‘You’re being very defensive!’ Camilla Tominey and Darren Jones clash over Labour’s ‘small fry’ Summer Savings Scheme

Camilla Tominey and Darren Jones clashed over Labour’s new Summer Savings Scheme, which the GB News host slammed as “small fry”.

The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister heightened the row when he described the policy’s detractors as “wealthy commentators from the Westminster bubble”.

Last week, Rachel Reeves announced measures to reduce VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent on a wide range of leisure activities between June 25 and September 1, covering the full school‑holiday period across the UK.

The temporary rate will apply to theme parks, zoos, museums and fairs, as well as children’s cinema, theatre, concert and soft‑play tickets. Kids’ meals in restaurants and cafés will also qualify for the lower rate.

“This is sort of the political equivalent of monkey tennis, isn't it?” Camilla asked, referencing a desperate last-minute ideas pitch from classic comedy character Alan Partridge.

“How are these very small fry changes going to make an impact on a family who wanted to go to Alton Towers? Even with a slight discount, it's £125.

“Actually, life is becoming unaffordable for young people, regardless of whether they can get from one expensive place to another on a free bus,” the GB News host said.

“There's no denying there are macroeconomic challenges here about how we improve people's pay and living standards, work with employers, and get the economy firing on all cylinders,” Mr Jones responded.

The Labour minister then said he found it “pretty remarkable” that “wealthy commentators in the Westminster bubble” were attacking the policy.

He insisted that “helping parents get free bus travel this summer, or making it a bit cheaper to do something nice with your kids when they're at home from school” was not “irrelevant”.

“There are lots of young people across the country, including in my own constituency, who, when they're not in school during the summer holidays, and mum and dad don't have enough money to do something nice for the kids or to be able to afford to even travel into the city centre.

“Sometimes that little bit of extra help will make a big difference to them,” Mr Jones stressed.

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“I think these, these wealthy commentators from the Westminster bubble need to get out of London. They need to talk to people.

“They need to understand that whilst these are small interventions, they're important interventions. At a time when we know the cost of living is a challenge for people.”

An incensed Camilla shot back: “This apparently wealthy commentator doesn't live in London. I live in a rural area where there's a bus every two hours.

“It doesn't help my son to be on it in the summer holidays. He needs the bus when he's at school. You don't need to be a ‘wealthy commentator’ to argue that probably the best way for people to be better off when they're in work is to tax them less.

“But unfortunately, we've had two successive Labour budgets that have set tax burdens at an all-time high, borrowing at an all-time high, not much money to go around.

“Gimmicks like a free bus in August. It doesn't even touch the sides,” she said.

“Camilla, you're being very defensive about being a wealthy commentator. I didn't mean to upset you,” Mr Jones returned, adding: “All I'm saying is that this is not the first interview where I've been told that helping families out a little bit this summer to do something nicer with their kids is irrelevant.

“I recognise it's a small intervention in the summer, but it will make a difference to many families and young people across the country,” the Labour minister said.