The deputy prime minister appeared on the ITV breakfast show on Tuesday, where he was questioned about whether Boris Johnson had previous knowledge of allegations of inappropriate behaviour levelled against Pincher.
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He lost the Conservative whip last week after being accused of groping two men when he had “far too much” to drink.
Pincher was appointed to enforce party discipline in February this year. He had resigned as a junior whip back in November 2017 following a complaint that he made an unwanted pass at a Conservative candidate.
Susanna stated that Pincher was “found guilty” in a subsequent investigation, but Raab insisted that “no formal disciplinary action was taken” against Pincher, despite the the complaint being upheld.
A testy exchange between the pair then followed as they argued over whether it could be said Pincher was “found guilty”.
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“Was he guilty of inappropriate behaviour or not?” Susanna said.
Raab said: “He was found… the claim was found to be substantiated but we didn’t…”
Susanna repeated her question, as Raab insisted the claims were “substantiated” but argued that “guilty is a very loaded term”.
“Sorry, inappropriate behaviour is a pretty loaded term, Mr Raab,” Susanna told him.
Raab appeared to lose patience, saying: “Sorry, if you’ll allow me to… Susanna you always do this.”
“What, ask questions?” she replied.
“Let me give you the account and your viewers can make up their minds. I’m always happy to answer difficult questions.”
An undiluted lesson in precise inquisition by @susannareid100 which is so skilfully done that the Deputy Prime Minister ends up in knots, hopelessly denying that his party is recklessly guilty of appointing a known wrong ‘un to high office, endangering the welfare of colleagues. https://t.co/rLYyNRydF3
Following the latest allegations made against Pincher last week, the prime minister initially tried to stand by him.
Downing Street also initially denied the PM had knowledge of prior allegations made against Pincher before he was appointed deputy chief whip in February.
However, on Monday No.10 admitted Johnson was aware of media reports and some allegations about Pincher’s misconduct that were “either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint”.
While presenting the ITV show, Adil was discussing the government’s failed attempts to fly asylum seekers who arrive at British shores via illegal means to Rwanda with The Times’ political sketch writer Quentin Letts.
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Explaining how Ukrainians seeking refuge here were able to apply online while the process for those coming from other countries, such as war-torn Afghanistan, was more difficult, Adil said: “The Afghans do not have an online visa system.”
When Letts tried to say he wasn’t sure if there was a system available to the Afghans looking to resettle in the UK, Adil interjected: “I’m telling you there’s not.”
Looking exasperated, Letts said: “You’ve asked me on this programme, you never let me actually answer a question.
“There are procedures, there are perfectly legal procedures, for people to come in. But what the people using the boats are doing is they’re paying money to scoot around the rules.”
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Migrants who arrive into the UK by crossing the Channel are at the centre of the government’s new policy.
The Home Office has repeatedly justified this controversial new approach by claiming the route is unsafe and that the human traffickers who send the asylum seekers across must be deterred.
For comparison, the government opened up several different schemes to help home Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion following intense public pressure.
But, as Adil pointed out, many people travelling to the UK across the Channel are doing so “because there are no legal routes” available for them.
“There are legal routes,” Letts said in response.
“There aren’t actually,” he persisted.
Adil and Letts continued to speak over each other, until the guest eventually said: “I give up! There’s no point.”
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“It’s my job to correct you, Quentin,” the GMB presenter explained.
“It’s not actually, your job is – you ask me a question, and you don’t let me answer it.”
“That’s not the point,” Adil continued. “Do you accept that first of all, there aren’t the legal routes, there isn’t an online system like the Ukrainians have.”
“Look, people on the boats are paying money to smugglers to get round the rules.”
“Because there are no legal routes.”
Letts sighed loudly and said, “forget it,” waving his hand dismissively.
The presenter persisted: “You can’t avoid that question.”
“There’s no point talking to you,” gesturing to the other people sat on the GMB panel, Letts added: “Four of you against me, it’s just absolutely pointless.”
