GMB’s Ed Balls hit with furious ‘bias’ claims after Burnham cabinet outrage
Ed Balls has been accused of failing to be impartial on GMB (Image: Getty)
Good Morning Britain star Ed Balls has been hit with fresh bias claims, amid the latest scandal surrounding Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s cabinet. Just hours after footage leaked of Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood joking about Labour’s early release prison scheme, the journalist was accused of keeping suspiciously quiet on the matter.
Taking to X during Wednesday’s (22 July) instalment of GMB, several noted that Ed’s wife, Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, was also visible in the viral clip, though she did not appear to be directly involved. “@GMB why not mention that Mrs Ed Balls i.e. @YvetteCooperMP is on the video of @wesstreeting at No10,” tweeted one. “Disgraceful how you don’t mention it and again biased reporting supporting @edballs.”
The presenter is married to Health Secretary Yvette Cooper (Image: Getty)
“@GMB Surreal that they’re talking about ministers caught on camera laughing about an early release scheme and Ed Balls’ wife is in the shot,” remarked a second. Meanwhile, a third wrote: “Bit awkward for Ed Balls this morning. Maybe they should have replaced him.”
A former Labour MP, long-time friend of PM Andy Burnham, and the husband of minister Yvette Cooper, Ed has been criticised for his lack of impartiality on ITV’s breakfast show time and time again.
Viewers have slammed ITV’s decision to keep Balls on the show (Image: Getty)
Earlier this month, ITV was embroiled in another bias row after Ed and his co-host, Susanna Reid, revealed that Yvette would appear on the programme. “Up next, Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, Ed’s wife, of course, is the interview going to be taking place in just a moment,” said Susanna. In a lighthearted moment, Ed joked, “I’m going to sit that one out,” having previously received thousands of Ofcom complaints for interviewing Yvette in the past.
Sparking outrage, viewers voiced their frustrations on social media. “It’s a biased Labour show with a bit of pillow talk thrown in,” fumed one. “People might think that having the husband of the foreign secretary co-presenting an ITN-produced breakfast television show raises all sorts of questions. Not #GMB though! They think it’s something to laugh about,” mused another.
