Michael Gove was reportedly advised to be more quirky in his TV interviews, leading him to put on mock Liverpudlian and American accents in one broadcast.
The levelling-up secretary was widely criticised for “using silly voices” as he discussed the prospect of an emergency budget on BBC Breakfast to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.
Mr Gove said the words “an emergency budget” and “a major, capital letters, big news story” in what appeared to be an American accent.
He also said “calm down” in a Scouse accent, which reminded viewers of comedian Harry Enfield’s sketch.
According to the New European’s Mandrake column, Gove could have been advised to put on the accents in order to play to his affable character.
His old friend and occasional special adviser Henry Newman told him to be more of “a character” in his television appearances.
“Henry recognises that Michael’s always going to look like a rather quirky old boffin and that he might as well run with it,” an informant said.
“When he had told him to use funny voices and gesticulate, he almost certainly didn’t mean that he should do so in such a serious context, or, for that matter, so badly and unamusingly.”