At which point the other presenter, Kate Garraway, chipped in: “No one’s against you! It’s about looking at the facts.”
The clash comes two days after the European Court of Human Rights ruled against the first Rwanda flight which was supposed to take refugees out of the country.
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The sudden move from the European court has left some factions in the Conservative Party furious, while the government has promised it will not give up on its attempts to remove illegal immigrants to East Africa.
In March 2021, Piers announced that he would be stepping down as host of GMB with immediate effect, after five years with the breakfast TV show.
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His exit came at a time the divisive presenter was embroiled in controversy, having just a day earlier made headlines for casting doubt on claims made by Meghan Markle that she had experienced suicidal thoughts during her time as a senior member of the Royal Family.
Now gearing up for the launch of his own TalkTV show, Piers has spoken about how his departure affected his relationship with his former “TV wife”.
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Speaking at a press event to promote his nightly show Piers Morgan Uncensored, he explained: “It’s difficult, you know. We had this arranged marriage, which turned out to be very successful. And then we suddenly got divorced one afternoon. And that was it! Gone!
“I went from seeing Susanna Reid in her curlers and her nightie every day at four in the morning to not seeing her. We stay in touch through texting and stuff, but it was all a bit dramatic and sad, really. I think we both feel that.”
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Piers and Susanna in September 2021, five months after he left Good Morning Britain
David M. Benett via Getty Images
He continued: “We both felt like we had one of the great on-screen chemistries and it all got ended, in my opinion, in a rather silly way. But [ITV’s] loss is going to be TalkTV’s gain.”
“We went through some really difficult times together as a team and those were very powerful moments,” she continued. “And when it came to the lockdown, the pandemic and holding the government to account, he was just unrivalled at holding their feet to the fire, but then it ended.”
Susanna added: “He’s a friend of mine and that won’t change.”
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Piers and Susanna worked together for five years before his sudden exit from GMB
“Effectively I was censored at my previous job,” he claimed. ”[I was] told to apologise to Meghan Markle for an honestly-held opinion, which obviously I wasn’t going to do.”
Piers Morgan Uncensored will launch on TalkTV at 8pm on Monday 25 April.
After five years at the helm of GMB, Piers announced suddenly in March 2021 that he would be stepping down as host with immediate effect.
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News of his exit came the day after he made headlines for casting doubt on claims made by Meghan Markle that she had experienced suicidal thoughts during her time as a senior member of the Royal Family, with Piers’ remark eventually inciting a record number of complaints to Ofcom.
During a press event to promote his show Piers Morgan Uncensored, the divisive broadcaster was asked about his exit from GMB, which he branded “ridiculous”, “absurd” and “a farce”.
“I used to think that I was uncensored,” he claimed. “And then, of course, when I left Good Morning Britain it turned out that I actually was being censored, in the sense that I was told I had to apologise for disbelieving Princess Pinochio, or I would have to leave the building. So I took the ‘leave the building’ option.”
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He described the decision as a “sad moment” for himself, the show and his “poor TV wife” Susanna Reid, joking: “It was a very dramatic divorce. And I thought it was the wrong call by ITV.
“They had the hottest show on TV, it had just beaten the BBC to become the number one-rated breakfast show in the country. I wasn’t expecting a carriage clock, but I wasn’t expecting to be escorted out of the building. So it was all a bit dramatic.”
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid pictured on his final day as a presenter on GMB
ITV/Shutterstock
He continued: “It’s interesting to me that Ofcom, the government-appointed TV regulator, five months later, found in my favour, and said that it would have been a chilling infringement on my rights to free speech had I not been able to say, ‘I don’t believe somebody’. So the whole thing seemed to me a bit ridiculous.”
He said: “The moment you try and get me fired, as Megan Markle did on Good Morning Britain, where she personally writes to the boss of ITV and demands my head on a plate, that is cancel culture right there. And the idea that ITV rolled over to it is ridiculous.
