Simon Clarke caught ‘buffering’ in BBC interview as Stayt grilling met with silence

Charlie Stayt struggles with technical issues during interview

The new Levelling Up Secretary stared blankly into the camera in what viewers have described as a “buffering” moment after being grilled by the BBC host. Mr Stayt asked: “You look at child poverty, or in-work poverty, which of those markers have the Tories, in 12 years, been successful in helping?” After a moment’s silence, Mr Stayt repeated his question assuming the connection had cut out.

Twitter users mocked the minister for failing to answer.

Peter Salisbury said: “Charlie Stayt appears to have broken Simon Clarke on BBC Breakfast.”

Vox Populi added: “BBC Breakfast thought the screen froze during that interview with Simon Clarke about the cost of living crisis. He had a rabbit in headlights moment and Charlie Stayt had to repeat his question.”

Mel Whittaker noted: “Simon Clarke having a *buffering* moment when asked by Charlie Stayt about the Tory record after 12 years in power.”

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Simon Clarke appeared to freeze during a BBC Breakfast interview (Image: BBC)

Charlie Stayt was forced to repeat himself after the awkward moment (Image: BBC)

Mr Stayt said: “Okay, I’m sorry, maybe you didn’t hear that question, I’ll repeat it again.

“I’m just asking about levelling up. So if you look at some markers, for example, child poverty or in-work poverty, which of those markers have the Tories successfully affected across 12 years?”

Mr Clarke replied: “Well we’ve had to deal with an extraordinary series of challenges over the course of the 12 years that the Conservative Party’s been in office.

“We’ve clearly been faced with a very difficult parliamentary arithmetic as well.

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“But we are absolutely clear that levelling up sits at the heart of our work in office, and I represent a constituency on Teesside with does have pockets of very deep deprivation.”

It comes as the UK gas reserves are “too small” to curb consumer bills and the Government should focus on a push to help millions of households save energy, senior advisers have urged.

The new Prime Minister is being urged to drive forward efforts to improve insulation for households and provide advice to the public on low or no-cost ways to save energy.

Liz Truss is also being urged to back cheap onshore wind and solar farms, which she criticised in her leadership campaign, as well as electric heat pumps, to reduce the UK’s reliance on natural gas.

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Energy price breakdown (Image: EXPRESS)

In a letter to the new Prime Minister, Climate Change Committee (CCC) chairman Lord Deben and Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC), say that addressing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuels is the best way out of the energy and climate crises.

“By doubling down on efforts to end our dependence on gas we can lower consumer energy costs and make meaningful contributions towards combatting climate change,” they say.

The letter says the UK is facing a “set of grim records” of high energy prices, extreme summer temperatures, and surging inflation, due to climate change and economic challenges which threaten three-quarters of households with fuel poverty.

And the CCC and NIC chairmen warn gas is expected to stay expensive until 2027, with 90% of the recent increase in the energy price cap driven by gas price rises.