Tory Minister on media round lurched from one farce to the next

Home office minister Chris Philp was doing the media rounds today and it went from worse to worse.

I can’t think of any MP who could have worked the media into the government’s favour today.

It comes as Rishi Sunak ordered his new ethics advisers to investigate Mr Zahawi after the Stratford-on-Avon MP admitted agreeing a multimillion-pound settlement with HMRC over unpaid tax.

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On Radio 4’s Today, where he was left floundering by presenter Mishal Husain.

Chris Philp's car crash interview on #r4today over Nadhim Zahawi's carelessness. 🤦

Mishal Husain: Does the PM therefore think it's acceptable for senior member of the govt to be negligent in their tax affairs?

Chris Philp: This word careless has been put into the public domain pic.twitter.com/Im7rtIwNoC
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) January 24, 2023

This tweet might sum it up for you?

“Crime minister and shameless government bullshit pedlar Chris Philp on @bbcr4today strenuously defending Sunak, Zahawi and Johnson against all allegations by repeatedly stressing that he knows nothing about any of this stuff and has literally no idea what he’s talking about.”

Crime minister and shameless government bullshit pedlar Chris Philp on @bbcr4today strenuously defending Sunak, Zahawi and Johnson against all allegations by repeatedly stressing that he knows nothing about any of this stuff and has literally no idea what he’s talking about.
— Nicholas Pegg (@NicholasPegg) January 24, 2023

Phlip also showed his face on BBC breakfast news. This time Jon Kay was left to skewer him.

Jon Kay – With all these allegations about govt behaviour… the public will think this govt has ran out of time?

Chris Philp -Rishi Sunak doesn't try to brush things under the carpet..

Jon Kay – He said the Zahawi case was all dealt with last week at #PMQs? #BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/ppF5Da6cYh
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) January 24, 2023

But it wasn’t over! On Sky News he was quizzed on Sunak’s promises when he came into office.

Kamali Melbourne – When Rishi Sunak came into office he promised accountability, integrity & professionalism.. which part of those 3 words are actually being lived upto by this govt?
.
Chris Philp – "Rishi Sunak has acted quickly & decisively.."#KayBurley #BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/qUtRMFaX30
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) January 24, 2023

Reactions

Minister Chris Philp vigorously defending Zahawi and Sunak over tax scandal and Boris Johnson over appointment of Richard Sharp as BBC chair.

That’ll be Chris Philp, sacked four months ago as Chief Sec to Treasury after key role in Liz Truss’s disaster budget#BBCR4Today
— Paul Johnson (@paul__johnson) January 24, 2023

The Chris Philp interview on R4 saw him repeatedly insist that we “don’t know” what happened with Nadhim Zahawi’s tax penalty and thus it’s impossible to take action without a full investigation. That’s a slightly curious line in that they could just… ask Zahawi.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) January 24, 2023

Who better to defend Nadhim Zahawi than Chris Philp, the man whose company went bust in 2008 owing £500,000 in unpaid tax?#r4today
— Parody Rishi Sunak (@Parody_PM) January 24, 2023