A Tory minister has been mocked after he refused to accept that Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng were "peddling fantasy economics" during the mini budget.
Local government minister Paul Scully was laughed at during BBC's Question Time on Thursday evening when an audience member asked about the current economic crisis following the Chancellor's fiscal statement last Friday.
Since Kwarteng announced a wave of unfunded tax cuts, including a five per cent reduction for people earning over £150,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the markets have plummeted leading to the Bank of England having to step in to reassure the economy.
The audience member asked: "Is Liz Truss and her Chancellor peddling fantasy economics as stated by Rishi Sunak during the leadership campaign?"
Scully answered: "No, absolutely not, no."
Presenter Fiona Bruce interrupted Scully to urge him to listen to the laughter from the audience after answering the question. She said: "Paul, just take a moment to hear the response you got there."
Scully added: "Let me explain why because Liz Truss and Kwasi, the Chancellor, were speaking to OFGEM, the energy companies as well as financial institutions throughout the summer.
"They were trailing exactly what they were going to be doing now. We found we had to act because OFGEM was saying that a typical household would be paying up to £6000 on their energy bills over the next year or so."
During Question Time Scully also clashed with panellist and former Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon who said it was "absurd" the Tories were cutting tax for the richest people in society.
He said: "Isn't it also in a way Paul slightly absurd that in the middle of a cost of living crisis. "That we've known is coming and people can barely afford to buy shoes for their kids and there's not enough food at foodbanks.
"It sounds absurd to say this out loud but last Friday you reduced the top rate of income tax for rich people and you took away the cap of bankers bonuses which the bankers weren't even asking for. Doesn't it just seem wild."
Scully replied: "In terms of optics there's always going to be that accusation."
Bacon hit back, saying: "What about optics, how about just doing it."
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