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Rhianna Benson

BBC Politics Live host Jo Coburn puts MP in place saying 'Don't look there, concentrate over here'

BBC Politics Live host Jo Coburn took charge of the discussion with an MP, telling him in no uncertain terms on live TV: "Don't look here, concentrate over here!"

Conservative MP and Culture Minister Chris Philp, Labour Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jon Ashworth and BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg were discussing Sue Gray's forthcoming report on the alleged Downing Street parties that took place during the national Coronavirus lockdowns in 2020.

During PMQ's Keir Starmer raised a point, which was then repeated by the Prime Minister, that placing a copy of the report in the House of Commons implies that Sue Gray's full investigation has been completed and that it contains evidence that will underline her conclusions.

Read more: ITV Secrets of The Krays: What crimes did they commit and which celebrities were they linked to?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons (PA)

"Even if you're doing research for a student dissertation," Kuenssberg explained. "You do all your research, you do all the stuff, and then you write the actual piece of work.

"It's my understanding that when people in Whitehall are talking about the 'full report', that's what I understand it to be - the whole actual report, not every single Whatsapp message, every single photograph, not every single not or email or text message.

"I don't think all of the evidence she has gathered is going to be published - every sentence that was uttered in every interview - but it's been put to me very strongly by people inside Government this morning that, even though there's been wrangling with No. 10 on this, the full report as written by Sue Gray, will emerge and not just a flimsy executive summary which some people had been suggesting was what Downing Street wanted to happen."

Ms Kuenssberg, who will step down as the BBC's Political Editor next Easter after seven years in the job (PA)

Discussion host Coburn then turned to MP Chris Philp, asking his thoughts on whether it is in fact Boris Johnson's making as to why he has claimed not to be in a position to deal with the important issues put to him.

The Conservative quickly replied, "No I don't think that for even one minute".

He added, "We saw figures today showing we've got the fastest growth in the G7, we've got more jobs on the payroll now than we had before the pandemic, we've got the booster program which is leading Europe - and all of these important things that really affect day-to-day lives, the government is delivering and has been delivering for a long time.

"The only people that are going on about this issue, to the exclusion of everything else, is the opposition. I've just listened to PMQ's like you [Coburn] have and your viewers have, and in that 35 minute session, not a single Labour or Scottish Nationalist MP even asked about the issue of what's going on with Russia and Ukaine.

"They wanted to talk about everything else, so it's not the Government that has their eye off the ball on these important issues is the opposition."

MP for Croydon South, Chris Philp, appeared on BBC Politics Live to defend Boris Johnson (BBC)

Coburn hit back, "So, are you saying that these issues cancel out and mitigate anything that might have gone on in terms of rule-breaking at Downing Street - rules set by Downing Street and Boris Johnson? Is the integrity of the Prime Minister unimportant in the arena of politics when we are talking about these other issues?"

The Culture Minister scrambled, "I mean, that's not what I said, obviously-"

"No, I'm asking though," Coburn interrupted. "Is that what we can conclude from what you're saying? Don't look here [she indicated at the other panellists], concentrate over here."

Philip replied, "Well look, the report is going to come out we think fairly soon and that will address the issues of integrity that you're raising. What struck me as extraordinary about Keir Starmer's questions - and as a lawyer, it's even more extraordinary - is that he was presupposing that the fact there's an investigation, presupposes guilt, which is obviously a ridiculous assumption."

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has criticised the Government's approach to Covid-19 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Ashworth, then chimed in, "Well, this is about integrity and politics and I think it's pretty clear now that the Government is in utter paralysis.

"You only need to walk around the House of Commons, you've got ministers, whips plotting in corners with Tory MPs trying to save the Prime Minister's skin, or alternatively, trying to work out whether they should jump to Liz Truss or to Rishi Sunack."

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