Krishnan Guru-Murthy, whose highlight on a potentially fateful day in politics was not a viral controversy but a viral on-air blunder in which he was heard off camera calling Northern Ireland. minister and arch-Brexiteer Steve Baker a “coconut”.
Guru-Murthy was forced to apologize “unreservedly” to Baker after insulting him in an “unguarded moment”.
The broadcaster said the comment came after a “robust interview” with Baker but fell “below the standards I set for myself”.