Michael Gove – noted Aberdeen nightclub afficionado, “Dancing Queen” fan and Levelling Up secretary for the Conservatives – joined BBC Breakfast this morning and began to notably malfunction when asked about a split between Boris Johnson and the Treasury on the cost of living crisis.
In the longer interview clip, Gove begins by calling Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey “chaotic” in response to Davey’s accusation that the government was in chaos over how to tackle the ongoing issue. The minister then puts on what can only be described as a “booming Fox News host” voice and then tells people to “calm down” in Liverpudlian accent that is, apparently, a reference to a Harry Enfield sketch. In other words: Big Divorced Dad energy.
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Here’s what he told BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker, our emphasis added: “The prime minister was making the point we are constantly looking at ideas to relieve the pressure on people facing incredibly tough times – but that doesn’t amount to an emergency budget.”
“It’s example of some commentators trying to take a statement that is commonsensical, turning it into a major, CAPITAAAL LEDDERS bIG nEwS sToRIEE, when the Treasury quite rightly say, ‘Caaaaahm daaaahn’.”
Understandably, this interview has been described as “bizarre” by publications like the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and HuffPo. But what is actually going on? We tried to figure it out.
What is happening in Michael Gove’s ‘bizarre’ BBC interview? Our thoughts below:
1) Look, we’ve all been there. You’ve been out all night, but you have an early morning meeting so you’ve downed three espressos to make yourself feel a bit more alive. However, those espressos are now making your little tummy feel like you’ve done shots of drain unblocker liquid, your heart is pounding a hundred times a second and you’re having to hold it together on an hour-long Zoom call. Understandable, really.
2) Michael Gove saw the video of Liam Payne at the Oscars and thought, ‘Great delivery’.
3) Michael Gove has died and his face has been deepfaked onto the Queen. Soon her consciousness will be fully transplanted into this new host.
4) Michael Gove watched Alan Partridge on This Time and thought, ‘Great delivery’.
5) Actually, we are all being overly harsh. This is an astute comment on the Americanisation of British political commentary TV (see: GB News and Talk TV). We should applaud Gove for making such a searing observation as he viciously mocks these oh-so-clever journalists building commentary brands.
6) Michael Gove is actually an AI robot covered in genetically engineered skin. What we are witnessing here is a glitch in his programming. He’ll be fine once someone replaces his batteries and updates his code.
7) The BBC News studio is haunted. This is proof: the late spirit of Derek Acorah coming through there.
8) Boris Johnson is up in the studio rafters, pulling his strings like a good little puppet.
9) Is anyone in the Treasury actually scouse? Who is that supposed to be an impression of?? OK have just Googled: Simon Richard Clarke, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, seems to be the most Northern person there – he’s from County Durham – but according to his YouTube channel (16 subscribers and counting), he has a posh voice. The mystery remains unsolved.
10) Michael Gove is in fact an alien imposter made from smooth pieces of flesh, bone and ligament globbled together like wet clay. This is him doing a human impression.
11) Poor guy lost a bet in the work WhatsApp group chat. The punishment? He now has to fit in as many voice impressions as possible so that Priti Patel doesn’t give him a wedgie when the cameras cut.
12) He was [redacted] [redacted] [redacted] and is now regretting his course of action.
13) Actively trying to become a meme; cringe behaviour.
