The Labour Party conference descended into chaos live on TalkTV when the lights suddenly went out mid-interview. Presenter Peter Cardwell was speaking to Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson about Prime Minister Andy Burnham's latest speech when the venue appeared to lose power, though Esterson remained audible over the video feed.
Esterson had been saying: "The way he gave the speech, the emotion that came out. I mean, when he was talking about his dad, he really was-" but was cut off as the lights flicked off. He stuttered: "You've lost me because they've turned out the lights!"
TalkTV reacts to blackout
Cardwell reassured him: "We can still hear you, Bill, we can still hear you!" But on X, the moment seemed indicative of "Burnham's broken Britain", as the official Talk social media account tweeted: "They can't even keep the lights on!"
Viewers were left in hysterics over the accidental car crash, with one writing: "The light were probably running off one of Ed Miliband's windmills!" Another joked: "Now that is absolutely brilliant timing."
Emotional scenes at conference
The incident came after Miliband was spotted crying as he listened to Burnham speak about his late father. While the PM managed to hold back his tears, Miliband was seen "bawling" in the audience.
Burnham told a Liverpool crowd that his dad Roy would have been "so proud" of him and his brothers. He said: "If only he had been able to appreciate that moment of the family in Downing Street. The son of a man who failed his 11-plus becoming prime minister. The fact it could even happen in this country would not have been lost on him.
"He could have gone to university himself, but times were different then so it wasn't an option. But he voted every time, religiously for the Labour governments which changed education so his sons could do that."
