Gladly Grilled
From an exchange between Piers Morgan and UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock:
Matt Hancock: I’m really glad that we’re able to send out food for those who receive free school meals when schools are in. I’m really glad that we’re able to do that when schools are out.
Piers Morgan: If you’re that glad- if you’re that glad- can I just ask you a difficult question. Why did you vote against it?
MH: Well, I’m really glad we were able to put it into place and…
PM: Yeah, but if you’re that glad about being able to put it into place– again– why did you, as health secretary, vote against this?
MH: Well… because… the reason that I’m glad now… is because we’ve been able to sort that out and put it in place.
PM: The reason you’re glad now is because you got shamed into it. Let’s be honest – you got shamed into it by a football player- a young football player with a conscience- who managed to prick the conscience of you and the government. Do you regret now- given how glad you are that it’s now happening- do you regret voting against it?
MH: Well, of course I’m pleased that we’re making sure that during this lockdown…
PM: That wasn’t the question. I just asked if you- I asked if you regretted it.
MH: But Piers…
PM: But hang on, it’s a very important question because you wouldn’t have done it without Marcus Rashford campaigning. My question for you is, given how glad you now are that it’s happening, do you regret voting against it? It’s a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
MH: Well, as I say, I’m really glad that it’s happening now.
PM: But do you regret it? Do you regret voting against it?
MH: Well… I’ll put it this way- in the first lockdown we took this action and now as you say, we’re in the second national lockdown…
PM: Health secretary, you only have to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, whether you regret it. You either regret it or you don’t.
MH: Well, I’m really glad that the situation’s been resolved.
PM: So you regret- you regret voting against it.
MH: I’m really glad it’s been resolved and we’ve sorted it out. And I’m going to use my own words to describe my own feelings on this one.
PM: So you won’t answer the question.
MH: I said I’m answering the question and I’m really glad that we’ve sorted this out.