“But that’s why I’m here, and I feel, in a way, grateful to them, because I think this is a very exciting new platform and opportunity.”
Meghan Markle
NDZ/Star Max via Getty Images
“The mystery about the ITV thing was that I was hired specifically to have strongly-held opinions,” he added. “So, that’s why I felt the way I had to leave in the end was so absurd. And the more you look back on it, the more you go, ‘what was that all about?’.
“I thought the whole thing was a farce, and I’m delighted that as a result of the farce, we’ve ended up with a whole network that is now dedicated to preventing that kind of farce from recurring.”
Making a somewhat questionable comparison, Piers added that he felt “like Nelson Mandela when he came out of prison”, joking: “It’s like the long walk to free speech freedom.”
Piers went on to insist that he would not be “looking to steal Good Morning Britain viewers”, before throwing some shade at the daytime TV show, which has brought in a string of rotating guest hosts since Piers’ exit.
“I would be looking to pick up all those who’ve stopped watching [GMB],” he claimed. “Which, judging by when I walk around and judging by their ratings, is a lot of people.
“So if you loved Good Morning Britain when I was on it, and you miss me in that way, you know where to find me. There are a lot of people who I think were annoyed about what went down. And they’d be the ones I’d be after.”
Piers Morgan in the GMB studio
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Since stepping down from GMB over a year ago, Piers has made a number of seemingly conflicting comments about the nature of his exit.
The morning after the news of his exit, Piers told reporters: “I had a good chat with ITV and we agreed to disagree. I’m just going to take it easy and see how we go.
“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly-held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it,” he added at the time.
“Effectively I was censored at my previous job,” he claimed. “[I was] told to apologise to Meghan Markle for an honestly-held opinion, which obviously I wasn’t going to do.”
Piers Morgan Uncensored will launch on TalkTV at 8pm on Monday 25 April.
Piers Morgan has spoken out about his much-publicised exit from Good Morning Britain, admitting he found his departure a “bruising” experience.
The former daytime star quit GMB in March 2021, after casting doubt on claims made by Meghan Markle that she had experienced suicidal thoughts during her time as a senior member of the Royal Family.
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He announced he was immediately stepping down on the same night Ofcom announced they would be launching an investigation about his remarks, with the TV watchdog eventually receiving a record number of complaints about the incident, including one from the Duchess herself.
Speaking to the tabloid a week before the launch of his column, Piers said: “The column is called Uncensored because it does what it says on the tin.
“Effectively I was censored at my previous job and told to apologise to Meghan Markle for an honestly-held opinion, which obviously I wasn’t going to do.”
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Alongside a few predictable jibes at the Duchess of Sussex, Piers added: “It was a pretty bruising experience on Good Morning Britain but I’m now working somewhere where I’m free to express my opinions.”
HuffPost UK has contacted ITV for comment.
Piers presented Good Morning Britain for six years alongside Susanna Reid
ITV/Shutterstock
Since he stepped down from GMB in March 2021 – following his infamous walk-off live on air – Piers has made a number of seemingly conflicting comments about the nature of his exit.
The morning after the news of his exit, Piers told reporters: “I had a good chat with ITV and we agreed to disagree. I’m just going to take it easy and see how we go.”
“If I have to fall on my sword for expressing an honestly-held opinion about Meghan Markle and that diatribe of bilge that she came out with in that interview, so be it,” he added t the time.
After it was reported that Piers would not be invited back to GMB despite Ofcom’s ruling that his comments were not in breach of their code, the divisive presenter then insisted he wouldn’t return even if he were asked – unless ITV were to apologise to him publicly.
The breakfast show was due to air between 29 and 31 December, but bosses have axed the show “to protect our teams”.
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The Sun reports that the show will air from 6am as planned for the rest of this week.
ITV confirmed that a special GMB Christmas Day show will also air from 7 to 9am.
