Nick Robinson has skewered a government minister over the last year of Tory chaos.
In a hard-hitting monologue, the BBC presenter ran through a list of Conservative failures over the past 12 months as he was grilling Tom Tugendhat.
The security minister was appearing on Radio Four’s Today programme the day before voters across England and Wales go to the polls in the local elections.
Robinson told him: “It is a year since people had a chance to go to the polls.
“Since then the Conservatives have changed prime minister, not once but twice, they’ve put us through a financial crisis triggered by government decisions driving up people’s mortgages, you’ve given us the highest tax burden in 70 years and the biggest set of public sector strikes in decades.
“Which particular one of those policies would you like people to thank you by voting Conservative tomorrow?”
Tugendhat replied: “Well when you’re voting, you’re voting for your local representation.”
But Robinson hit back: “So we should ignore your national record, should we? Shall we all laugh off Boris Johnson’s leadership?”
Tugendhat, an outspoken critic of Johnson, replied: “No, we should look at the successes.
“We’re bringing down crime. Car crime is down 22% since 2019, neighbourhood crime is down 50% in the last couple of years. We’re seeing a record number of police officers delivering safer streets, we’re seeing a huge difference in the lived experience of people across the United Kingdom and we’re seeing that with Conservative policies delivering.”
An incredulous Robinson responded: “Conservative policies delivering? The highest tax rates in 70 years, the biggest set of public sector strikes, people’s mortgages higher than they needed to be. Do I need to repeat the list?”
But Tugendhat said council tax was higher in Labour-run local authorities and added: “We are still seeing Conservative areas delivering better for the British people.”
More than 8,000 seats and 230 councils in England are up for grabs on May 4.
The Tories currently hold 3,290, with Labour on 2,062 and the Lib Dems on 1,205.
Tory peer and polling expert Lord Hayward yesterday told HuffPost UK that the Conservatives are on course to lose 800 seats, with Labour gaining 550 and the Lib Dems gaining 250.