Why Rory Stewart might need to self reflect...

You're right, it is not important to remember numbers. What is important to have a plan, economic theory etc... This we now have, your inspiration is marxists, socialists and activists. Your ideas are marx-ish, in that you focus on class struggle and dismantling corporate structures. Marxists will be nodding and loving it. Young and inexperienced will fall for it. I will absolutely hold you to account that you have a dangerous economic vision which will sound nice, but be destructive. Also multiplers, lol.

For gods sake! Stop making excuses for being crap and actually learn some basic stuff. You’re not claiming you want to be some 3rd rate backbencher, you want to be the prime minister. And not only that you think you can totally transform the economy, yet appear unable to recall the most basic economic information. You should be thanking Rory Stewart and putting it right by getting on top of your brief. Not making endless excuses.

Full episode with @meadwaj on YouTube at 7pm:

The problem wasn't that you couldn't remember the exact number for the national debt Zack, the problem was you didn't have a solution for paying it off and closing the remaining deficit other than printing money and "Paradigm shifts".

It's not a question of simply regurgitating numbers..it's an indication of whether an aspiring PM has any understanding of,and competency in,his role in the office he hopes to occupy.

I think I trust Zack to learn more from that interview and adjust accordingly than Rory will and should.

It's still totally narcissistic of Zack to be claiming he is going to change the entire economic system for the better without having even an A-level understanding of how the current one works

Rory is a tool but he is right that you should have at your disposal - at all times - a sweeping understanding of economics and figures if you’re going to put forward such a revolutionary approach to the economy.

A party leader should know these stats and be able to correct podcasters if they’re wrong.

If you want to dramatically change the British macro economy, it's not unfair to expect you to know your stuff. It's not gotcha journalism, how can you speak authoritatively on tax if you don't know its top rate? I'm a socialist, but I'm not sure I trust your economics

Rory "massaging" the conversation he had with Zack after the interview is indicative of the basic insecurity and dishonesty of his approach. This type of cynical, "get one over on your opponent" political discussion is on the way out. We need honesty before real change can happen

Oh you’ve suddenly discovered what debt and deficit is. You can’t print money, it La la land economics!

He confused the debt with the deficit. Because he doesn’t have a clue about the significance of either.

Not sure this is helping your credibility there Zack. Tell me before an interview so I can learn the numbers for my own economic policy isn’t the best look.

Oh dear - the dianne Abbott school of politics. Numbers, who needs ‘em.

Congratulations. You’ve made Rory look like the smart one for a change.

You seem kinda rattled

Rory Stewart sat in parliament for quite a few years voting against the interests of ordinary people. To me, his opinion counts for nothing.

The fact the line “emotional storytelling” was used does speak volumes..

Politicians are responsible for enormous sums of public money. They should understand the figures. Simple as that.

Numbers are just numbers without context and valid comparisons. The real question - If Rory is so upset at the word trillion will he want to reduce it with austerity or a fairer tax system that sees the very wealthy pay their fair share?

Why is him being gay and bullied at school relevant to becoming a national leader - what kind of sad arse in his mid forties is going on podcasts to cry about that?

Let's be honest, he clearly didn't know the difference between deficit and debt... this is not about learning numbers, this is about a party leader being economically illiterate. It doesn't matter how you try to spin your way out of it... that was very clear.

Spot on. Great interview has Rory apologized yet?

It’s not so much learning numbers by rote as it is really having a deeper grasp of the harder economics behind them. Politically Diane Abbott and Liz Truss learned the hard way that getting figures wrong is dynamite but endorsing maverick experts is also problematic

What the green party is happy with..

I think Rory told us all we need to know about his perspective when he came out with excuses for Farage's history of racist bullying. The fact that he was more ready to play silly numbers to attack Zack than explore his arguments is a continuation of Rory's Tory AF attitudes.

One was a magnitude wrong, not sure why anyone should quibble here. It’s the difference between being asked to point at France on a map where one points at Germany and the other points at Mars. Polanski’s excuses won’t cut it.

@ZackPolanski Hold on. ‘You would’ve learned the numbers’? This isn’t a get out, Zack. You were horrifyingly clueless. You said something about not having the benefit of legions of civil servants to advise. Making promises based on such shaky ground is populism at its worst.

No one wants you to memorise numbers and churn them out on demand The ask is to show you (and others in your position) understand the numbers, in context and can explain in more detail your economic policies and not simply respond with ‘tax the rich’ every time

The issue is not one of Zach preparing to regurgitate some numbers... But if you want us to beleive he is ready to lead us somewhere better she should know these... Not just memorise them... He should want to know them incredibly well because you can only solve a problem once you have understood it properly.. He doesn't... Like he said... He is a actor... happy to memorise a script , regurgitate something others prepare for him... but unable to have the IQ and intelectual fortitude to understand if what is being spoonfed to him is good or not.

This clarification makes him look even worse than the interview….these are not just numbers to remember….they are fundamental to an understanding of the structure of the economy. As a frontline politician you must know….Glib and clueless….

Learnt those numbers? If you want to be a serious contender the numbers, especially with a key budget on the doorstep, should be seared into your brain. We don’t want an actor learning lines, we want economically literate, super smart, effective leaders. Not spokesmen.

You really hate Dave's inadequate knowledge being shown up. Bless

This is just literally admitting that he’s too ill-informed for the job. So embarrassing.