Piers Morgan fumes 'let me speak' as he clashes with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

03 September 2023 , 09:48

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Piers Morgan fumes 'let me speak' as he clashes with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Piers Morgan became embroiled in a furious clash with chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall live on Laura Kuenssberg's BBC breakfast show today over the Just Stop Oil protests.

The former GMB host, 58, has spoken frequently in the past of his frustration with the activist group, who have sparked ire with motorists by blocking roads and angered sports spectators by throwing orange powder during matches.

Prior to his disparaging comments about the activists, Piers spoke of his surprise meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the advice he gave him about running his government while on a lavish business class flight. This didn't eescape the attention of Hugh, who noted the form of transport with raised eyebrows.

"It’s interesting that Piers met the prime minister on what I assume is a chartered flight, possibly in first class," he began. "Because his favourite form of transport between meetings seems to be buzzing about in a helicopter… he is not delivering on net zero, his own climate change committee are absolutely clear about that. But we have an energy bill next week with a really exciting opportunity and thank goodness Grant Shapps isn’t there to oversee it."

Piers Morgan and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall clashed on Laura Kuenssberg's BBC show today (BBC)

Picking up on his remarks, host Laura Kuenssberg asked Piers: " Doesn’t he have a point though, Piers, about being pragmatic and not alienating communities. Particularly as we’ve been seeing with ULEZ, for example and a pretty hefty charge going on to people with particular types of cars. Isn’t there a balance here?"

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"I think there is, I think [the government] fit the right balance," he responded. "I think you’ve got to be careful… I look at the Just Stop Oil protests - instinctively I think my gut feeling is telling me [that] they’re right -"

Irritated, Hugh interjected as he said: "It’s such a distraction to talk about Just Stop Oil -"

They were disputing the efficacy of the Just Stop Oil protests (AFP via Getty Images)

But Piers interrupted, commenting as Hugh shook his head: "You’ve had your say, let me have mine. I just think the Just Stop Oil protests have had the complete opposite effect to what those protestors thought or hoped they would get. If you’re just going to spend your entire time running around, wrecking ordinary people’s lives, ruining their fun, getting in their faces, stopping them from going to school, stopping them from going to hospital and so on, you are not going to bring the public with you.

"The government has to somehow hit this sweet spot where they take us into a far greener place, which is what they want to do, but they do it in a place and a rate and an affordability that will bring the public with them. If you try to be too catastrophic in your rhetoric about this or - in my opinion with Just Stop Oil - too pathetic in your methodology, you are going to turn people off and that will turn people off."

Returning the ball back to Hugh, Laura asked: "Hugh, do you think Just Stop Oil have shot themselves in the foot? Because a lot of people have been very cross with their activities."

Hugh insisted that protestors were doing the right thing (BBC)

Hugh said: "First off, nothing’s more affordable than offshore wind to bring down our energy bills and give us energy security in the UK. Secondly, Just Stop Oil - every radical movement for change needs a radical wing that will draw our attention to things. I was watching the test match when someone ran on and exploded some orange powder - that drew some attention to an absolutely vital issue-"

Interrupting, Piers said pointedly: "Hang on, I was there that day. The only attention it drew was that everyone was booing and everyone thought that guy was a total moron!" In response, Hugh hit back as he said: "But Piers, we’re talking about it now! We’re talking about it now!"

"They’ve been pretty successful in raising the profile of the issue," Laura pointed out, prompting Hugh to passionately insist: "These people are prepared to put their liberty on the line to defend something that they passionately believe in. That’s why women are allowed the vote in this country. What would you have been saying when women were throwing themselves in front of the King’s horse? In order to get the vote for women we need people to go out there and put their liberty at risk."

Rose Hill