Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls have been slammed by a number of ITV viewers for their “unprofessional” and “disgraceful” approach to an interview with Nigel Farage on Tuesday.
The Reform UK leader appeared on the ITV breakfast show to discuss Reform UK’s newly-released “contract” with the nation, in which the party has set out its plans for the nation if elected into power.
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During the interview, Balls was keen to grill Farage on Reform UK’s personal tax allowance policy stated in said “contract”.
In it, it states Reform UK will “lift the income tax star point to £20,000 per year” which the party claims will “free up to seven million people from paying income tax and save every worker almost £1,500 per year”.
Balls asked Farage: “Who would gain most from your personal tax proposal; someone on minimum wage, somebody on average earnings, or somebody on £95,000 a year?”
“People on benefits would gain the most because actually their whole lives would be transformed by making -” Farage began to answer before he found himself drowned out by Balls.
ITV GMB: Nigel Farage joined the show via video link on Tuesday
ITV
“Mr Farage, people on benefits wouldn’t benefit at all from the personal tax allowance because they wouldn’t be paying any tax,” Balls interrupted before repeating his initial question, to which Farage attempted to answer: “The poorest in society would benefit the most and -“
But once again, Farage was interrupted, with Balls fuming: “Answer the question. I’m sorry, Mr Farage – no, I’m sorry, Mr Farage. Facts are important here.
“The person who would benefit most from your personal tax proposal is somebody on £95,000. They would gain far more than somebody on average earnings and would gain much more than somebody on the minimum wage. Did you not know that?”
As he continued to struggle to get a word in, Balls eventually let Farage reply: “Not in percentage terms, no that’s not true. In actual terms, yes – the more you earn the more you earn! Even if you do pay tax. But in percentage terms, those at the bottom would do best -“
ITV GMB: Nigel Farage faced questions from Ed Balls and Susanna Reid
ITV
Reid and Balls began to look at one another and discuss among themselves as Farage tried again to make his point.
“A staff nurse now pays 40p tax, why should a staff nurse pay what – for decades – was a top-rate tax?” Farage asked, to which Balls persisted: “But somebody on minimum wage would gain less, absolutely and proportionately, than somebody on £95,000. Your tax proposals help people who are richer.”
“Not in percentage terms. Plus -” Farage said but once again, Balls took centre stage: “But you admit that absolutely somebody on £95,000 would gain the most. You admit that? Somebody on £95,000 in cash terms would benefit the most?”
“Well, okay. In percentage terms, no,” a resigned-looking Farage replied as Balls continued his tirade: “In cash terms, somebody on £95,000 would gain more than somebody on minimum wage in your proposal.”
“In percentage terms, no,” Farage reiterated as Balls mocked: “I’m asking you a straight question – see the thing about you, Mr Farage, is you’re a straight talker, you don’t play all these political games like Labour and the Conservatives. Straight question: does somebody in cash terms gain more on £95,000 – just answer the question, yes or no?”
“This is so typical,” Farage chipped in. “The more you earn, the more you take home, yes!”
It was then Reid’s turn to take a pop at the Reform UK leader, asking: “What do you mean this is so typical? Being asked questions and asked to answer them?”
Farage summed up: “Well, what’s happening here is we’re coming along as the third-biggest party – maybe even the second biggest by the weekend in terms of the total number of people who want to vote for us – and we want to have an open debate about the things we stand for and we’re getting stuck here on one very narrow point “
“It’s your biggest tax proposal,” another interruption from Balls came before they managed to move on to other talking points.
Elsewhere in the interview, Reid grilled Farage on Reform UK candidates who were found to be “social media friends with a fascist leader”.
Farage hit back by revealing Reform UK had hired a reputable vetting company that “didn’t do the work”, resulting in candidates “slipping through the net”.
He similarly admitted he “vehemently disagreed” with a candidate who argued that we shouldn’t have participated in World Wars One and Two.
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ITV GMB: Nigel Farage fans have accused Ed Balls and Susanna Reid of ‘bias’ and ‘bullying’ during the interview
ITV
The manner in which Farage was grilled by the GMB hosts sparked uproar from plenty watching at home and across social media.
After the GMB X account shared a clip of the interview online, one fan hit back: “Suzannah and Ed did not let Nigel speak, why on Earth ask him on? They simply harangued him loudly not giving him a chance to answer.”
“So much for impartiality Ed and Suzanne! Do better,” a second fumed before a third weighed in: “I actually think #gmb need better presenters, what they have is a pretty unprofessional bunch frankly. They don’t know what balance is. They are wannabe celebs.”
A fourth even threatened action from broadcasting regulator Ofcom: “Wow!!! @Ofcom might want to have a look at this. What a cheap trick by @GMB. If you cut tax, those paying the least tax will save the least… by definition.”
“What a disgraceful performance by the interviewers. A real pair of jokers,” a fifth raged before a sixth added: “Your awful bullying tactics probably gave Farage more votes. Terrible biased interview.”
However, amid the anger were some who leaped to Reid and Balls’ defence, with one arguing: “If he wants to be taken seriously, these are the questions he needs to answer. He’s full of bull and bluster the minute he’s challenged.”
And a second responded to the backlash to the presenters: “The people blaming Susannah and Ed for the questioning are once again dangerously and deliberately ignoring the fact Farage’s policies don’t stand up to any sort of scrutiny.” (sic)