Richard Holden Calls Minister 'Insane' During Extraordinary TV Clash

Richard Holden makes a speech after winning in Basildon and Billericay.Former Tory chairman Richard Holden branded a Labour minister “insane” as he lost his cool during a live TV clash.He also told Lucy Powell “you are out of your mind” as the pair clashed over the Conservatives’ economic record.The extraordinary spat took place as the pair locked horns on BBC2′s Politics Live programme.Powell, the Commons leader, provoked Holden’s ire by saying Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-Budget had crashed the economy and sent the cost of living soaring.The Tory MP, who is shadow paymaster general, hit back by insisting it was the Covid pandemic to blame.He told her: “If you genuinely believe it has nothing to do with Covid, you are out of your mind, that’s all I can say.”Powell replied: “So when Liz Truss crashed the economy, it was Covid?”As Holden became redder in the face, the minister asked him: “So Covid put up inflation to 11%, did it? Covid put up mortgage rates to 5%? Did Covid do that?”Holden replied: “You think there was no impact from Covid? You’re just wrong. Inflation went up around the world, in every single country, because of Covid.“There’s no point trying to argue with somebody who blatantly doesn’t understand the facts.”Asked by presenter Jo Coburn if Covid and Truss were both to blame, Holden said: “Covid has an overwhelming impact by closing down the economy for the best part of two years and having massive global repercussions.“If Lucy genuinely doesn’t believe that, genuinely believes that other factors were bigger, then I think she’s insane.”But Powell said her own mortgage rate had gone up from 1.9% to 5% in the wake of the mini-Budget.As Holden tried to interrupt, the minister said: “Richard, just shut up.”Watch Lucy Powell calmly argue with a red faced Richard Holden(Tory MP) who eventually called her insane.#PoliticsLivepic.twitter.com/eBx8Wbb3lt— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) April 2, 2025Related...Minister Snaps At Richard Holden For 'Rude' Interruptions In Tense TV ExchangeExclusive: Richard Holden Slapped Down After Calling For Removal Of Gender-Neutral Toilets The Tories InstalledTory MP Has A Rather Telling Response To Jibe About Richard Holden's 'Chicken Run'