Green Leader Gives 'Excruciating' Interview

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The leader of the Green Party has conceded that a radio interview to launch her election campaign was "excruciating".

Natalie Bennett told Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones she suffered a "mind blank" during an LBC interview that soon had her trending on Twitter.

Interviewer Nick Ferrari described his one-on-one with Ms Bennett as "one of the worst interviews ever by a political leader".

The broadcast was peppered with awkward pauses and stuttering.

The Australian-born politician struggled to answer basic questions about how her party would fund the building of 500,000 new council houses.

She said: "Right, well, that's, erm... you've got a total cost... erm... that we're... that will be spelt out in our manifesto."

Mr Ferrari replied: "So you don't know?"

"No. Well... er."

At one point Ms Bennett blamed the difficulties she was having on a "huge cold".

Many people responded to the interview on Twitter.

Political commentator Owen Jones wrote: "Unbearably awful interview. Green supporters will be exasperated that a great political opportunity has been trashed."

The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire added: "Greens should abandon TV debates after this @natalieben solar collapse with @NickFerrariLBC. Painful."

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Gallery: Social Media Response To 'Excruciating' Interview by Natalie Bennettt

Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones

LBC host and interviewer Nick Ferrari

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Daily Telegraph sketch writer Michael Deacon

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Political commentator Owen Jones

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The Daily Mirror's Kevin Maguire

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The interview was followed by a news conference to launch the party's General Election campaign.

Joey Jones asked Ms Bennett if she felt she had let down her party - only for Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, to step in.

"She's not going to answer that, okay?" said Ms Jones.

"Yes, I will," said Ms Bennett.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," said Ms Jones.

But thanking the peer for her "kind attempt to protect me", Ms Bennett conceded: "It was absolutely excruciating in the studio. All I can say is occasionally one just has a mind blank, that happens.

"I've been presenting the Green Party's policies up and down the country. I've been delighted to do that. I'm delighted with the response they get and I'm delighted to have the backing of all 54,000 Green Party members."

In later interviews and on Twitter Ms Bennett apologised to party members.

And she told Sky News' Dermot Murnaghan she did not fear for her position as party leader.

"The answer is to face up to one's faults, one's mistakes, and move on.

"My colleagues have been very supportive and sympathetic."

Despite the embarrassment, Joey Jones thinks all is not lost for the Greens.

"It's very difficult from her point of view, but I would make one point: ultimately, people who are inclined to vote Green, and there are a lot more of them than we've seen in the past, are not doing so because they think their sums add up.

"They're voting on principle and some are voting as a protest, and they may well do that no matter how many bad interviews Natalie Bennett has in her locker."

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