A Macclesfield journalist has told Boris Johnson to 'stop talking' - in an impatient and tense interview.

In the radio interview conducted today on Nick Robinson's birthday, the BBC Journalist was pressing the PM on the perceived fuel crisis.

Two sentences after Johnson's first answer, Robinson was quick on the draw to challenge the Prime Minister, which set the tone for the heated interview.

When pressed on whether his government was managing a national crisis, Johnson denied there was one.

"No I think that on the contrary what you're seeing with the UK economy and the global economy in the supply chains is the stresses and strains you'd expect from a giant waking up," he said.

"And that's what is happening. The world's sucking in huge amounts of energy from gas in particular. And there's a shortage of lorry drivers even in China."

Robinson tried to butt in to question claims but our PM since July 2019 kept on talking.

Boris then said: "Don't be in any doubt that this country has formidably good logistics and supply chain people."

"They will start to fix it. I won't say there aren't stresses and strains. There clearly are."

Johnson acknowledged shortages of low wage labour - but refused to "pull a lever" on "Soviet-style" immigration laws.

Six minutes into the interview, Robinson softly snapped.

Boris repeated a line of "There's no supply of young people in this country who are thinking of becoming truck drivers and that is going to change."

Robinson replied with "Primeminster you've made your point."

But Johnson kept saying "that is going to change", with both men talking over each other.

Robinson then shut the PM up by telling him to "stop talking", to which the PM surprisingly obliged.

There had been a media blackout of the Today programme from the PM during the pandemic.

It has been two years since Boris Johnson last appeared on the programme.

It is unknown if he will return after today's fracas.

You can listen to the interview here from 2 hours 10 minutes and 0 seconds

Robinson and Johnson chatted for 20 minutes. Despite their differences, both were once Conservatives.

Robinson was a founder-member of Macclesfield Young Conservatives (YC) and rose through the ranks, becoming Cheshire Youth Council Chairman from 1982 to 1984.

His first job after leaving Macclesfield was for Piccadilly Radio. The Macc-born reporter now lives near Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium.

Despite living near to a Premier League football side, the journalist supports Macclesfield FC, but doesn't watch the Silkmen as much as he'd like.

Nick Robinson still has family in our area. He returns to visit for Tegg's Nose and Macclesfield Forest. Professionally, aside broadcasting he is also patron of Macclesfield's East Cheshire Hospice.

You can follow Nick on Twitter here.

See Also: Macclesfield: Films announced for East Cheshire Hospice's Drive-In Cinema

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