Richard Madeley leaves Ellie Reeves speechless and can't answer over 'sleazy' Labour move

Good Morning Britain host Richard Madeley put Labour MP Ellie Reeves on the spot in an on-air grilling during Tuesday's edition of the ITV daytime show.

The GB host began: "The PM is going to say in two or three hours from now that he wants to root out the rot that he said has been created by 14 years of Tory government."

Charlotte continued: "Yes, Sir Keir Starmer will call for a decade of renewal and rebuilding but he will also warn of difficult decisions. We are now joined by Cabinet Office minister and Chair of the Labour Party Ellie Reeves."

The ITV presenters first addressed the furore surrounding the authorisation of a Downing Street pass for Labour donor Lord Waheed Ali, despite him having no formal job at the premises.

Ellie appeared to swerve the question and focused on the prime minister's speech which will be broadcast later today.

"Sorry to interrupt you," Richard interjected, "but your simply not answering Charlotte's question."

He continued: "Can you please answer the question that it's not a good look is it? That the prime minister has been accepting thousands of pounds of free suits and free glasses instead of going to Specsavers like the rest of us?

"Why is he entitled to free suits and free glasses from a big Labour donor - that pass was then given to that donor to go to and from to Downing Street at will a payment and a reward for that?"

Ellie began to stutter, as she replied: "All donations are declared in the correct way. As I understand it Lord Ali, a respected and long serving Labour peer, was given a pass to Downing Street for a few weeks after we first got into government.

"I don't think he's got that pass now, he did have it for...errr... a few weeks."

She added "all the rules had been followed" but confirmed she was not involved in that process.

Richard commented that the whole move was "sleazy" and didn't look good for the Labour Party. He fumed, "That's your PR problem - your quite right it has been fully declared - the new prime minister made a big thing about Tory sleaze and Tory self-reward and Partygate, Gamblegate but one of the first things we find out about him is he is wearing expensive suits for free and expensive glasses for free."

Ellie explained that Starmer will be delivering his speech in the Rose Garden where Dominic Cummings addressed his visit to Bernard Castle during the pandemic and also the parties held there during the Covid lockdown.

Viewers took to X and fumed at Ellie's response, as @theMaizeK tweeted: "Is she a robot. Ffs."(sic)

@ReMyPoInTeR commented: "@GMB get @UKLabour out! @Keir_Starmer RESIGN!!!! #GMB."

@Itt39354118 tweeted: "Fkn fuming listening to this #gmb."

Talk swiftly turned to Labour cutting the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners, which Ellie labelled a "tough" decision that had to be made.

Charlotte quizzed: "Do you think pensioners are the right target?"

To which the Labour MP replied, "Err... I think it's a tough choice. Pensioners who are in receipt of pension credit will still receive the Winter Fuel Allowance."

Ellie went on to confirm that there will be no U-turn on cutting the Winter Fuel Allowance.

@er commented: "Wow! This is hard to listen to....er...uh...er...uh...er...uh #GMB."

@Gm4nHere tweeted: "This woman is really struggling with this interview. Must be nervous, coz it’s all err err erm.. Also is it just me or does she sound a lot like Rachel Reeves? #GMB"

@SteLew75 quipped: "Nice to see @UKLabour have fully embraced AI by using a robot on #gmb."

@Boppity_Boo34 said: "Disgusting that they’re taking the winter fuel from pensioners and not all of them can apply for pension credit either #GMB."

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am.