KWASI Kwarteng was grilled by Jon Kay after abandoning his plan to axe the 45p tax rate for top-earners in a new interview with BBC Breakfast on Monday.
The Chancellor appeared to discuss the U-turn just hours after Prime Minister Liz Truss insisted the cut would go ahead to backtrack under fierce pressure.
It comes after The Sun last night exclusively revealed the PM and Chancellor were planning to ditch the tax.
“We get it and we have listened,” Kwarteng said in a statement, calling the 45p rate cut “a distraction from our overriding mission to tackle the challenges facing the country”.
The markets reacted positively to the announcement with pound rising against the dollar.
It comes after former cabinet minister Michael Gove led the criticism of the PM’s plans for tax cuts for the rich, saying her unfunded £45bn package had the “wrong values” and was not Conservative.
READ MORE ON BBC BREAKFAST
BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty begs fans for help after nightmare incident
BBC’s Naga Munchetty furious at co-star as he takes swipe at her appearance
Speaking to BBC Breakfast today, Kwarteng looked awkward as used the word "distraction" around 20 times in the space of a 15-minute interview.
But he insisted that the proposed tax cut wasn’t a mistake – despite the fact it was immensely unpopular and took just ten days to U-turn on.
“We listened to people, we get it,” Kwarteng said, explaining their decision to reverse the proposal.
He also pointed to the “reaction” as one of the reasons why the pair decided to reverse the decision.
It seems that people this morning were listening, too – but for all the wrong reasons.
Alongside an array of angry-faced emojis, one person penned: "Kwasi Kwarteng car crash interview on BBC Breakfast. Just not competent, rather like his boss."
Most read in News TV
GMB's Alex Beresford marries fiancée in stunning clifftop ceremony
Strictly's Kara Tointon splits from fiancé who kissed mystery woman
Jacqueline Jossa makes shock return to EastEnders after four-year absence
Strictly shock as Kaye Adams eliminated after tense dance off
Echoing their comments, someone else said: "What I’m taking away from this BBC Breakfast interview with Kwasi Kwarteng is that he hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing."
While a third remarked: "He’s struggling under very light questioning. What a shambles."
BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.
Source: Read Full Article