One of the hosts of Sky News Breakfast, Kay Burley, was fuming with anger at Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly for failing to come on the show, which, as Burley insists, she had been promised. In her tirade, which was aired live, Burley stated that she had been "promised" that Cleverly would show up – but instead she was left with an "empty chair".
The empty chair was the focus of Burley's sarcastic comments as she read out the list of provocative and pressing questions that she was planning to ask the Conservative Party chairman. Among them were questions regarding Boris Johnson likening his political adversary Jeremy Corbyn to Joseph Stalin, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s controversial comments about the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, and about allegations that Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns was aware of his former aide’s role in collapsing a rape trial, a matter that recently led to Cairns resigning.
"I know that Number 10 Downing Street watch our show. I know the spin doctors at Number 10 Downing Street had absolutely reassured me by text that when politicians were doing the rounds in the morning they would be doing this programme. And yet we have an empty chair", Burley ranted.
James Cleverly, however, dismissed Burley's tirade, saying he was never booked for her show and instead gave an interview to TalkRadio at the same time as the Sky News host was venting her anger.
Conservative Party Scandals Ahead of Election
The topics that Burley was intending to raise in her failed interview with Cleverly mostly refer to various scandals that have shaken the Conservative Party amid the rough start to their campaign ahead of the crucial snap elections.
Namely, Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg has faced backlash over remarks that it would have been "common sense" for residents of the Grenfell Tower, which caught fire in June 2017 and claimed the lives of over 70 people, to flee the building, ignoring the advice of firefighters. Later, he "profoundly apologised" for his comments.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has also faced backlash and calls for resignation over accusations against his former aide Ross England, who is accused of sabotaging a rape trial. Cairns denied being aware of the aide's actions, but, nonetheless, filed his resignation.