Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid found herself at the centre of controversy on Wednesday morning after viewers accused her of displaying bias during an interview with Reform UK’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice.
The ITV breakfast programme host faced a backlash from fans who took issue with her line of questioning during the political discussion.
Viewers watching at home criticised Reid’s approach, with many branding her “biased” as she grilled the Reform UK politician on various political matters.
The criticism emerged during what was intended to be a routine political interview, but quickly escalated into accusations of partiality from the show’s audience.
The controversy unfolded live on air, prompting immediate reactions from viewers who felt the presenter’s questioning was unfair.
Reid was hosting the programme alongside Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis when they welcomed Tice to discuss his planned presentation to the Commons later that day.
The Reform UK deputy leader appeared on the show to talk about a new bill he was set to introduce to Parliament.
The proposed legislation would enable public appeals against prison sentences that are perceived as being either too harsh or too lenient.
The interview took place as part of the show’s regular political coverage, with Tice scheduled to present his bill to MPs on Wednesday.
Taking to X, several slammed Reid over the interview, with one writing: “@GMB Your treatment of Tice this morning was very one-sided. The whole country is behind Lucy they know it’s two tier justice read the room! No wonder no one watches GMB anymore!”
“@GMB This was a politically motivated sentence and nothing to do with the legal system. Countless examples of significantly more serious crimes being treated less harshly. First offence, tweet was withdrawn, etc. She was badly advised in her plea,” a second wrote.
Someone else fumed: “Oh dear silly Sue you don’t need to work in the legal profession to know what too harsh or too lenient means.”]
However, some felt Reid’s interview was well-balanced, with others applauding her approach.
“Susanna is taking Richard to task on this one! #GMB,” one shared.
Another added: “Susanna saying yet again that lots of people are on Lucy’s side, where is she getting this idea from given I’ve seen more people on here who feel Lucy got exactly what she deserved.”
The discussion centred on the proposed changes to the appeals process, which would give the public a greater say in challenging sentencing decisions they believe to be inappropriate.
The bill has been named Lucy’s Bill after Lucy Connolly, who is currently serving a 31-month sentence for inciting racial hatred through a social media post following the Southport attacks.
Connolly’s case has become central to Tice’s proposed legislation, which aims to reform the appeals process for sentences deemed inappropriate by the public.
Her conviction relates to inflammatory content she posted online in the aftermath of the Southport incident.
The naming of the bill after Connolly appears to be a deliberate choice by Tice to highlight what Reform UK may view as a case warranting review.
The 31-month sentence handed down to Connolly forms a key example in the party’s argument for allowing public involvement in challenging court decisions they believe to be disproportionate.
Connolly was arrested after she urged her followers to “set fire” to hotels housing asylum seekers, according to the court proceedings that led to her conviction.
The social media post that resulted in her imprisonment explicitly called for arson attacks on accommodation facilities used to house asylum seekers.
The content was posted in the wake of the Southport attacks, during a period of heightened tensions.
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Her arrest and subsequent conviction for inciting racial hatred stemmed directly from these online posts encouraging violence against asylum seeker accommodation.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the severity of the sentence and the nature of the offences, with Connolly’s calls for arson attacks on hotels forming the basis of the prosecution’s case against her.