Susanna Reid scolds Jeremy Hunt in furious row on GMB over benefit crackdown

02 October 2023 , 11:48

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Susanna Reid found herself embroiled in a heated debate with Mr Hunt on Good Morning Britain

Susanna Reid showcased her fiery side on Monday morning's instalment of Good Morning Britain as she found herself embroiled in a heated debate with Jeremy Hunt over as the ITV host accused him of trying to 'trick voters with a plan to crack down on benefits claimants'.

The heated row kicked off when Susanna, 52, slammed the Chancellor for 're-announcing' proposals to cut handouts for those on benefits who refuse to take jobs offered to them. Susanna insisted that Mr Hunt knew the sanctions were already in, and insisted the main reason he referred to them in his Tory conference speech was to impress people as a 'crowd-pleaser'.

In response, the Chancellor furiously hit back at the ITV presenter. Mr Hunt slammed Susanna as 'incorrect' and said she was wrong in what she was insinuating before he complained that the early morning interview was 'getting nowhere'.

It comes as Mr Hunt has issued a warning that around 100,000 benefit claimants who refuse to look for work could have their handouts cut for months on end. The Chancellor is gearing up to make a speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester this afternoon.

Susanna Reid berates Jeremy Hunt for 're-announcing' plan to cut benefits (ITV)

While there, he is set to announce the national living wage will rise to more than £11 an hour next April which will benefit over two million low-paid workers. However, the positive news doesn't come without a blow as claimants risk having their payments cut for months if they don't look for work or accept the jobs offered to them.

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The Government leader Mr Hunt has said that the new reforms are designed to 'make work pay'. "Those who won't even look for work do not deserve the same benefits as people trying hard to do the right thing."

Addressing the reforms, and calling out Mr Hunt, Susanna fumed on Good Morning Britain as she said: "You’re simply re-announcing a policy that is already in place because you think it’s a crowd-pleaser. And people will fall for it thinking that it’s a fantastic new policy cracking down on those not looking for work.

"You already sanction people that are not looking for work. You already suspend their benefits. 541,000 claimants were sanctioned in the year, up until the beginning of this year. With 530,000 of those penalised for failing to keep appointments."

Clapping back the the ITV host, the Chancellor said: "Susanna, if you are saying this is just re-announcing something that is just wrong. We do, you are absolutely right, have the legal framework to impose those sanctions. The question is whether that actually happens. The whole sanctions are only imposed when people don’t comply with the process – mainly turning up to a Job Centre when they are asked to. We want to look at whether we can improve the way that works."

However, Susanna proved that she was having none of it in her furious response. "It’s something that already happens – you just think it’s not working properly. That’s like a problem with your process rather than introducing a new policy."

Mr Hunt then tried to make peace as he insisted that the interview was 'getting nowhere' as he and Susanna kept going back and forth with their differing beliefs. "Susanna, we’re not really getting anywhere. You’re trying to say I’m announcing something. I’m not," he said.

Following the heated row between Susanna and Mr Hunt, Good Morning Britain viewers took to Twitter (X) to share their reactions as one quipped: "Susanna woke up and chose violence this morning!!! She's not letting Hunt away with anything."

"Woah, never seen Susanna so riled up. Good for her," another echoed, while someone else quipped: "Hunt doesn't have a leg to stand on!! He's trying his best to cut the interview short because he knows he has nothing worthwhile to say back to Susanna."

Details of the benefits crackdown are still being considered by ministers, however, they will be announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement next month.

Susan Knox