Labour's Chris Bryant (aka Captain Underpants) was involved in a bust-up on TalkRadio last night as he and host Dan Wootton clashed over the Wales lockdown. The interview started badly and deteriorated rapidly, with Wootton's abrasive tone and anti-lockdown stance getting Bryant's back up. Wootton tells the Rhondda MP that he doesn't understand the reasoning behind Labour's lockdown in Wales, to which Bryant responds by telling him that it must be because the presenter isn't 'very bright'.
Bryant goes on to label experts who don't agree with Labour's lockdown stance as 'crackpots' before things boil over when Wootton suggests herd immunity as the way forward. Instead of providing a counter-argument, Bryant resorts to insults again: "You're a nutcase, you're a complete and utter nutcase - and you're dangerous as well". Wootton responds with a hissy fit and orders Bryant off air. The MP says something before he hangs up, but his microphone has already been cut off and it's inaudible.
Entertaining, if somewhat pathetic, watch below.
If you watched long enough you'll note that Wootton undermines his argument about Labour politicians by referring to anyone who supports a Wales-style lockdown as 'mad'. This whole exchange was like something out of the Trump-Biden debate, but both men could count on loyal devotees of both sides of the lockdown divide to back them up. Owen Jones backed Bryant on Twitter, while former Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies got into a Twitter row with Labour's health minister Vaughan Gething over Bryant's figures during the interview.
Oh for the days of a civilised reasoned debate.
