Fiona Bruce left stunned in explosive BBC Question Time clash with Labour minister

The Labour politician said she took “issue” with the BBC presenter’s comments

Fiona Bruce

Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce (Image: BBC)

A Labour minister clashed with Fiona Bruce over Labour U-turns during a fiery moment on tonight’s BBC Question Time. Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander said she took “issue” with the example the BBC presenter gave on the two-child benefit cap.

It came as the panel show discussed whether U-turns are a sign of weakness or good leadership. Ms Alexander said: “I think a responsible Government actually listens to advice it’s given, if circumstances change and more information becomes available I think the right thing to do some of the time is have a bit of a course correction. I do take issue with what you said Fiona there about some of the examples you gave.”

Heidi Alexander

A stunned Bruce replied: “Do you? Why?”

The Labour politician went on: “You said we have changed our policy on removing the two-child cap in Universal Credit.

“We set up a commission to look at child poverty, to look at what we could best do to lift children out of poverty in this country.

“At the conclusion of that we decided that the single most important thing you could do was to adjust the benefits system and lift nearly half a million children out of poverty in this country.”

Bruce interrupted: “Hang on Heidi, just a minute. It was defended by Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer as the right thing to do and the thing the country couldn’t afford.

“A year later, hey presto, the country can suddenly afford it. How is that not a U-turn?”

Ms Alexander prompted laughter from some members of the audience as she denied it was a U-turn.

Bruce then said: “So why do you think people are laughing at that, Heidi?”

She replied: “Well perhaps it’s my inability to express the Government’s policy as succinctly as I might otherwise.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initially refused to lift the two-child benefit cap and stripped the whip from MPs who rebelled.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the cap would be scrapped at last October’s budget following intense pressure from Labour MPs.