UK
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Jeremy Hunt clashes with Sky News host as he's asked to name groups behind 'intimidatory' protestsMr Hunt chose not to provide details regarding the specific groups in question and chastised Mr Phillips for 'not listening'
By Nicole Wootton-Cane Senior reporter
Sophie Huskisson
3 MAR 2024
Jeremy Hunt clashed with Trevor Phillips on Sky News (Image: No credit)
Jeremy Hunt clashed with Sky News host Trevor Phillips during a live TV show after being asked to clarify the "very intimidatory protests" he claimed to have recently seen.
Host Trevor Phillips quizzed the Chancellor about Rishi Sunak's talk on extremism last Friday, where he said "our streets have been hijacked by small groups who are hostile to our values and have no respect for our democratic traditions".
In a heated exchange, Mr Hunt chose not to provide details regarding the specific groups in question and chastised Mr Phillips for "not listening", reports The Mirror Online.
When asked if he could identify an group not yet banned that required banning due to their behaviour at pro-Palestine rallies, Mr Hunt responded: "I'm not going to go into those details. That's a matter for the Home Secretary."
He continued, "What I can tell you is that the vast majority of British Muslims want to protest peacefully and within the law, and they have every right to do so. But we have seen examples of very intimidatory protests that have made other people feel unsafe. That is not the British way."
Mr Phillips came back with: "Forgive me Chancellor, this is a very important point. Part of the British way is to be straight. When you say we've seen these protests and these people, which people are we talking about? Who are you talking about?"
Mr Hunt then said he was "talking about the scenes I've seen on television" and talked about emails from Jewish people "who are absolutely terrified to go out of their houses, because of some of the behaviour of a small minority". When asked to name specific groups he saw on TV, the Cabinet Minister admitted: "I don't know the names of people I see on television."
Jeremy Hunt clashed with Sky News host Trevor Phillips during a live TV show after being asked to clarify the "very intimidatory protests" he claimed to have recently seen.
Host Trevor Phillips quizzed the Chancellor about Rishi Sunak's talk on extremism last Friday, where he said "our streets have been hijacked by small groups who are hostile to our values and have no respect for our democratic traditions".
In a heated exchange, Mr Hunt chose not to provide details regarding the specific groups in question and chastised Mr Phillips for "not listening", reports The Mirror Online.
When asked if he could identify an group not yet banned that required banning due to their behaviour at pro-Palestine rallies, Mr Hunt responded: "I'm not going to go into those details. That's a matter for the Home Secretary."
He continued, "What I can tell you is that the vast majority of British Muslims want to protest peacefully and within the law, and they have every right to do so. But we have seen examples of very intimidatory protests that have made other people feel unsafe. That is not the British way."
Mr Phillips came back with: "Forgive me Chancellor, this is a very important point. Part of the British way is to be straight. When you say we've seen these protests and these people, which people are we talking about? Who are you talking about?"
Mr Hunt then said he was "talking about the scenes I've seen on television" and talked about emails from Jewish people "who are absolutely terrified to go out of their houses, because of some of the behaviour of a small minority". When asked to name specific groups he saw on TV, the Cabinet Minister admitted: "I don't know the names of people I see on television."
Jeremy Hunt will present his budget next week (Image: PA)
He also stated, "What I'm also saying is the vast majority of people at these protests want to do so peacefully and within the law, and we absolutely respect their right to do so. But when lines are being crossed, we need to call it out and we need to be active in calling out extremism for what it is."
Mr Phillips pushed back, asking again which groups he meant, saying: "When you heard the Prime Minister speak of these anonymous forces, or groups or organisations, it leaves people assuming that you must mean either anyone who's been on one of these marches, or anyone who happens to profess the Muslim faith."
An exasperated Mr Hunt responded: "With the greatest respect and I really enjoy being interviewed with you but it does feel to me like you actually weren't listening to what I just said."
In an interview, a speaker clarified his remark saying, "Because what I just said was that the vast majority of people are protesting peacefully. I did not say these people who aren't doing that are anonymous. I said, I just happened to not know their names because I look at someone on television and I don't know their name. So I think I've answered your question with the greatest respect."
Mr Hunt, in his talk to Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, shed light on his plans for Wednesday's Budget: "It is going to be a prudent and responsible budget for long-term growth."
He shared his viewpoint about tax cuts saying, "When it comes to tax cuts, I do believe that if you look around the world, countries with lower tax tend to grow faster - North America, Asia - and so I do think in the long run we need to move back to being a lower taxed, more lightly regulated economy."
He added: "It would be deeply unconservative to cut taxes in a way that increased borrowing, wasn't fully funded. If I think of the great tax-cutting budgets of the past, Nigel Lawson's budget in 1988 - the reason that was so significant is because those tax cuts were permanent. People need to know that these are tax cuts you can really afford, so it will be responsible and everything I do will be affordable."
He also stated, "What I'm also saying is the vast majority of people at these protests want to do so peacefully and within the law, and we absolutely respect their right to do so. But when lines are being crossed, we need to call it out and we need to be active in calling out extremism for what it is."
Mr Phillips pushed back, asking again which groups he meant, saying: "When you heard the Prime Minister speak of these anonymous forces, or groups or organisations, it leaves people assuming that you must mean either anyone who's been on one of these marches, or anyone who happens to profess the Muslim faith."
An exasperated Mr Hunt responded: "With the greatest respect and I really enjoy being interviewed with you but it does feel to me like you actually weren't listening to what I just said."
In an interview, a speaker clarified his remark saying, "Because what I just said was that the vast majority of people are protesting peacefully. I did not say these people who aren't doing that are anonymous. I said, I just happened to not know their names because I look at someone on television and I don't know their name. So I think I've answered your question with the greatest respect."
Mr Hunt, in his talk to Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, shed light on his plans for Wednesday's Budget: "It is going to be a prudent and responsible budget for long-term growth."
He shared his viewpoint about tax cuts saying, "When it comes to tax cuts, I do believe that if you look around the world, countries with lower tax tend to grow faster - North America, Asia - and so I do think in the long run we need to move back to being a lower taxed, more lightly regulated economy."
He added: "It would be deeply unconservative to cut taxes in a way that increased borrowing, wasn't fully funded. If I think of the great tax-cutting budgets of the past, Nigel Lawson's budget in 1988 - the reason that was so significant is because those tax cuts were permanent. People need to know that these are tax cuts you can really afford, so it will be responsible and everything I do will be affordable."
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