WATCH: British Anchor Brutally Grills UK Health Secretary As He Defends ‘Homophobic’ Former PM Because He’s ‘An Expert in Trade’ 

Sky News anchor Kay Burley brutally grilled Health Secretary Matt Hancock as he defended the push to hire former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott as joint president of Britain’s Board of Trade despite his controversial views on women and homosexuality.

“As the former Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Abbott obviously has a huge amount of experience,” Hancock told Burley, prompting her to ask: “Even if he is a homophobic misogynist?”

Hancock insisted that that is not true, later adding, “As far as I understand it, the proposal is that Mr. Abbott supports the UK on trade policy, which is an area which he has got a huge area of expertise.”

Burley responded by asking if he supports all of Abbott’s comments, referring to controversial remarks that have branded him as a homophobe and a misogynist.

Abbot has reportedly made several offensive comments throughout his time as prime minister and as the opposition leader. He reportedly claimed that men are better suited for leadership roles than women are, and infamously explained the price of electricity in terms of Australian “housewives” ironing.

“What the housewives of Australia need to understand as they do the ironing is that if they get it done commercially it’s going to go up in price and their own power bills when they switch the iron on are going to go up,” he said at a dry cleaner’s in the town of Queanbeyan.

Abbott has also said he feels “a bit threatened” by the LGBTQ+ community during an interview with Chanel 9’s 60 Minutes, adding “as so many people do … it’s a fact of life.”

In an attempt to defend the push to install Abbott despite his past remarks, Hancock continued to point out he is “an expert in trade.”

“So one plays off against the other?” Burley snapped back. “Is that what you’re saying, Health Secretary? Really? Come on.”

“No, what I am saying is we needed experts in trade,” Hancock replied, still highlighting Abbott’s area of expertise. “We needed experts in different areas and somebody who is the former Prime Minister of Australia is obviously an enormous expert in the field of trade.”

Watch above, via Sky News.

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