Kate Garraway was forced to issue a brief clarification following an interview with Angela Rayner. The Labour deputy leader appeared on the ITV news programme on Wednesday morning (April 20), the day after Boris Johnson faced MPs in the House of Commons for the first time since he was fined for breaking lockdown rules.
The 54-year-old presenter and co-host Adil Ray were joined by Ms Rayner via video link from Westminster and Kate wasted no time in asking her if it was time to 'accept Boris Johnson's apology, accept he paid the fine and move on to tackling the things I know you care about and the country cares about,' before referring to issues such as the cost of living crisis.
"Or do we need to keep going and push him on it," Kate added ahead of the Prime Minister facing a further grilling over Partygate after MPs were granted a vote later this week on whether Mr Johnson misled parliament, despite him saying he didn't intentionally mislead Parliament with his earlier denials of rule-breaking parties.
Addressing the House as it returned from its Easter recess, Mr Johnson apologised dozens of times for the “mistake” that saw him fined by police over the event in No 10 for his birthday in June 2020.
In response to Kate's question, Ms Rayner said: "For months now Boris Johnson has been trying to avoid this issue and the vote tomorrow is about going to the privileges committee which will look at whether Boris Johnson deliberately misled the house when he said he didn't know about the parties which obviously we now know he did."
She added: "I don't think we can move on until the Prime Minister is truthful with the house and he hasn't been. He's tried to avoid this at every opportunity and he knows as well as every other MP knows that if the Prime Minister or any minister misleads the House it is a resignation issue."
Later, Kate raised Priti Patel's plan to have migrants arriving in the UK processed in Rwanda which is being opposed by the Labour Party. "It was changes that the Labour Government made that allowed for the legislation into being in place in order for them to consider it," the presenter argued.
"So what the Government said is, if you have a better idea, what is it? Come and tell us about it not just to Labour but to anyone. So what is Labour's plan for safe asylum routes?"
Ms Rayner said the Conservative Government has had 'over a decade to deal with this issue' before adding: "Our plan is quite clear – crackdown on the criminality, the people who are exploiting vulnerable people."
Kate, however, cut in to point out Ms Rayner's aims appeared rather similar to the Government's. "I'm sorry, I don't want to interrupt you, I know I am so apologies for that, the GMB host said. "But that's what the Government ministers have said - crackdown on criminality. So what is different about Labour's approach to cracking down that would make the difference?"
Ms Rayner insisted the Labour Party would work alongside partners in the European Union and France to ensure safe routes are available for those 'legitimately able to come to the UK.'
"Sending people to Rwanda isn't going to crack down on the criminality, all that's going to do is cost the taxpayer's money," Ms Rayner added before she made a dig at the Prime Minister. "We've seen the government haven't been able to tackle this issue, they've not been able to deal with criminality," before suggesting there is a 'criminal at No 10'.
As Adil and Kate wrapped up the interview, Adil said: "Just to point out Boris Johnson isn't technically a criminal. A lawbreaker, yes, but can't be classified as a criminal," n before Kate added: "There were lots of cries of that thought in the Common's yesterday weren't they but you're right, he's just a law breaker. He will not have a criminal record."
