Robert Jenrick was like a lamb to the slaughter on Good Morning Britain as he stepped in to defend comments from his boss on Scottish devolution.
The housing secretary appeared on the show for the first time in six months after a government boycott was put in place by Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain.
Making an appearance yesterday Matt Hancock was asked: “Given that we live in a democracy, where the hell have you all been?”
‘Where have you been for the last 201 days?’ – @piersmorgan
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 16, 2020
Health Secretary @MattHancock responds to the question about why the govt boycotted GMB and its viewers for six months of the pandemic.
He says he is ready to answer questions.
Watch GMB now? https://t.co/yyUUJmzswF pic.twitter.com/dZitWAxSXm
Questions which were also put to Jenrick, to which he replied: “It’s been widely reported there’s been some changes in government over the past few days and the decision has been made to come back on your show and I’m pleased to be here.”
‘There have been some changes in govt over the last few days and the decision has been made to be back on your show.’
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) November 17, 2020
Housing Secretary @RobertJenrick responds to @piersmorgan‘s question about the government’s 201 day boycott of GMB.
Tune into GMB ? https://t.co/yyUUJmzswF pic.twitter.com/bP776Mlbhw
Devolution
Boris Johnson comments on devolution caused outrage today after he told MPs it had been a “disaster north of the border.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the PM after he told colleagues on Monday that devolution had been “Tony Blair’s biggest mistake”, and Piers was quick to seek clarification on the matter from Jenrick asking him why he would make such “incendiary” comments.
Piers Morgan – Boris Johnson has called devolution a disaster… why would the UK Prime Minister say such an incendiary thing?
— Haggis_UK ?? ?? (@Haggis_UK) November 17, 2020
Robert Jenrick – We don’t know what exactly was said on that call
Piers Morgan – There were 60 Tory MPs on the call!#GMB pic.twitter.com/RNVlzKu7aj
Oh dear Boris Johnson misspoke it seems according to Robert Jenrick?
— Barry Sheerman MP (@BarrySheerman) November 17, 2020
The housing secretary clarified the remarks, saying Johnson is a fan of devolution but troubled by the rise of nationalism and separatism in the form of Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP, arguments he had made earlier in the day with Kay Burley.
#KayBurley – Is devolution a disaster?
— Haggis_UK ?? ?? (@Haggis_UK) November 17, 2020
Robert Jenrick – No. Boris Johnson has always supported devolution… but he is very troubled by the rise of nationalism & separatism in the form of Nicola Sturgeon & the SNP… devolution has been misused by the SNP… pic.twitter.com/gh0Cq12A95
Grenfell Tower
He was also challenged on vaccination and Grenfell Tower cladding, which is his area of responsibility.
Piers said: “This is on your watch. My number one priority if I was the housing secretary would be to ensure another Grenfell happened again.”
Watch his response below:
2 mins ?#sharedownership #claddingscandal @ukcag @EOCS_Official#endourcladdingscandal @OHGResidents @lathamsyard @raq_residents @gmb @nvbuilding @GqrMcr @AlbionworksLea1 @RH_residents @Northpoint20@homeownersLandQ @lvplcladiators @courtNw10 @LifeBuildings @hem_lag @NLC_2019 pic.twitter.com/nPfWaFu2yF
— paul_tweets (@paultweets7) November 17, 2020
Related: Piers Morgan goes all guns blazing as Matt Hancock breaks GMB boycott
