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Andrew Marr says he was right to quiz Brown over pill-taking
Paul Waugh and Nicholas Cecil28.09.09
BBC interviewer Andrew Marr refused to apologise today for asking the Prime Minister if he was on anti-depressants.
But today he defied critics by saying the questions were appropriate.
“It was a tough question and I clearly thought carefully before asking it,” he said. “I decided it was a fair question to ask or I wouldn't have asked it.”
He said it was entirely his decision to ask Mr Brown about his health and nobody had lodged a formal complaint.
“Nobody in No 10 or in the government have contacted me about this at all. I have had no contact from anybody, probably to their credit,” he told the mediaguardian website. “I certainly don't have any intention of this rumbling on or pursuing it. I have no particular reason to think it is going to go on and on. That is for others.”
Earlier, Neil Kinnock led an all-out Labour attack on the BBC, saying Marr had “cheapened” the corporation by asking Gordon Brown the questions about his health.
Lord Kinnock spoke of his fury at the inteviewer's “poking and prying” questions. He told Channel 5 News: “I abominate them. The BBC is one of the greatest institutions in the world. They demeaned themselves, they cheapened themselves and the judgment of the journalist who asked the question has to be questioned.”
Tory MP Nadine Dorries also criticised the BBC and warned Marr not to “overstep the mark” with similarly personal questions when he interviews David Cameron this weekend.
But the Standard has learned Marr is prepared to ask the Conservative leader about his past drug use.
Marr has been cold-shouldered by several ministers since the interview and some BBC sources fear that Mr Brown will now refuse ever to be interviewed by him again.
The Prime Minister was visibly unsettled yesterday when asked by Marr in his BBC1 interview: “A lot of people in this country use prescription painkillers and pills to help them get through. Are you one of them?”
Reader views (8)
The international press has been discusing this isue for weeks, since it was revealed that the prime ministers dietry requirements had specific exclusions which are asociated with a patient on strong anti-depresants.
Why should we yet again be the last to know?
It isnt the BBC which is asking these "awkward" questions it is the public who pay his wages.
As anyone who lives in Brighton and has 'Von'Browns bodyguard of machine gun toting Nazis on their doorstep knows he detests every one of our few remaining freedoms,none more than what is left of our free speech.
- Andrew White, Brighton,Sussex
Good on Andrew Marr. Whatever the unelected Brown may or may not be on, this is probably the gateway to him standing down before the labour party is - as it surely will be - booted out at the forthcoming election, for "health" reasons, i.e. an attempt to reduce embarassment and humiliation.
- Pandora, london
So Brown is to throw his toys out of the pram and never again speak to Marr ?
Diddums! and who cares?
His wooden words have been gurgitated a trillion times too many.
Go you most appalling failure of a leader and contemplate your legacy: burial for all time of an evil Labour junta.
- Ken, France
It was the only searching question A Marr asked.
I thought he would have done better after he got roasted by Mandleson some time ago.
- Douglas Cook, Glasgow UK
Actually, I thought Andrew Marr was far too soft.
Let's see if the pills give him the courage to stop hiding behind his wife's petticoats (guardian 26-09-09, Sarah Brown to save the (Zanu) Liebour party.
If I was gormless gordo, & went into work, every day, and saw the REAL mess gormless had created, I'd be on mind bending drugs too.
- John, UK
Who the hell cares what Kinnock thinks.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
Is this the same Kinnock who sacked Martha Andreasen when she pointed out to him that the EU is deeply corrupt and that he was supposed to be doing something about it? Kinnock has cheapened this country just by his presence.
- John Bell, Nottm, UK
So according to the parisite that is the Kinnocks( multiple pensions salaries and jobs for the Boydos)it's none of our business that the idiot who we pay to run the country, is in failing health and may be taking antiepressants or other medication? Oh excuse us for asking! Apart from the fact that he has failed miserably as a PM and has caused arguably the most damage to this country of ANY politician in history. At least if he was incapacitated he could blame the medication, but it looks as if he prefers incompetence to be on his political gravestone.
- Jon, london
