He was also out trying to promote Tory election promises on child benefit, when it turned out on LBC that he doesn’t appear to know how much child benefit is …
Nick Ferrari asked him “Just for my listeners who are not familiar … how much is child allowance?”
Johnston replied “That I’m afraid I don’t know. It’s actually not a department for education policy. This is a DWP one. And I’m afraid I don’t know the exact …”
Ferrari interrupted saying “Sorry, is you title minister for children? But you don’t know what the child allowance is”
Johnston said sheepishly “Well we don’t run the benefits. I’m afraid you’re right. I should have found out before I came on here.”
(For reference, there are two child benefit rates, it is £25.60 for an eldest or only child, and £16.95 per additional child. The two-child benefit cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children, was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017.)
Sunak has apologised, saying “After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise.”Sunak’s apology, he was pressed on the Today programme on where the prime minister had been when world leaders – plus David Cameron – were on Omaha beach.
He told the BBC’s Nick Robinson “Well, he was there earlier in the day for the commemoration. He was also in Portsmouth on Wednesday for the commemorations there.”
Robinson asked “Where was he when Cameron was standing alongside the president of America and the presidents of France. Where was the prime minister?”
Johnston floundered “Well, you’ll forgive me, Nick, as you rightly introduced me, I am a junior minister in the department of education, so I’m afraid I don’t know exactly where the prime minister was.”
Robinson shot back “He was in an ITV studio doing an interview defending what he’d said in the election debate. We all now know that, don’t we?”
Johnston reiterated his top line, telling listeners “as I say, I don’t know precisely where he was. I know he was there earlier that day. I know he was in Portsmouth on Wednesday.”
Robinson then asked the minister “don’t you think it’s inappropriate for him to leave the day early?” to which Johnston began talking about how he himself had attended a ceremony of commemoration in the constituency where he is standing.
Robinson cut him short with a curt “Thank you very much. You’ve told us what you do and don’t know, and thanks for coming on the programme.”
[email protected] if you need to get in touch – I find it especially useful if you are pointing out my typos or errors or suggesting omissions.
Source: theguardian.com
