BBC presenter John Humphrys accused of being 'government spokesperson' in awkward interview

BBC presenter John Humphrys was accused of being a ‘government spokesperson’ during an awkward interview on the Today programme this morning.

Mr Humphrys was interviewing French MEP Nathalie Loiseau about Boris Johnson’s chaotic trip to Luxembourg this week when she made the stinging accusation.

During a discussion about Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy, Ms Loiseau accused the PM of offering no concrete proposals and secretly plotting to bring about a no-deal Brexit.

Mr Humphys replied: “He isn’t choosing no deal, he wants changes to the Withdrawal Agreement.”

Ms Loiseau replied: “That's weird, I'm not a spokesperson for the government, but you're not either.”

Earlier in the interview Ms Loiseau expressed frustration over Mr Johnson’s failure to provide documents outlining his proposals to break the Brexit deadlock.

“Nice talks are one thing, but we are six weeks ahead of Brexit.” she said.

“So far we have seen nothing. We have a sense that actually Boris Johnson has made a clear choice but doesn’t want to make it publicly clear that he’s rushing to no deal.

“So far he has provided nothing.”

The Prime Minister was ‘humiliated’ during yesterday’s trip to meet EU leaders after he pulled out of a press conference over concerns about protests and was ‘empty-chaired’ by Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel.

A podium set up for the Prime Minister was left empty as Mr Bettel delivered an onslaught against Mr Johnson’s handling of Brexit.

This morning a member of Mr Johnson’s cabinet dismissed the attack as “an unfortunate media stunt”.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland defended the Government’s handling of talks, despite widespread frustration in the EU about the UK’s refusal to publish written proposals for how to end the impasse over the Irish backstop – a contingency measure which keeps the UK closely tied to Brussels’ rules to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

Mr Johnson has said repeatedly that the backstop must be removed from the Withdrawal Agreement.