Watch the extraordinary moment Jason Moorcroft, who stood as the Reform candidate in Mike Amesbury’s constituency for Runcorn and Helsby, suffers a brutal grilling on GB News.
Ben Leo went about tearing into the ex-candidate about his stance on mass deportations, the ongoing civil war engulfing the party and his refusal to meet the GB News star during a recent trip to the seaside town of Runcorn.
The GB News star visited Runcorn earlier this month to gauge how locals felt about the possibility of a by-election.
Amesbury today confirmed he is looking to step down as an MP as soon as possible after he was handed a 10-week jail sentence for punching a constituent.
GB NEWS
The former Labour MP’s sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he will not serve time behind bars unless he commits any more crimes within that time.
Moorcroft joined Ben Leo on GB News to react to his former election rival’s departure and whether he will be the man to fill the seat.
But Ben went about laying into the Reform man about his stance on a series of key matters.
“We’ve been out campaigning for some time and the constituents are disenfranchised with the current government”, he said, expressing optimism for Reform’s chances of winning the seat.
“Are you team Nigel [Farage] or team Rupert [Lowe]”, he asked. “I’m team Reform”, Moorcroft responded, but Ben would not take that as an answer.
“No fence-sitting tonight”, he asserted, prompting Moorcroft to side with the Reform UK leader.
The former candidate suffered a brutal grilling
GB NEWS
Ben continued: “There’s accusations levelled at Nigel Farage that if people get as popular as he is, they are singled out and thrown under the bus. Do you see any truth in that?”.
“Not at all”, Moorcroft responded.
Ben then put it to the ex-candidate that Nigel Farage seemingly clashing with Rupert Lowe on mass deportations may be behind the civil war causing chaos for Reform.
Moorcroft refused to fully elaborate on his stance, saying “no and yes”, when asked if he backs it.
Mike Amesbury has been handed a suspended sentence PA
“Too much political fence-sitting”, said Ben. He continued: “Where do Reform go from here?
“Richard Tice says Rupert Lowe is not welcome back in the party. What does that say about its democracy?”
Moorcroft insisted the party is democratic, adding he is only focused on his own constituency.
Before the pair signed off, Moorcroft offered Ben the chance to visit him if he is to ever visit the area again.
But Ben put it to him that he “didn’t meet him last time”.
“I thought it extraordinary for a party and a candidate that came second that you couldn’t spare the time to meet me”, he said.
“I spent five hours on the train.”
Moorcroft said personal circumstances and his own schedule did not allow him to meet Ben as he was at work.