THE UK’s Northern Ireland Secretary was left “tied up in knots” during his morning media round following claims he made about Brexit.
Chris Heaton-Harris, who is not seeking re-election on July 4, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme by Mishal Husain.
The pair started to discuss Brexit with the host asking the senior Tory if Brexit “is working perfectly” for the UK.
Listen to Mishal Husain tie Chris Heaton-Harris up in knots over changing his mind. MH: Do you think brexit is working perfectly? CHH: "I think brexit is working well for our country.."#r4today pic.twitter.com/nLn59Q9d8s
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) June 24, 2024
He replied: “I think Brexit is working well for our country,” although conceded that “everything can work better” when pushed on his point.
Husain then asked if the fact Heaton-Harris believed it could be improved showed there was scope to secure new deals with the EU in line with the view of many exporters.
“I think when we went through the Windsor Framework which I helped to negotiate with the Prime Minister, we started to work out with the European Union better ways of doing business,” he said.
He continued to say that it was a “process” and not a “straightforward yes/no thing”.
Husain then added: “I think that’s probably exactly what the Labour Party would say that there’s an ongoing process of thinking about ways that our relationship with the EU could be streamlined.”
The Northern Ireland Secretary then claimed that Keir Starmer would want to see “free movement”, which the Labour leader has previously said he would not back.
Heaton-Harris then said that former French politician Michel Barnier recently called on Labour to back free movement and added: “Oh, does that mean Keir Starmer’s changed his mind again?”
Husain then asked Heaton-Harris if he had ever changed his mind about anything and why it was okay for him to do so but not the Labour leader.
“Because it’s a fundamental point of principle where Keir Starmer needs to be believed whether he would go for free movement and he will,” he replied.
He was also pressed on the cancellation of the northern legs of the high-speed rail project HS2, which Heaton-Harris defended as he said money was prioritised elsewhere.
He continued: “I might humbly suggest that in future interviews when you’re asking me this question and I’ve changed my mind and I’m being criticised for changing my mind because of circumstances I’ll remind you that politicians are therefore allowed to.”
A number of people on social media criticised Heaton-Harris with News Agents presenter Jon Sopel saying: “I do understand better why we don’t hear much from Chris Heaton-Harris on the morning media round…”
Another described it as “absolutely brutal” while another user said he had been left “tied up in knots”.
A fourth Twitter/X user meanwhile said it was “incoherent nonsense” from Heaton-Harris.
