BBC news host savages Sarah Wollaston for joining Lib Dems – 'When's the by-election?'

BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire clashed with new Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Wollaston demanding to know when she would be calling a by-election. The host asked whether the former Tory and former Change UK MP was a “principled” politician as she launched her attack. Derbyshire said: “Would you describe yourself as a principled politician?”

The new Liberal Democrat MP started to reply before the BBC host quickly interrupted, saying: “So when are you holding a by-election in your constituency?”

Ms Wollaston replied: “I want an election in Totnes, so that is why I will be voting no-confidence in the Government.

“I would love to see Boris Johnson call an election. We have got a Prime Minister here who has been selected and put in Downing Street than less than a fifth of one percent of the population.”

The BBC host continued to interrupt the MP, insisting she was “asking about you”.

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Ms Wollaston replied: “Indeed, I would love, yes, and indeed I want to see an election.”

The host insisted the MP could not be “principled” when the Lib Dems is “the third party” she had been in this year and “you have put yourself up for by-election zero times”.

The Lib Dem MP snapped back, saying: “The point is I do want to see an election, and if the Prime Minister wants to take us out with a disastrous Brexit - of course, the people of Totnes should be able to deliver their verdict.

“But, if I was to call an election myself as the only MP doing so, all we would be doing is artificially inflating Boris Johnson’s majority and the people of Totnes would have no voice at all in Parliament over the period of the next six weeks.”

Speaking about her decision to join the Liberal Democrats, Ms Wollaston claimed it would allow her to “best serve the interests of my constituents”.

She wrote: “I cannot remember a more turbulent or divisive time in our politics.

“There is a deep and growing sense of unease about our country’s future, our place in the world and the kind of environment and society we are leaving for the next generation.

“Earlier this year I left the Conservative Party because I felt that the Government had abandoned its promise to tackle the burning injustices across our society.

“It had moved to the right and become obsessed with a damaging form of Brexit.”

She added: “We are now entering the final weeks to prevent the dire consequences of the PM’s ‘do or die’ approach to Brexit.

“Preventing that harm will take unprecedented cross-party working and my in-box has been full of messages urging me to be part of a Remain Alliance which I will be doing through joining the Liberal Democrats."

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Writing on the Liberal Democrat website, leader Ms Swinson wrote: “I am thrilled that Sarah has chosen to join the Liberal Democrats.

“Sarah is a fierce campaigner who I have enjoyed working within the campaign to stop Brexit and as one of the most respected members of Parliament and brings real expertise to our team.

“She is one of more than 40,000 people who have joined us since May in rejecting the politics of nationalism and populism, showing it is the Liberal Democrats who can deliver an alternative vision for our country.

“Our country needs a strong, liberal movement more than ever."

Lib Dem MP, Chuka Umunna, wrote: “Sarah Wollaston joining the Liberal Democrats is a huge issue. She's widely respected in the House of Commons and throughout the country, and her joining underlines the fact that the Lib Dems are the biggest, strongest party of Remain.”