Watch the moment Camilla Tominey stopped a Labour MP in her tracks while the backbencher raved about Labour’s “successes” so far in Government.
Catherine Atkinson, the MP for Derby North, joined the GB News star on her show on Sunday and appeared to boast about the track record of her senior frontbenchers.
Speaking to Camilla, she raved: “We saw wages go up more in ten months than we saw in 10 years under the Conservatives.”
Ms Atkinson also insisted that “people are feeling better off” under Labour as inflation comes down which is “what we need to see more of”.
But Camilla was quick to wipe the smile off the MP’s face as she grilled her.
Stepping in, the GB News presenter asked: “Do you know what else has gone up with the minimum wage? Youth unemployment.
“In Derby North, you’ve witnessed a 15 per cent rise in 18 to 24 year olds claiming the dole.
“Youth unemployment is up to record numbers after the minimum wage was put up. So you’re giving with one hand and taking away with another.”
The Labour MP repeatedly dodged Camilla’s question
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Ms Atkinson batted Camilla’s question away, claiming that Labour is working on “long-term decisions to ensure that [they] are delivering” for the electorate, including young people.
“For far too long, we had young people written off, and this Government will not accept that, which is something I’m really proud of,” the Derby North MP added.
“In Derby, we make things and we have incredible skills and whether it’s trains, planes or submarines, we have got good, well-paid jobs and that’s what we need to see more of.”
But dodging the question was not enough for Camilla, who intervened by saying: “Catherine Atkinson. I’m sorry. I’ve got to stop you there. I appreciate what you’re trying to do.
Camilla refused to let up
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“You’re a Labour backbencher, but you cannot possibly say that you’re investing more in young people when youth unemployment in your own constituency is up 15 per cent in the last year.”
Camilla highlighted the figures which indicate that youth unemployment has risen from 14.8 per cent last year to 15.3 per cent in Ms Atkinson’s constituency.
“Okay, so Labour has made youth employment go down. Unemployment is up. How on earth could you say that that is investing in young people?
“There’s more people on the dole now than there was when the Tories were in power!” Camilla exclaimed.
Ms Atkinson went on to emphasise that she wants to see increased investment in young people so that the youth have “well-paid jobs that they can actually build lives and families around”.
She said: “We’ve got more jobs coming, which I’m really pleased about. And in Derby, we’ve seen not only the £9billion that Rolls-Royce, our biggest employer, has secured to deliver the nuclear reactors for our at sea deterrent.
“We have also seen massive investment in in small modular reactors and we’ve seen massive investment. We’ve just had this this week our Prime Minister announcing the deal that we’ve got for our civil aviation as well.”
However, refusing to let the Labour MP out of her grasp, Camilla doubled-down on her employment grilling, asking: “But this 15 per cent increase in youth unemployment is absolutely the Labour Party’s fault and not the Conservatives, isn’t it?
“Because it’s happened in the last year.”
However, Ms Atkinson simply reiterated her previous points, saying: “I’m impatient for change. I’m probably one of the least patient people you will ever find. And sometimes things can take time to, to turn around.
“But we’re seeing really tangible investment in our city. We’re seeing really tangible investment in jobs going forward.
“And I do want to ensure that that our younger people are benefiting from the new apprenticeships and the new skills and the investment that our city is seeing.”