Tory aide stops Sky News interview after party chairman Richard Holden dodges questions

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Louise Thomas

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The Conservative Party chairman has been involved in a clash with a reporter as he attempted to dodge questions before an aide stepped in to end the interview.

Richard Holden was being grilled by Sky News’s chief political Correspondent Jon Craig in Westminster on Sunday over the way he was chosen as an electoral candidate for the Basildon and Billericay constituency at the last minute this week.

A bumbling Mr Holden repeatedly tries to avoid answering directly, but he is pressed by Mr Craig over the accusations of a “stitch-up” – and then an off-camera CCHQ advisor interrupts to complain about the questions and terminate the interview.

In the clip shared on social media, Mr Craig begins by asking: “So you can’t justify the way you have been parachuted into Basildon and Billericay? You’re not deciding it’s a stitch-up and it’s anti-democratic?”

Mr Holden pauses before replying with a deflection onto Labour: “Emily Thornberry today has admitted…”

He is cut off by the journalist saying: “I’m going to stop you now. This is ridiculous. This is ridiculous! You said in an interview earlier this year you were bloody loyal to the North East. What happened to that?”

The Tory press officer is now heard muttering “this wasn’t agreed” in the background.

Mr Holden insists, “I’ve already answered these questions,” referring to an interview Channel 4, an answer rejected by Mr Craig, who responds: “That’s one broadcaster isn’t it? This is a pool interview for all the other broadcasters.”

The unseen aide can be heard arguing: “These broadcasters agreed that the questions would be specifically…” before Mr Craig throws back: “No, nobody agreed! I’ve got a list here of questions from other broadcasters. Nobody’s agreed, absolutely not.”

With a sheepish Mr Holden still in the camera shot, the advisor then asserts: “If that’s the way this is going to go, then we will just leave, because that’s not what we agreed to come here today to discuss.”

A Labour source told HuffPost: “The Conservatives have spent another day in total chaos – running and ducking from scrutiny. They know their desperate, scattergun plans don’t stack up and think they can take the public for fools.”