Sophy Ridge can’t hold in laughter over James Cleverly row
Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge broke into laughter as a colleague detailed the latest in the row over remarks James Cleverly is claimed to have made in Parliament.
The Home Secretary has been under pressure to apologise amid claims he called fellow MP Alex Cunningham’s Stockton North constituency a “s***hole”.
A source close to Mr Cleverly said his off-the-cuff remark in the Commons had been directed towards the MP, rather than his constituency.
Sky’s Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig reduced Ridge to a fit of giggles when he recounted the saga live on air.
Ridge managed to contain herself up to the point when Craig quoted the source as saying Mr Cleverly had called Mr Cunningham, in Craig’s words, “a something or other”.
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Ridge then cracked, apologising straight away but was unable to stop herself as Craig went on to say how Mr Cleverly apologised for “unparliamentary language”.
Craig then tells the presenter to stop giggling, but it is clear he too was finding it difficult to stop himself from laughing.
Mr Cleverly had come under pressure to apologise over the alleged Stockton insult, including from Tees Valley’s mayor Lord Ben Houchen.
Labour MP Mr Cunningham had alleged the comment was made about his constituency during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (November 22).
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Mr Cleverly was accused of making the remark after Mr Cunningham challenged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the level of child poverty in his North East seat.
Mr Cunningham on Thursday said he did not believe the Home Secretary, telling the BBC: “He hasn’t made an apology to me. His apology is for using unparliamentary language.
“But I don’t want an apology for him claiming to have insulted me. I want an apology for the people of my communities.
“My colleagues who actually saw the mouth move and heard the words come out, they believe he said that particular expression, and on that basis I don’t think he is a person fit for such high office and he really needs to consider what he is going to do about it.”
Lord Houchen said he accepted the apology, while Number 10 said Rishi Sunak continues to have confidence in the Home Secretary.
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