GMB's Ed Balls quizzes John Healey over winter fuel allowance
Ed Balls faced heavy criticism after interviewing Labour's John Healey on Good Morning Britain. The Defence Secretary appeared on the ITV programme on Tuesday (September 3) to discuss Keir Starmer's decision to cut the winter fuel allowance for 10 million pensioners.
Last month, the government announced the universal payment to pensioners, worth between £100 and £300 a year, would be restricted to just those who receive pension credit.
Healey described it as a "big and difficult" decision as he defended the move on Good Morning Britain. Asked to explain why lower income pensioners are losing the allowance, Healey said: "We're faced with a financial situation and a deficit in the current budgets this year which is far worse than anyone thought beforehand.
"Winter fuel allowances was not a decision that we expected or wanted to take but it's a sign of the measures we will take to get the public finances under control."
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Healey added: "The very poorest pensioners, those entitled to pension credit, one in three just don't pick it up. That's why you've also seen the government launch a big drive to help and make sure they get it ahead of the winter."
Viewers hit out at Ed for not putting Healey "under pressure" with his questions, suggesting the presenter was biased during the interview. Slamming the former politician on X, one wrote: "Got an easy ride with insincere word salad. What more can we expect when Ed Balls the 'interviewer' is married to Yvette Cooper MP?"
A second echoed: "Ed Balls should say it’s wrong and put him under pressure!!" Another penned: "Ed Balls is back asking his colleagues questions."
Another fumed: "The stupidity of having @edballs on @GMB interviewing Labour Gov asking about Winter fuel allowance for pensioners on 12K is made even more stark when he won't ask if MPs expenses inc being allowed to claim for heating should be stopped as his wife on about £160k will claim it."
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Ed was set to host Tuesday's edition of Good Morning Britain with Susanna Reid, however, she was forced to pull out at the last minute due to a family emergency.
Susanna, 53, returned from her summer break on Monday (September 2) and viewers were expecting her to resume her position on the ITV programme once again.
But just minutes into the show, Ranvir took a moment to explain where her colleague was. Before the show got underway, she said: "If you're wondering where Susanna is, one of her boys has been taken ill overnight and she needed to stay with him, so we are here for you this morning."
