Tory Attempts To Distract From Theresa May's 'Painful' Andrew Neil Interview Backfire

Twitter income tax attack called a 'lie' by Labour.
LOADINGERROR LOADING

Theresa May has been interviewed for half-an-hour by journalist Andrew Neil on BBC One, and most agreed it was a proper grilling.

Theresa May is REALLY NOT enjoying this interview with Andrew Neil. Palpably wants it to end. Very uncomfortable #bbc1

— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) May 22, 2017

I actually think this format works better than a debate. Puts the politicians under much greater pressure.

— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) May 22, 2017

Can't we just get Andrew Neil to negotiate with the EU?

— Patrick Kidd (@patrick_kidd) May 22, 2017

Andrew Neil interviewing properly on prime time on BBC1 is a thousand times more informative than a leaders' debate.

— Ian Moss (@_IanMoss) May 22, 2017

This may be the first election in which the Tory leader is a liability and yet still their main asset.

— Philip Collins (@PCollinsTimes) May 22, 2017

But in another world, Theresa May was doing pretty well.

These were the tweets from Conservative Cabinet ministers and senior Tories during the inquisition, renewing many of the tropes that have marked the party’s election messaging.

The choice is clear: low taxes with PM @theresa_may or higher taxes with Jeremy Corbyn. #VoteConservative

— Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) May 22, 2017

Pm is absolutely right, we can only fund the NHS properly if we have a strong economy #GE2017

— Amber Rudd (@AmberRuddHR) May 22, 2017

Conservatives in Government have got more people in work & introduced the National Living Wage, boosting pay for 1.7 million #BBCElection

— Priti Patel (@patel4witham) May 22, 2017

It really matters for the future of our country who is Prime Minister and negotiates Brexit #VoteConservative pic.twitter.com/78LKD8TgSp

— Therese Coffey (@theresecoffey) May 22, 2017

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appeared to be playing Tory Election Campaign Bingo ...

... marking off ‘strong and stable’, Brexit fears and the threat of Jeremy Corbyn.

Strong and clear from the Prime Minister @theresa_may on social care - so older people don't have to worry about cost of care @afneil

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 22, 2017

Strong performance by PM @theresa_may w/@afneil. There are 17 days to polling day – let’s back her to get Brexit right and secure our future

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 22, 2017

11 days after the election the EU wants to start Brexit negotiations - it’ll be @theresa_may or @jeremycorbyn. Only @theresa_may can deliver pic.twitter.com/CseULwBnAY

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 22, 2017

Twitter was alive to the ‘select all-copy-paste’ antics.

The Cabinet has been very dutiful in copying and pasting those tweets from CCHQ pic.twitter.com/vZetR1ea23

— Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) May 22, 2017

Hi it's Lynton. Just tweet something about strong and stable performance, strong hand Brexit, blah blah.

— hrtbps (@hrtbps) May 22, 2017

Compare and contrast ...

The choice is clear: Theresa May getting control of our borders, or Jeremy Corbyn who doesn't even want to reduce immigration #GE2017

— CCHQ Press Office (@CCHQPress) May 22, 2017

We have set out plans to increase NHS funding by £8bn - thanks to our strong economy #GE2017

— CCHQ Press Office (@CCHQPress) May 22, 2017

But one appeared to go too far ...

Jeremy Corbyn's plan to pay for elderly care: increasing the basic rate of income tax to 25p for millions of working people #GE2017

— CCHQ Press Office (@CCHQPress) May 22, 2017

It was immediately called out by Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson as a ‘lie’.

This is a lie. https://t.co/G5eIy2XUXs

— Tom Watson (@tom_watson) May 22, 2017

Others made a similar point.

@CCHQPress You are now at the point where you are just fucking lying.

— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) May 22, 2017

This is what is known in the trade as a very bad reply to retweet ratio. It's also a very bad tweet. pic.twitter.com/cgVvRVVtOJ

— Tom Hamilton (@thhamilton) May 22, 2017

@CCHQPress FAKE NEWS

— Matt Zarb-Cousin (@mattzarb) May 22, 2017

An astonishing lie. Labour have ruled out tax hikes for 95%. Tories haven't. Labour says the top 5% should pay a bit more. Tories oppose. https://t.co/bpT3zwiy5H

— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 22, 2017

Ex-Labour leader and recently anointed ‘King of Zing’ Ed Miliband spoke as he found.

LOL ---we're in deep doo-doo so let's make something up. https://t.co/3Lo3eW4IMV

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 22, 2017

Labour has been explicit in not raising income tax for low earners, opting instead for a raid on wealthier people.

This from the Labour manifesto.

Labour Party

Only a story in the Sunday Telegraph referring to Labour having “discussed at least nine other tax rises that would ensnare virtually all working people” is increasing the basic rate of income tax to 25p mentioned.

Close

What's Hot