GMB’s Ed Balls sparks ‘bias’ row as he grills pub landlord over general election petition.uk
Good Morning Britain presenter was inundated with criticism as he spoke to pub owner Michael Westwood
Ed Balls faced a massive backlash from Good Morning Britain viewers as he clashed with pub landlord Michael Westwood over a petition calling for a general election.
The businessman joined Balls and Susanna Reid to discuss his viral petition and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer‘s reponse to the growing number of signatures.
However, the discussion quickly turned into a grilling as the former politican questioned Westwood’s alignment with the Conservative Party.
The landlord claimed: “The current Government told a pack of lies to get into power and I don’t think they should be allowed to sit back and go ‘too many people, I don’t care’. How’s that right?”
Viewers quickly took to social media and argued that, as a former Labour frontbencher and husband to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Balls should not have been part of the conversation.
In response, @mic40575 wrote on the X social media platform: “Why is Ed Balls allowed to debate the petition? He’s clearly biased.”
Ed Balls grilled Michael Westwood on Good Morning Britain (Image: ITV)
Viewer @mediterranedan argued: “@ITV Ed should NOT be a presenter on here as he is married to a member of the Cabinet and is clearly biased!”
A fuming @TihoK raged: “Can Ed Balls just shut up and let the man speak? We all know how biased he is, married to a member of the Government. He should also stop smirking.”
As @JamieAdStories stated: “Watching Ed Balls try to be neutral makes me feel sick. He is married to the Home Secretary for goodness sake.”
Michael Westwood launched the viral petition calling for a general election (Image: ITV)
Balls asked Westwood on the show: “Who decides when it’s okay to break a promise and when it’s not okay to break a promise other than the voters in a general election? Should that be decided by the courts, by you, by petition or by general elections?”
The pub owner responded: “I’m not politician, I never claimed to be a politician.” But Balls hit back by saying: “But you’re having a big political impact, it’s a great debate, I’m just wondering who do you think should decide?”
Westwood replied: “We’ll see because there’s no way we’re getting a general election.”
Sir Keir addressed Michael’s petition during his Monday interview on ITV’s This Morning.
The PM admitted he was “not surprised” some people who did not support his party might want a second poll.
He said: “Look, I remind myself that very many people didn’t vote Labour at the last election.
“I’m not surprised that many of them want a re-run. That isn’t how our system works.
Speaking to Cat Deeley and Andi Peters, Sir Keir continued: “There will be plenty of people who didn’t want us in in the first place.
“So, what my focus is on is the decisions that I have to make every day.”
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