Man amazed at response after telling Tory MP to ‘read the room’ on Question Time
A man from Coventry said he is “amazed” at the viral response he received after he told a Tory minister to “read the room” on BBC Question Time.
Kam Nasser, 22, told Mark Spencer – the Minister of State for Food, Farming and Fisheries – how the party had “let us down over the last 14 years” as he raised issues about the cost-of-living crisis, the NHS and knife crime on Thursday’s show.
He ended his speech by telling the MP for Sherwood that the Tories were “going to lose”, “going to lose terribly” and “going to deserve to lose”.
A clip from the segment which was posted to X, formerly Twitter, earned 1.4 million views with members of the public dubbing him a “modern day hero”, while Loose Women star Denise Welch also weighed in to sound the applause.
Phones blowing up and I’m a bit overwhelmed 😂 but thank you for all the nice messages about my lil rant on national TV tonight 😁❤️💪🏽 #bbcqt https://t.co/f5G3fPuo41
— Kam (@kamanthony_) May 23, 2024
“I’m amazed at the response I’ve got and I wasn’t expecting it but I think it really does show that people are crying out for help without saying it and people really want to see change in this country,” Mr Nasser, who is on a graduate scheme working in project management, told the PA news agency.
“A lot people have been saying ‘you spoke for me’ and that’s really quite powerful to hear.
“There’s so many things that people want to say, there’s so much change people want to see which they’re not seeing.
“People are really struggling, people do need help, and they need politicians to be on their side.”
Mr Nasser said it was “nerve-wracking” to talk on national television, but said once he started speaking the “adrenaline and passion took over”.
Addressing Mr Spencer on the political call-and-response programme, Mr Nasser said: “Mark, I think you need to read the room a bit.
“When you said that you’ve delivered for the country and the economy has turned a corner, people round here laughed at you because no-one is feeling it.
“You take a walk now through Coventry city centre, it’s changed.
“People are having to choose between heating their homes and feeding their kids, the NHS is on its knees, knife crime and youth violence is rising all over the country.
“Your party has let us down over the last 14 years.
“You’re going to lose, you’re going to lose terribly and you’re going to deserve to lose.”
A post of the video clip on X earned over 19,000 likes, with many taking to the comments to applaud Mr Nasser.
Ms Welch wrote: “I’m abroad just reading about you!!! Well done sir,” followed by several clapping emojis.
I'm abroad just reading about you!!! Well done sir 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
— Denise Welch (@RealDeniseWelch) May 23, 2024
“Massive thank you for putting in to words the way the majority of us feel, your comments really nailed it,” X user Clifford K wrote.
“Thank you for speaking for all of us. Change is on the horizon indeed,” a second added.
A third posted: “When they said Question Time was coming to Coventry I was hoping someone like you would speak for me, thanks.”
Another joked: “Hi Kam, I don’t even live in England anymore, but how can I vote for you in the general election? #ModernDayHero.”
Of the upcoming General Election on July 4, Mr Nasser said he was feeling “excited” and “hopeful”.
“I think that people have been crying out for their say, as you can see from the passion during Question Time yesterday and what people have been saying online.
“I’m excited, hopeful, it’s been a long time coming.”