SNP MP Kirsty Blackman struggled to hide her true emotions after Graham Stuart tried and failed to give a convincing answer to why Sunderland was right to back Brexit.
The North East city was the first to vote Leave in 2016, with 61.3 per cent voting out versus a national average of 52 per cent.
BBC’s Question Time headed to the city this week after Rishi Sunak secured a historic deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol – almost seven years since on from the referendum.
The opening question came from an audience member named Michael, who asked: “Were we the people of Sunderland wrong to vote to leave the EU given that Northern Ireland is now the world’s most exciting economic zone?”
Stuart proferred a response, but was quickly shut down by presenter Fiona Bruce who asked: “if Northern Ireland is the world’s most exciting economic zone, presumably we’re not as exciting”.
Stuart, who campaigned for remain in 2016, stressed Northern Ireland has “special circumstances” because “we must protect peace in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland”.
But it did not sway the audience member, who explained why he would change his vote now.
He added: “It just goes to show that they’ve messed it up from the beginning, that the economic downturn is very clearly related to the EU, and even the prime minister, by his words, believes that.
“So somewhere along the line, they’ve they’ve completely lied. They’ve sold us the wrong thing.
“It wasn’t this so called oven ready Brexit or it wasn’t, so it’s just been a mess.
“And if it was to go again, I’m likely to change my vote.”
Watch the clip in full below:
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