Kay Burley accuses Angela Rayner of ‘cheap shot’ as pair go toe-to-toe in tense exchange

Labour’s deputy leader tells anchor she was acting like a government apologist

It was an exchange between two formidable women that promised fireworks – and didn’t disappoint.

Kay Burley accused Angela Rayner of taking a “cheap shot” during an acrimonious Sky News interview in which Labour’s deputy leader told the anchor she was acting like a government apologist.

The verbals came as the pair went toe-to-toe over Boris Johnson’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

As the pair’s video exchange became increasingly tense on Tuesday morning, Ms Rayner - MP for Ashton-under-Lyne - slammed the prime minister’s Sunday night address, in which he had told the nation that people should go back to work on Monday.

“They give people 12 hours’ notice,” she said. “That is irresponsible."

Ms Burley waded in, saying that the prime minister had made a mistake and that he had meant people should go back to work on Wednesday. "That was just somebody misspeaking,” the journalist said.

An incredulous Ms Rayner replied: “It was somebody misspeaking? The prime minister told people to go back into work. He addressed the nation on Sunday and told them to go back into work on the Monday….

“Kay you are surely not there to defend the government on this."

Almost before the suggestion was made, Ms Burley – who a neutral observer might say had been on the ropes throughout the interview – fired back: "Cheap shot Angela Rayner!”

And she rallied: “I am not there to defend the government, I am there to put you on the spot. That is exactly what I am doing, I don’t represent any particular party. You do. I am asking for your opinion representing your party."

An exasperated Ms Rayner replied: “Will you let me give my opinion then?”