Chuka Umunna storms off 'ridiculous' Sky News interview after dodging Muslim debate

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna threw his toys out the pram and marched off Sky News after he dodged questions during a live interview.

Presenter Dermot Murnaghan asked Mr Umunna whether he thought David Cameron’s letter to Muslim leaders asking them to do more to root out extremism was patronising or reasonable.
But the Labour MP said he didn’t want to talk about it because he hadn’t read the letter.

‘Do you want to come back on in half an hour’s time – it doesn’t take long to read the letter – and then we’ll have this discussion?’ asked the Sky News presenter. See the video after the cut...



To which the shadow business secretary replied: ‘I think you’re being a bit ridiculous right now and your viewers can form their own views.

‘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 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.’

He added: ‘I’m not just going to speak off piste without having read the letter.’

Mr Murnaghan terminates the interview and Mr Umunna storms off – waving his hand and shaking his head disapprovingly.

Do you think Mr Umunna was...

• unfairly attacked
• wrong to avoid engaging in the discussion