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Susanna Reid was asking Keir Starmer the tough questions on Good Morning Britain’s Wednesday instalment.
The veteran news presenter, 54, sat down with the Prime Minister shortly after he delivered his Labour Conference speech, in what was a pre-recorded interview for ITV.
Hosting the show alongside Ed Balls, Reid’s interview saw her quiz the PM are why he thinks he’s ‘so unpopular’, with a recent poll labelling him the most unpopular Prime Minister since records began.
Starmer laid the blame at the prior Conservative government’s shambolic tenure, telling Reid: ‘I think that for 14 years, under the last government, people really suffered.
‘Their wages didn’t go up materially. They didn’t feel better off. Their public services were decimated.
‘We won a victory last July, a landslide victory on the basis that we would change, renew and take our country forward. I always said that would take time, but I sense and understand the feeling from people, saying, “get on with it”.’
Reid also questioned Starmer on the looming possibility of tax rises in Rachel Reeves’ upcoming budget, after the chancellor confirmed she no longer stands by the government’s manifesto pledge not to do so.
‘You asked voters to judge you on whether they’re going to feel better off. Already, many are not feeling better off,’ Reid said to Starmer, who sat across from her in Liverpool, where the party conference is ongoing.
Starmer replied: ‘Obviously, we have got a scheme in place to bring bills down for millions of families, not everybody, I accept, and we will do other measures to bring those bills down.’
However, Reid interjected to point out they have toted up 14 months in government already.
‘There’s a £30 billion black hole,’ she said. ‘You promised you would stabilise the economy. The black hole’s massive. Who’s going to pay this time? Are you going to stick to your manifesto commitment not to increase tax, National Insurance and tax on working people?’
Starmer repeatedly replied saying ‘the manifesto stands’, but meanwhile, Reid was forced to ask the question three times as to how the government plans to fill the so-called black hole in the country’s finances.
Those tuning in to the interview on ITV took to X to praise Reid on her interview, with Freddie M tweeting: ‘Well done Susanna for robustly challenging Keir Starmer on the cost of living crisis.’
@geatkins added: ‘Nice to see Susanna Reid being interviewed by Keir Starmer on GMB this morning.’
Good Morning Britain airs from 6am on weekdays on ITV.