Sky's Burley accused of being 'a bit dim'

Sky News presenter Kay Burley was yesterday accused of being "a bit dim" by an MP in a fractious on-air interview.

The exchange came when Burley was interviewing Labour MP Chris Bryant about the Commons debate on the News of the World phone-hacking story.

Burley challenged Bryant to provide evidence that phone-hacking and other illegal surveillance techniques were "endemic" in the newspaper industry.

The MP pointed to a report published by the Information Commissioner that identified in excess of 1,000 cases.

In response, Burley said: "So you are in a position to have listened to the debate and read the report and as a result you are content to say that on telly."

Bryant replied: "I have just said that. You seem to be a bit dim, if you don't mind me saying so."

The MP also denied Burley's implication that he could have avoided having his phone hacked by changing his answering machine PIN number. He said: "Don't lie, don't say what you don't know, madam."

Burley's interviewing style has consistently attracted criticism, including more than 880 complaints when she reduced Peter Andre to tears with a question about his children with former wife Katie Price.

In May, she was also heckled by a political activist while presenting continuous coverage of the general election fallout on location in Westminster.