Yesterday’s edition of Good Morning Britain saw ITV presenters Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid enter into a tense debate with Labour MP John McDonnell.
In the wake of the explosive scenes on the live breakfast programme, fellow MP and Brexit Shadow Secretary Sir Starmer has reportedly refused to do an interview due to the hosts’ “mean” treatment of McDonnell.
According to journalist Morgan, 53, Sir Starmer was set to do the rounds with all the other morning news programme, in the middle of an important time for the government as prime minister Theresa May puts her Brexit deal to Parliament.
Morgan referenced the absence before launching a tirade at the politician.
He declared: “I’m just tweeting Keir Starmer, just telling him when he grows a pair, he can come on again.”
Surprised by the sudden tone change, Reid joked: “I thought you were texting Bradley Walsh.”
“Sir Keir Starmer won’t come on the programme,” Morgan went on. “He’s doing every other programme apart from us today, before his big speech at the Labour party conference.
“It’s apparently because we were mean to John McDonnell yesterday.”
“I don’t think we were mean to John McDonnell,” Reid then declared.
A GMB spokesperson has now clarified what happened on the programme.
“Keir Starmer was invited to do Good Morning Britain this morning,” they said, “and we would welcome him on the programme at any future date.”
Presenter Morgan continued: “We asked him what their policy would be on nuclear defence systems should we need to, if they were in government.
“Well sorry Sir Keir, these are rather important questions, and I still don’t know the answer.
“So rather than hiding and playing the big old ‘Oh you’re so mean, I can’t come on…,’ get on the programme and tell us, what is the policy going to be?
“What are any of your policies going to be?” he added.
Reid then reminded: “You’ve got an hour and 10 minutes.”
Later, ITV political editor Robert Peston revealed he was in solidarity with the team for Starmer’s decision.
He said: “If I see him, I’ll communicate to him he should have come on your show, because you would have been nothing but nice to him wouldn’t you…”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
