'Rude and inappropriate': Labour MP clashes with Grant Shapps during grilling in parliament

Grant Shapps was accused of being "rude and inappropriate" as he clashed with a Labour MP at a select committee in parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

Darren Jones, MP and chair of the business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) committee, made the remarks after Shapps interrupted a question he was asking on the economy.

A rattled Shapps interjected as Jones asked him a series of questions on the UK's economic performance.

Jones then interrupted him and said: "First of all, please don't interrupt me - because it's rude and it's inappropriate. Second, let me finish asking my question, please."

The exchange came after Jones asked Shapps whether he accepted figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that suggested the UK economy has been in decline since 2015.

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The tension between the pair continued with Shapps accusing Jones of being "selective" with data he was using on the economy - which had included the OECD predicting the UK will be the only G20 country to have a smaller economy than before the pandemic by 2025.

"As I say... you're throwing figures at me.." said Shapps.

"For example, [when I say] that we will have the fastest growth this year, you move on to a different statistic - and I'm not sure this really adds a great deal to the wealth of knowledge."

Jones then asked if Shapps was "refuting" the outlook of the OECD "as well as the ONS and the OBR" - to which Shapps responded he wasn't informed that he would be questioned on the economy.

"As I pointed out, we will have the fastest growth in the G7 this year," said Shapps.

"But when your clerks listed a range of issues that you wanted to discuss this committee, that wasn't included.

"And it's not a brief that I've come armed with, and I'm telling you what I recall off the top of my head - I will come armed with those numbers for next occasion. "

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Jones scathingly responded: "Okay... just for future reference, it shouldn't be surprised that I'd like to talk to you about the economy."

Jones later tweeted: "Rule #2 of Select Committees: don’t interrupt me when I’m asking a question. (Rule #1 of Select Committees: answer the question)".

Watch: Grant Shapps Discussing A Possible Governemnt U-turn On Onshore Wind, Sky News