Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan struggled to answer why she changed her mind over serving in Boris Johnson’s government, in a disastrous interview on Newsnight.
BBC presenter Emily Maitlis reminded Morgan that she previously refused to serve in Boris Johnson’s government, criticised a no-deal Brexit and called prorogation “mad”.
“What has happened to you?,” Maitlis asked, during the interview on Monday night.
Not directly answering the question, Morgan replied: “What I hear, as a constituency member of parliament, is an absolute desire for this Brexit issue to be resolved”.
“I have worked with people whose Brexit views I do not share necessarily on alternative arrangements,” she added.
Maitlis continued: “How do we know what you believe if you say one thing in 2018, one thing in 2019 and then you get made Cabinet Secretary and none of it matters anymore?”
Online condemnation of the politician was swift.
A far cry from her formerly critical stance of Johnson, Morgan appeared to be defend the prime minister when asked about allegations of potential conflicts of interest during his time as London mayor.
Morgan said “the prime minister is very clear that there wasn’t in impropriety in relation to what happened”.
She also added also said she thinks “the PM has not intended to upset people” or “incite any kind of action or threats against members of parliament”, referring to accusations that the language he’s used against Brexit opponents has been inflammatory.
When asked if the prime minister has a problem apologising publicly, Morgan said: “All of us, saying sorry in public life, it always leads to further questions. In normal life, you’re able to say sorry and move on”.
Maitlis cited a 2018 speech by Morgan where she said “harassment happens because powerful men take advantage of their status to harass women who work with them.
“Is it time for an abuse of power offence?,” the cabinet minister asked at the time.
Maitlis asked if that situation applies to Johnson, who has been accused by Charlotte Edwardes, a female journalist, of squeezing her thigh under the table during a private lunch during his editorship at The Spectator magazine in 1999.
“The prime minister has been very, very clear and Downing Street have obviously said categorically that the accusation is not correct,” Morgan responded.