The Tory leader said she was “amazed” the prime minister had time to go on Channel 4 show.
Political Correspondent
Andy Burnham has hit back at Kemi Badenoch after the Tory leader criticised his decision to appear on Channel 4’s Gogglebox.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the leader of the opposition said she was “amazed” the prime minister had any time to go on a TV programme.
Burnham, who will be joining his friend the Labour mayor of the Liverpool City region, Steve Rotherham, said he was “proud” to be part of the show.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is always a moment in the annual calendar where we support Stand Up To Cancer through Gogglebox.
“Steve and I are proud to do it. I’m trying to give the country a lift, trying to give the country some hope.
“That’s always my approach and it’s what I’m trying to do.
“It may not appeal to everybody when it comes to Gogglebox.
“It’s Stand Up To Cancer night and I’ve always been somebody who puts my shoulder behind the fight against cancer.”
Hours before, Badenoch said she “never had time” when she was in government, even at more junior levels.
“What I’m amazed at is Andy Burnham’s got time to go on Gogglebox,” she said.
“When you get a new job in politics, it’s so difficult, you’ve got so much work to do. It’s like drinking from a firehose, you’ve got so many papers to read.
“Even as a junior minister or as secretary of state, I never had time to go on.”
She added: “There’s a Budget next week and he’s going on Gogglebox.”
Badenoch pointed out that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage went on the show back in 2014 and then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared in 2017.
She also suggested the prime minister, known for often posting online videos explaining his policies, is “on social media all the time”.
Badenoch said: “I wouldn’t actually be able to do my job as leader of the opposition.”
“My job is to hold him to account and I’ve seen a lot of prime ministers up close and I’ve never seen a prime minister have the time to do this much Goggleboxing, social media and Lad Bible,” the Conservative leader claimed.
“ I just don’t know how he’s got the time”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has questioned how the PM has time to go on TV show, Gogglebox, during her appearance on @BBCBreakfast
Read more about Andy Burnham’s appearance on this show here: https://t.co/erdFb24kZa pic.twitter.com/cCN3schDRX
Badenoch also used Gogglebox to criticise Burnham for not being focused on major announcements, like the government’s new call for more stockpiling.
She began: “The defence secretary [Wes Streeting] is talking about stockpiling, but he won’t tell us if he’s found the money to pay for our defence.
“We need him to be looking after this country, manning the borders, ensuring the soldiers have all the equipment that they need.”
She later added: “I don’t mind them giving advice. I worry that between the prime minister being on Gogglebox and then talking about stockpiling canned goods, they’re not actually doing the really difficult stuff that will protect the country.”
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