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A spokesperson said in a statement: “GMB was due to be on air from Weds 29 – Fri 31 December 2021 but due to the pandemic and to protect our teams, we have decided to give them an extended break.
“GMB will not broadcast next week, but will be back on air on Tues 4 Jan 2022.”
It was forced to merge with GMB and share the same studio, as had been done during the first lockdown due to Covid.
Ranvir Singh, who is one of GMB’s main presenters, was also missing from her guest-hosting role on Lorraine, with Andi Peters drafted in to replace her.
Earlier this week, DC Comics confirmed that in an upcoming story, Superman – now the alter-ego of Clark Kent’s son, rather than the original superhero – would be seen having a romantic moment with a man.
On Wednesday morning, Biggins was invited to discuss the issue, where he voiced his disapproval, accusing the comic book creators of “pandering to the ‘woke system’”.
“If you want to do something like this, do something original,” he said. “Don’t take characters that already exist and make them into something that they’re not.”
The new Superman has come out as bisexual in the new DC comic book.@onebiggins tells @susannareid100 and @richardm56 that characters that already exist shouldn’t be ‘made into something they’re not.’
Presenters Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley then pointed out this story will take place within “the next generation” of Superman, with the latter pointing out: “It’s perfectly reasonable to think that the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane might well grow up to be bisexual. You say ‘why’, but why not?”
Doubling down, a slightly flustered Biggins responded: “Well… I mean… I just find it extraordinary. I do find it absolutely bizarre that this is what people want nowadays.
“Why can’t we stick to… in the future, why don’t they do some new characters? Why not create something new, something different? [Rather] than go to a character we all know and love and we all know as this, not that.”
They also called out Biggins for not having done research on the story before speaking out about it on national television…
I can’t believe Good Morning Britain had Christopher Biggins on to talk about Superman’s son being bisexual after he made these comments on Big Brother. Wtf were they thinking #GMBpic.twitter.com/GGDpSqnNPp
Quick reminder that he once called AIDS a “bisexual disease” and said bi folk are “the worst type”, so anybody that holds any kind of campy, fun torch to him still really needs to stop https://t.co/PdToVSQyiz
1. It’s superman’s son, not an old character. 2. Who is to say superman wasn’t bi? just because he didn’t come out?
This is bigoted trash from Christopher Biggins, complete with throwaway anti-‘woke’ line. But what do you expect from a guy who called AIDS a ‘bisexual disease’?? https://t.co/j3TO9DfNVc
@GMB Deadpool being with a woman, doesn’t make him heterosexual. If he were with a man, that wouldn’t make him gay. Plus, don’t ask Biggins. He blamed AIDS on bi people FFS.
I don’t know what happened in booking teams to make people think ‘balanced debate’ means always having one person who thinks the group in question are ‘the worst type of sexuality’ #gmbhttps://t.co/awVkcyYumF
why is christopher biggins even engaging in debates about lgbt representation on good morning britain get a job??????
— toni collette stan account (@HarryPhillips15) October 13, 2021
Not much to say this morning other than don’t listen to the likes of Christopher Biggins or Dean Cain. Bisexuality is real, beautiful and deserving of representation just like all of the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you @DCComics#superman#JonKentpic.twitter.com/CLy1lLzXH8
Christopher Biggins spoke out against equal marriage and publicly blamed bisexual people for the AIDS crisis – it doesn’t matter how gay he is, he’s literally always been shit to LGBTQIA+ people.
“Why don’t they do some new characters” Biggins Richard Madeley just explained that this indeed is a new character. Very boomer response this. Don’t listen, double down. https://t.co/TxojMVhcw5
Christopher Biggins appears not to realise that it’s not Clark Kent who’s come out as bisexual? “Why not do a new character” – he is a new character???
Biggins doesn’t seem to understand that this is a fairly new character. It’s not Superman, it’s Superman’s son – so him becoming bi is part of his journey.
