There is a good example here of a politician being put in a tight corner on spending by the interviewer and having to equivocate. In the second part the pressure to equivocate is revealed in the increased hesitation in the speech of the politician.

Part 1

In the first part, the politician (SF) is asked by the interviewer (IN) where the £60 billion pounds ‘war chest’ is coming from for Brexit. The politician has a stock answer which has probably been prepared in advanced and includes talking about the reduction in the deficit, an increase in tax receipts and a growing economy. The interviewer tries to re-establish the question and there is some negotiation for the floor.

IN: well let’s ask Suella Fernandez
    Where is that sixty billion pounds coming
    for the war chest for Brexit
SF: listen I think that erm (.)
    we are laying the foundations for a strong economy
    we’re seeing government spending
    erm sorry erm
    the deficit’s been reduced by two thirds
    we’re seeing tax receipts go come up
    er and [increase for example from
IN:        [just recently
    but but where’s the sixty billion
    [going to come from
SF: [we’re seeing our economy grow
    significantly consecutively over all the quarters
    erm (.) by er nought point six percent
    in the last quarter [last
IN:                     [you don’t know
    where the [sixty billion is going to come from
SF:           [we’re getting a strong economy
    which is providing the foundations
    for greater public spending like like this
        (.)

External link to clip

Part 2

In the second part, the interviewer (IN) decides to ask the question again. This time we see more hesitation and pausing by the politician (SF) as she unable to fall back on her stock answer.

IN: right (.) but just on the six-
    just on the sixty billion pounds
    cos it’s an awful lot of money
    and if the Lab- Lib Dems are going to make claims
    that that’s how they would pay
    for some of their spending commitments
    where is that money going to come from
SF: well there are lot’s of (.) erm
    as I say (.) we have been er
    the- the economy is in a very strong position
    [we have
IN: [right but that doesn’t answer the question
    and actually lots of people would say
    it’s not (.) com- y’know completely in a strong position
    when you are looking to try and take out
    sixty billion pounds
      (.)
SF: well as I say
    we erm have reduced the deficit
    we have cut er er public spending borrowing
    there is erm there are in re- receipts increase
    er tax receipt increases
    erm from say erm the cut in corporation tax
    which er brought through
    forty three billion pounds last year alone
    erm I mean there are lot of great (.) examples
    of how the government is er balancing the books (.)
    providing the (firm)foundation for a strong economy
    so that vital investment can be made
    into our public services
    such as schools such as social care and the NHS
    ...
                   IN = Jo Coburn (BBC); SF = Suella Fernandez, Conservative MP

 

Daily Politics, 8th March 2017, @approx. 28 mins

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08hvmbd/daily-politics-07032017