Chuka Umunna, the usually super smooth shadow business secretary, was riled to breaking point on an interview with Sky News earlier today. He ended up walking out live on air as the interview closed, following a heated debate as he was grilled on his view of Eric Pickles’ controversial letter to UK mosques sent out this week.
Umunna was caught off-guard and was, justifiably, a little flustered:
I think you are being a bit ridiculous right now, I was asked to come and speak about David Cameron’s speech on the economy and what was happening around the labour market.
Nobody told me that I was going to come on this programme and be asked to agree whether I thought the government was patronising Muslim people and Muslim leaders.
I’m not just going to speak off piste without actually having read a letter. I don’t think you are being terribly fair.