I don’t think Biggins understood why he was coming on here😂They’re not making superman bisexual they are making a completely new character that is bisexual. Very strange opinion here from him, not sure why he would be so bothered by a new bisexual fictional character #GMB
During a discussion on sexuality during his time in the Big Brother house, Biggins received a warning for saying: “The worst type, though, is, I’m afraid to say, the bisexuals… what it is is people not wanting to admit they are gay.”
In a conversation later in the series, he also discussed HIV, claiming the virus was spread by bisexual people who had sex abroad, with infected people, before they “brought it back to their own families in America, and that’s how it became a worldwide disease”.
At the end of Wednesday’s GMB debate, podcast host Aamir Hassan outlined why he felt the Superman news was a “fantastic” development.
‘I think it’s absolutely fantastic.’
Podcaster Aamir Hassan says ‘it’s incredible to see superheroes become actual superheroes.’
He says he doesn’t see the issue if Superman’s son’s bisexuality helps people because ‘representation and visibility save lives.’ pic.twitter.com/0iEG46UtG3
“For a lot of young people, they don’t have the privilege of coming out, and they’re in positions where they’re not able to come out and they’re not able to be themselves,” he explained. “And they look to media, they look to entertainment, they look to comic books, they look to these places for solace and to see themselves.
“And if even just one young person can see Superman’s son be bisexual and it helps them, I don’t see what the issue is. Representation and visibility don’t just change lives, they genuinely save lives.”
Wednesday’s interview got off to a shaky start when Susanna asked Liam to stop patronising her.
“You’re an intelligent journalist,’ Liam said. “And you haven’t understood what I said last week about what we do in the next three to four years will determine the future of humanity.
Susanna retorted: “Liam, try not to be so patronising when you’re talking to me.”
Things then went from bad to worse when Richard stepped in to say that blocking the motorways puts the lives of others at risk.
“You’re not accepting the responsibility of your actions,” Richard told him.
“Well, if you say something stupid, I’ll cut you off,” Richard added. “The way you’re putting your argument is fatal, it has fatal consequences.”
Getting increasingly irate, Liam then launched into rant, stating: “We’ve been writing letters for 30 years. We’ve been writing petitions for 30 years. This is our line in the sand. We are demanding the government makes a meaningful statement to save the future of this country and if they refuse to do it then they can put us in prison.”
Liam then stood up and yelled: “I’ve had enough of talking to people in this country about what we’re doing. This is the state of things.”
The Government is today seeking an injunction against the environmental group after police warned that their tactics on the M25 are likely to cause “serious injury or death”.
It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps vowed to ensure ‘guerrilla’ activists “cannot keep disrupting and endangering people’s lives”.
“I have had loads of offers and they have accelerated in the last 10 hours, as you can imagine,” he explained.
“I will take my free speech campaign around the world and all I require is to have an employer who believes in it as passionately as I do.”
Noting that GMB’s ratings during his tenure as host made him a “valuable commodity”, Piers continued: “I’m considering some very interesting offers right now and I will make a decision quite soon.”
ITV/ShutterstockPiers and Susanna Reid during his final GMB broadcast
The ITV presenter has spoken out amid speculation Piers could return to the channel’s breakfast show after making an abrupt exit earlier this year.
Speaking to The Sun, Lorraine said: “He will be back in some shape or form, I have no doubt. I know nothing, but never count him out of anything.
ITV/Shutterstock Lorraine Kelly and Piers Morgan
Shutterstock/ITVPiers Morgan on what would prove to be his penultimate episode of Good Morning Britain in March
Despite Piers’ controversial public profile, Lorraine maintains he is actually a big softie.
She said: “I have a lot of time for him. He’s very kind to me. He goes crazy when I say this – he doesn’t like me doing it – but he’s actually a really nice guy.
“He says to me ‘will you stop saying that I’m a nice person because it’s very bad for my brand’. That makes me want to do it even more!”
