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GMB: Ben Shephard clash with Rishi Sunak ‘sparks over 1,000 Ofcom complaints’

Another controversial clash on GMB

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GMB host Ben Shephard has sparked Ofcom complaints over his clash with Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Mr Sunak appeared on the show last week to defend foreign aid budgets and a pay freeze on public sector wages.

Ben Shephard clashes with Rishi Sunak on GMB
Ben Shephard and Mr Sunak clashed on GMB (Credit: ITV)

What made viewers complain about GMB?

During their heated discussion, Ben, 45, asked about self-employed people’s lack of financial help during the pandemic.

He referenced a tweet Mr Sunak sent some months ago to self-employed people.

Read more: Giovanni Pernice says he wants to form Strictly’s first ever male couple with Piers Morgan

It read: “You have not been forgotten. We will not leave you behind. We are all in this together.”

Ben said that wasn’t true and pressed the issue with Mr Sunak.

Ben Shephard clashes with Rishi Sunak on GMB
Mr Sunak appeared on GMB to defend foreign aid budgets and a pay freeze on public sector wages (Credit: ITV)

What did Ben Shephard say to Mr Sunak on GMB?

“There are 2.9million people, nearly nine per cent of the workforce… that are currently excluded or forgotten about from all of these schemes,” Ben continued.

“For one reason or another they cannot get access to some of those schemes that you have put into place.”

Mr Sunak responded: “I don’t think that three million number is right and you’ve used it.

“It includes 1.5million people who do not qualify for the support scheme because they are not majority self-employed.”

What did Ofcom say?

The Sun reports that Ofcom recorded an unusually high number of complaints about that day’s episode.

The publication claims Ofcom said complaints for that day’s show related to the interview with Sunak.

However, they did not detail the exact nature of the complaints.

Ofcom told us: “We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.”

Piers Morgan GMB
Mr Hancock has appeared on the programme (Credit: ITV)

What else has been happening on GMB?

The clash comes after the government dropped its boycott of GMB.

However, main host Piers Morgan and Health Secretary Matt Hancock agreed on something.

They both vowed to get a coronavirus vaccine live on air.

“We would happily take this if it helped take the message over,” Piers said.

Read more: GMB: Piers Morgan fumes at Matt Hancock as MP refuses to say whether he’ll accept pay rise

“I don’t care, I feel it’s really important to get through this if enough people take it.”

“I’ll take it with you Piers, you have to take leadership in these times,” replied Mr Hancock.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak Defends Foreign Aid Budget Cuts & Public Sector Pay Freeze | GMB

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor