Michael Gove has ruled out an emergency budget to tackle the cost of living crisis with a bizarre string of impersonations on live TV.
The Scots cabinet minister put on a range of accents - from Scouse to American TV anchorman - as he covered up for Boris Johnson’s Commons slip which appeared to suggest more spending pledges were on the way “in days”.
Gove as quizzed on BBC Breakfast over whether there would be an emergency budget after the Treasury had quickly slapped down the Prime Minister’s suggestion.
He adopted a Liverpudlian accent from comedian Harry Enfield’s ‘Scousers’ sketches of the 1990s when he appealed for commentators to “calm down”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “In fact, when the Treasury quite rightly say ‘calm down!’ then people, instead of recognising they’ve overinflated the story in the first place, then say ‘oh this is clearly a split’.”
The Tory politician also appeared to attempt an American accent when he accused pundits of misinterpreting the prime minister’s words.
In an tv anchor impersonation he accused the media of trying to turn Boris Johnson’s comments into: “A major, capital letters, big news story!”
An animated Gove tackled another accent while downplaying the prospect of a split between the Treasury and Downing Street on the issue.
Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner was not impressed, tweeting: “Is the cost of living crisis just a joke to them? This is not a serious government. We need an emergency budget right now.”
Labour MP Karl Turner added: “Embarrassing. There’s a cost of living crisis and a government minister is doing silly voices during an interview.”
Gove previously made a video spectacle of himself by turning up at an Aberdeen nightclub on his own to dance the night away with some questionable dance moves in the small hours
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
