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Watch: Andrew Neil grills Ed Vaizey for a second time over George Osborne’s EU spin

The last time Ed Vaizey appeared on the Daily Politics to defend one of George Osborne’s dodgy dossiers, the result was not pretty. The culture minister’s bumbling performance was compared to that of The Thick of It‘s Ben Swain, in his Newsnight interview. So, it was an interesting decision to send Vaizey back onto the airwaves today to defend Osborne’s new Brexit ‘punishment budget’.

With the Chancellor of the Exchequer promising to go back on election promises and raise taxes if the people dare to vote for Brexit, Andrew Neil put to Vaizey that it didn’t add up:

AN: Why does a shallow recession result in this massive punishment in tax rises and spending cuts amounting to 30 billion?

EV: In terms of the impact, well you’ve seen for example Rolls Royce today talking about the potential impact of Brexit, one of our most successful manufacturing companies… I think the real point here — you can bring up lots of different surveys…

AN: Well I only brought up one… the Treasury

EV: Everyone knows there will be an economic shock, and secondly George Osborne has said there will have to be an emergency budget.

Alas Vaizey seemed unsure as to how the Budget would actually get through:

AN: You only have a majority of 16, at times it is only 12.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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