'You Need To Answer Some Of My Questions': Kay Burley Slams Tory Minister

Chris Philp was left squirming as he was grilled by the Sky News presenter.
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Kay Burley clashed with Chris Philp on Sky News
Sky News

A government minister was left squirming after he was blasted by Kay Burley for dodging her questions.

Chris Philp avoided giving a straight answer as he was grilled on Sky News this morning.

Burley quizzed the police minister on reports in The Times that British lives have been put at risk by a US intelligence leak, as well as comments made previously by Joe Biden in which he compared Irish Catholics to Palestinians.

But Philp - who complained that he was suffering from a cold - continually stonewalled the presenter.

On the intelligence leak, he repeatedly said he could not comment on security matters.

And on Biden’s remarks, which date back to last year, Philp said: “I’m not going to get into that. He gave a great speech in Belfast yesterday.”

Burley hit back: “He is comparing Irish Catholics to Palestinians. As a representative of the British government this morning, what’s your reaction to that?”

Philp replied: “I’m not going to get into parsing President Biden’s language - I don’t know where that quote comes from or when he made it. What I do know is that the United States are a close ally of ours. We’re working together on a whole range of issues, including Ukraine.

“We’re working constructively on economic issues globally ...”

Burley then interjected: “You need to answer some of my questions.”

The minister responded: “I have been answering them.”

But the presenter hit back: “You haven’t. So you’re not going to answer that question either.”

It is not the first time the pair have clashed on the Sky News sofa.

Last month, the minister was put on the spot over the Tories’ decision to cut 21,000 police officers after David Cameron became prime minister.