Andrew Neil interviewed Jeremy Corbyn on BBC television tonight. Neil is a forensic interviewer who usually pins his interviewees down to exact words and syllables. But Corbyn is know for his own brand of stubbornness, and there was one wonderful moment when the two negotiated the terms of a question like children in the school yard fighting over whether to play tag or hide and seek.
The moment revolved around the issue of payment to the WASPI women, whom Labour has committed to compensating. The question was whether Corbyn should explain how they’ll pay or whythey should pay. The tussles begins in line 01 but the real magic starts in line 31. (You can listen by clicking on the audio link below).
01 AN: but I don’t see 02 I’ve got your er grey book here 03 the costings for it 04 I don’t see any sign of how you’re going to pay for that 05 JC: I’ve got a grey book here if want to xx 06 AN: no I’ve got yours that’s fine 07 wh- wh- where do you pay for it 08 JC: it’s (.) first of all lets deal with the issue 09 AN: no I’d ra- I know the issue 10 and I [understand the issue 11 JC: [well you might 12 but I’m not sure all our viewers do 13 AN: but I’d like to know where you 14 let’s assume it’s a great issue 15 and you’re right 16 how do you pay for it 17 JC: it’s a moral case 18 those women 19 AN: how do you pay for it 20 JC: those women were short changed 21 (0.4) by government 22 short changed in two thousand and eleven 23 by the changes in the pension rate 24 I met a group= 25 AN: =I’m accepting that mister [Corbyn 26 JC: [well 27 AN: I’m asking you 28 it cost sixty [billion 29 JC: [Andrew 30 can I [explain ►31 AN: [how do you pay for it 32 JC: (1.2) can I explain why 33 AN: no I’d like you to explain how you’ll pay for it= 34 JC: =let me explain why 35 AN: let- explain how you’ll pay for it 36 that’s my question 37 JC: let me explain why 38 AN: (0.8) explain how you’ll pay for it 39 JC: (0.4) we’ll pay for it because it has to be paid for= 40 AN: =but how 41 JC: it has to be paid for 42 it’s a moral debt 43 AN: how will you pay for it 44 JC: it’s a moral debt 45 that’s owed to those women 46 AN: will you [borrow 47 JC: [often 48 often between thirty and fifty thousand pounds 49 has been wrongly taken from them 50 [and so 51 AN: [I understand that’s your [case 52 JC: [and so 53 AN: that’s what I’m arguing with you about 54 I’m arguing how to say how will you find the money 55 now will you borrow for that AN = Andrew Neil; JC = Jeremy Corbyn
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