The energy minister insisting a loan is a ‘discount’ on Question Time is unintentionally hilarious
With the country in the midst of an unprecedented cost of living crisis, chancellor Rishi Sunak did his bit for the cause by giving everyone a £200 loan to help pay for their energy bills.
People will pay back the loan in £40 chunks over their coming bills, but the government is awfully keen to downplay the fact it’s a loan.
They prefer to call it a ‘discount’ – even though it clearly isn’t – and energy minister Greg Hands was at it again on Question Time on Thursday night.
And it’s a properly jaw-dropping watch, given entirely the response he deserved from the Question Time audience.
“It’s not a loan, it is a discount”
“What are you all shouting? They’re saying it’s a loan”@Greghands tries to explain to the #bbcqt audience why the government’s £200 energy discount is not a loan. pic.twitter.com/jstBCNxD9H
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) April 7, 2022
It’s not a loan, it’s a discount you have to pay back! WTF?
And here’s exactly what people made of that.
1.
This like a panto gone horribly wrong. "A loan!" shout the audience when asked to describe @RishiSunak's energy 'rebate'. The derisive laughter is quite something. https://t.co/hE7Quk3ETR
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) April 8, 2022
2.
Like watching a man drowning in his own excrement.
— Bearded Lord Folly 💙 #FBPPR #FBPA #PATH (@MoonrakerXI) April 7, 2022
3.
That sound you can hear?
It’s disbelief followed by laughter.
🗣 🐾 🦆 https://t.co/GtNIuGUEdr
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) April 8, 2022
4.
Sounds like a loan if you have to pay it back Greg!#bbcqt #JohnsonOut73
— The Last Girly Swots to join Tw❄️tter! 😷 💙 🇺🇦 (@TheLastPersont2) April 7, 2022
5.
When is a loan not a loan?
When a Tory buffoon tells you it's not a loan!!! 🤪
If it looks like a loan, smells like a loan, paid back like a loan…
IT'S A F'KING LOAN!!! 🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/MXfOtR39dD— 4th July – Tory wipe Out (@snb19692) April 8, 2022
6.
Don’t they realise they lose all credibility when they gaslight us like this. Do they really believe themselves when they come out with this rubbish?
— The Road to Brescia (@roadtobrescia) April 7, 2022
7.
An amazing clip. Well worth a watch. If Labour have their wits about them, it should get replayed again and again and again. https://t.co/mAKk83GiWN
— Edwin Hayward (@edwinhayward) April 8, 2022
8.
He's a Tory what does anyone expect. They have forgotten what telling the truth is like.
— 🇺🇦 Prof Tarquin Thunderpenus, Uni of Facebook (@BillBillBill06) April 7, 2022
9.
Greg Hands desperately trying to polish a turd and failing miserably 😂 https://t.co/EuP9qMMFIK
— Julia Suzanne 🌹🇬🇧🥂 (@juliasuzanne76) April 8, 2022
To conclude …
This is brilliant
Greg hands send the audience & the panel in to despair & laughter
On the Rishi Sunak, loan not loan
It’s not a loan, it’s a discount you have to pay back 🤯
Even Fiona Bruce joined in mocking him 😮😮😮#questiontime #torylies #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/rAo46ekwws
— kerry ✊💙🇺🇦 (@hewitson10) April 7, 2022
And this.
Don’t need any polls to see that the Tories have lost the public, just watch this minute and a half. pic.twitter.com/Nvw4Nmcplo
— Brendan May (@bmay) April 7, 2022
Oh, and this.
Some of the best comedy gold moments have come from ministers digging their way out of situations that those on the front row have dropped them in.
My award goes to @NadineDorries on her knowledge of #Channel4 funding.👏👏👏👏 https://t.co/eZ7MTzxoHT— Robert Lindsay (@RobertLindsay) April 8, 2022
READ MORE
James Cleverly said it was sexist to question Rishi Sunak’s wife’s tax – only 5 responses you need
Source Twitter @bbcquestiontime
