‘Don’t patronise me’: Andrew Marr clashes with Labour’s Shami Chakrabarti over Brexit referendum comment

Shadow attorney general angers BBC broadcaster in tense exchange on support for Brexit

Veteran BBC political broadcaster Andrew Marr lost his cool with a senior Labour figure after suggestions he was not a democrat.

The BBC heavyweight hit back at shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti after she challenged him on his democratic acceptance of the Brexit referendum result.

Mr Marr questioned Baroness Chakrabarti on why she supported plans to seek a general election on a pro-Brexit manifesto despite voting to Remain in 2016.

He said: "I can't understand why you want to leave the EU ... you're going to go to a general election campaign as a member of a party who says we are leaving the EU."

Baroness Chakrabarti responded: "I'm a democrat, I don't know about you Andrew but I'm a democrat."

Mr Marr, visibly annoyed by the comment, said: "Don't try and patronise me, I'm as much a democrat as you are" – to which Baroness Chakrabarti replied: "I certainly wouldn't try to patronise you, I'm sure you would never try and patronise me."

Press Association