Nick Ferrari threatens to cancel interview over minister 'working people' row

LBC's Nick Ferrari clashed with Labour minister James Murray this morning, as the Treasury politician avoided answering a straightforward question about the forthcoming budget. Following Sir Keir Starmer's statement that those with assets are 'not working people', potentially paving the way for significant capital gains tax increases in a week's time, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray found himself unable to answer the same simple question.

When Mr Ferrari asked whether landlords are "working people", Mr Murray repeatedly sidestepped the question. Mr Ferrari queried: "What is a working person, Mr Murray?"

To which he responded: "A working person is someone who goes out to work, and we're very clear about the importance of protecting working people which is why we made the promise in our manifesto around the rate of income tax, national insurance and VAT."

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However, when pressed on whether landlords are working people, Mr Murray repeated his previous answer, stating it "depends on where people earn their money from".

Mr Ferrari interjected, labelling the top Labour minister a "very bright bloke", and jokingly asked: "You know how a landlord makes his or her money, is a landlord a working person?"

Mr Murray tried to evade the question again, insisting that the government is focused on protecting working people. The LBC presenter interrupted once more, sarcastically apologising and asking Mr Murray if he was experiencing technical issues and therefore didn't hear the question, before repeating his questioning.

During a challenging interview with Mr Ferrari, the Treasury minister found himself being repeatedly pressed: "Are you not hearing me?! Because we have had enormous technical issues here," reports the Express.

"You clearly know how a landlord makes their money... does that mean they're a working person?" Mr Ferrari persisted, urging clarity: "You are a very bright man, we've spoken in the past, please don't dance around this question, Mr Murray, I don't need to tell you how a landlord makes their money, or indeed how a shareholder makes their money - are they working people?"

As the conversation progressed, frustration was evident when Mr Ferrari highlighted landlords' daily work efforts and questioned whether the Government now disregards them from their manifesto tax pledge, due to the minister's evasive responses.

In light of persistent non-answers, an exasperated Nick Ferrari threatened to cut short the interview, signalling his dissatisfaction with the politician's stances.

Coinciding with the interview, Sir Keir Starmer alluded overnight to potential tax hikes for share and asset owners, implying they may not meet his criteria for "working people".

The PM weighed in with his view that a working person is someone who "goes out and earns their living, usually paid in a sort of monthly cheque", distinguishing them from those affluent enough to ease through tough times with a "write a cheque to get out of difficulties".