GMB interview erupts as Tory Minister says 'don't put words in my mouth'
Good Morning Britain turned very fiery on Tuesday as hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls spoke to Energy Minister Graham Stuart.
During the episode, Susanna, 53, and Ed, 57, questioned the Energy Minister over how a major Conservative Party donor allegedly said MP Diane Abbott made him "want to hate all black women" and that she "should be shot".
The donor has since apologised for making "rude" comments at a private meeting in 2019 but claimed they had "nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin". Meanwhile, Ms Abbott tweeted last night: "I was quite upset. Also I feel less safe."
On Tuesday's Good Morning Britain, Susanna and Ed spoke to the Energy Minister, where they questioned him about the Tory party donor's alleged racist remarks towards Ms Abbott.
Ed said: "If he said, seeing Diane Abbott 'makes you want to hate all black women', if that's what he said, that is a racist thing to say. Isn't it? I think you need to clarify that for us!"
Richard 'shuts up' GMB guest who says Hancock 'deserved' being called 'd***head'
Good Morning Britain turned very fiery on Tuesday as hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls spoke to Energy Minister Graham Stuart (ITV)To which the Energy Minister replied: "Well, Ed, as you know... I've watched you do enough interviews and I'm not trying to avoid it. As you say, I'd like to think I do have a reputation for being straight talking. I don't know exactly what was said, I'm not going to deal with the hypotheticals..."
Ed then interrupted as he asked: "I'm just asking you, if somebody said that... Mr Stuart, live up to your reputation and be a straight talker! If he said that, it's racist, isn't it?"
To which Mr Stuart responded: "I don't comment on hypotheticals, it hasn't been verified. Whatever he said, it wasn't acceptable, he's apologised, he's reached out to Diane Abbott and quite rightly too. That's all I can say for now! We'll see how things go from here. As I say, he's apologised and remarks that were made in a private meeting..."
A frustrated Ed then interrupted Mr Stuart, saying: "I certainly feel as though you're not living up to your reputation here, I always thought of you as somebody who said things as you saw them. That [the Tory party donor's alleged remarks] is racist."
Mr Stuart snapped back with: "I don't know... it hasn't been verified, Ed, so that's it... you can sit here all day asking me about something I'm not sure he said, asking me to condemn someone.
"I'm saying we need to treat people with more consideration and more kindness and more understanding. I've got this quote from a private meeting, half a decade ago, that hasn't been verified. You're asking me to say: 'It's racist' to effectively cancel the guy."
Later during the interview, Susanna jumped in as she said: "Can I suggest you're in danger of making the whole row worse because you seem to be justifying that people can say things in private that they wouldn't be allowed to say in public. If somebody says something racist, it is as bad if they say it in private as if they say it in public. There is no equivalence between hateful racist language and normal political criticism so would you like to just withdraw both of those equivalences."
Mr Stuart then replied with: "I don't think I did say that Susanna, don't put words in my mouth, I'm saying I don't know exactly what he said but I do know that sometimes people use language, which they shouldn't use, but he's apologised. Sought to reach out to Diane and quite right too. If what he said is what he said then you're right to condemn it and I'm not here remotely to justify it."
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