Barry on Newsnight

On Tuesday 11th November, Barry appeared on Newsnight.

When asked about the government’s performance, Barry gave the following response:

‘Because this government from the beginning, actually from before it was a government, has cared more about extirpating the people who disagreed with it than they have about setting out a clear programme and policy. And quite honestly, everyday people looking at this tonight are going to say, for God's sake, what do these politicians think they're doing? You know, you circle the wagons and you end up in a circular firing squad.’

Barry challenges Reform UK's Zia Yusuf on climate change claims

Barry faced off against Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf on GB News and challenged his claims about climate change and his lack of knowledge on international diplomacy being very poor as he said India and China were laughing at the rest of the world on Net Zero - with China and India famously being against one another when it comes to geopolitics.

Barry continued to be exasperated as Zia Yusuf said he didn’t agree that climate change is a serious threat and that “nobody knows” challenging his assertion that he must know all of the world’s scientists combined and despite all the countries in the world disagreeing on most other things.

Barry also asked him to name the report he referenced that said we would have faced the end of civilisation by now if climate change was real as predicted. When he couldn’t name the report Barry retorted “because it doesn’t exist”

Barry outlines the government's 'one in one out' immigration deal

Barry was part of the Politics Live panel today to discuss the day’s stories which led on the Prime Minister’s ‘one in one out’ immigration deal with French President Emmanuel Macron following his state visit to meet King Charles III

Barry outlined that it is the first time a British government has taken responsibility and ensured there is a legal route for those who have a real, well founded fear of persecution to be able to be processed in a foreign country.

Barry also pointed out the Tory hypocrisy, correctly pointing out that they had 14 years to do something about the immigration system and did nothing about it and that they always knew flights would have never have took off to Rwanda and that is why they called the general election early election.

Barry said that this is the first time we have also been able to send people back to France since Brexit as the Dublin Agreement which was an agreement with the European Union which allowed us to do so, was never replaced, reminding people what a bad deal it was.

Barry discusses the Welfare Bill and the fall out from it

Barry was part of Newsnight’s panel last night in which he answered questions on the Chancellor crying at Prime Minister’s Questions and why that might be, claiming that it was a very human reaction when the media piles pressure on you constantly.

Barry also agreed that the government had suffered a bad week in which someone back in Westminster should have been keeping the Prime Minister abreast of any particular concerns colleagues may have had about the Welfare Bill whilst the Prime Minister was out of the country attending international summits, thus avoiding potential rebellions and promoting engagement with colleagues.

The importance of the right tree, in the right place at the right time

On the 27th of November 2024 Barry sat on a session of Environmental Audit Committee to ask the question: Can the UK reduce emissions by 81% without behaviour change?

This panel quizzed 2 representatives from the Climate Change Committee. In addition to exploring what is needed to meet the UK’s NDC, the Committee also discussed the CCC’s annual report to Parliament made in June 2024, seeking the CCC’s views on the prospects of meeting the Sixth Carbon Budget, looking forward to the CCC’s advice on the Seventh Carbon Budget, and discussing the CCC’s assessment of climate-related announcements in the recent Autumn Budget.