Steve Barclay swerves Brexit query in brutal Nick Ferrari takedown

Health Secretary Steve Barclay dodged Nick Ferrari’s brutal query on Brexit through the present on LBC that aired on Thursday morning.

The LBC presenter requested Mr Barclay whose Brexit deal was higher out of Theresa May and Boris Johnson.

The query popped up after former Prime Minister Theresa May informed the BBC that the UK would have been higher off if MPs had backed her deal to depart the European Union.

Mrs May mentioned her plan was thwarted by “hardline” Brexit-supporting MPs and people who wished to stay within the EU.

Speaking to Mr Barclay, the LBC presenter mentioned: “Reminding everybody, you as soon as served Brexit Secretary when Theresa May says that Britain can be higher off underneath her ‘soft’ Brexit deal, fairly than the one put collectively by Boris Johnson. Is she proper?”

Mr Barclay, safely swerved the query and mentioned: “I had the privilege of serving both Theresa May and Boris Johnson, and indeed Rishi.

“I’m very focussed on is cracking on with the well being challenges and particularly how we prepare for winters.”

Nick later chuckled and said: “Even the worst what referee on the Rugby World Cup would have seen that swerve, Mr Barclay. I’ll attempt once more, if I would. Was Mrs May’s Brexit deal higher than Mr Johnson’s?”

However, Mr Barclay was stern enough to not to answer the question and he said instead: “I supported the various Prime Ministers.

“I think what I am doing is looking forward and we are announcing this £200 million extra funding today as a part of our wider preparation for winter. Forgive me, I think that’s what I should be focussed on.”

Mrs May became prime minister in 2016 after the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum.

But she was forced to quit and replaced by Boris Johnson in 2019 after her deal was repeatedly rejected by MPs.

In a wide-ranging interview with Nick Robinson’s Political Thinking podcast, Mrs May reflected on her three turbulent years as prime minister ahead of the release of her memoir, the Abuse of Power, later this year.

When Mrs May entered office, the country had narrowly voted to leave the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

To implement that result, Mrs May’s government spent years negotiating a withdrawal agreement, which set out the terms on which the UK would leave the EU.

In the end, MPs backed a deal negotiated by Mrs May’s successor, Boris Johnson, who won a landslide general election in 2019 by promising to “get Brexit performed”.