John Humphrys accused of patronising Angela Rayner in Today grammar schools debate John Humphrys has drawn criticism for a second day running after being accused of interrupting and patronising Shadow Education Secretary […]

John Humphrys has drawn criticism for a second day running after being accused of interrupting and patronising Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner during a discussion about grammar schools.

The Today stalwart sparked anger on Monday for suggesting the right-wing extremist who murdered the Labour MP Jo Cox was not a terrorist. On Tuesday, he was accused of giving Toby Young, the director of the New Schools Network, more room to speak than the Labour shadow cabinet member.

Ms Rayner condemned proposals to channel funds into free schools that could become selective as a “vanity project with no evidence it will help children move on from socially deprived backgrounds” during her appearance on the current affairs show on Tuesday.

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But the conversation became tense when Humphrys pressed her on this claim.

“Let me clear,” he said. “New schools are a vanity project, are they?” “No, the grammar schools process are,” she replied. “Alright, but they’ll be new schools,” Humphrys went on. “We are talking about giving people the opportunity if they want free schools in their area to make them selective, and that is a vanity project even though there will be more school places?” Ms Rayner accused Humphrys of trying to “put words in my mouth”, a claim he denied. “Let me ask -,” he said as she tried to speak. “Sorry, the interview is people asking questions don’t they, let me ask -” he tried again. “I’m not getting diverted by saying I’m going to close down this school or that,” Ms Rayner said later. “How is that a diversion?” he replied. “I’m asking you a question, am I not allowed to do that?” “Of course you’re entitled to ask me a question but I’m entitled to answer it in the way that I want to,” she responded. “Well in other words you’re not answering it,” said Humphrys.

Criticism of the exchange included: “Angela Rayner gets interrupted, patronised, harangued. Toby Young gets given a free reign for his ideological claptrap on grammars,” and “I couldn’t hear a word she was saying as John Humphrys kept talking over her.”

Listeners said Humphry’s conversation with Mr Young was less wrought.

BBC's aggressive interrogation of @AngelaRayner on R4 Today was in stark contrast to light chat with school privatisation fanatic Toby Young https://t.co/04SwWqKJjP — Asa Winstanley (@AsaWinstanley) March 7, 2017

A spokesperson for Radio 4 told i: “Listeners expect robust and challenging questioning and it was no different in the interviews with Angela Rayner and Toby Young, and asking Angela whether Labour would abolish existing grammar schools was a fair line of questioning.”