Good Morning Britain presenters Ed Balls and Susanna Reid were dumbfounded as Labour minister Luke Pollard hit out at the programme.
Ed Balls was stunned as a Labour minister took a brutal swipe on Good Morning Britain. Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard was welcomed onto the show to discuss the government’s plans to rebuild the UK’s defence and resilience. Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, the Prime Minister will announce today as the government unveils its strategic defence review. While the government is expected to accept the 62 recommendations of the review, doubt has been cast over Labour’s ability to raise defence spending to 3% GDP by 2034.
During the interview, Pollard said the threats facing the UK are increasing which is why the government commissioned the defence review within weeks of taking office. But Susanna was apprehensive about the 3% GDP spend on defence, asking: “It’s just an ambition, not a guarantee.” Pollard responded: “It remains an ambition as set out by the Prime Minister in February last year.”
Ed Balls was left stunned after a Labour minister took a brutal swipe (Image: ITV)
He continued: “We’ve got that commitment to 2.5% but we have the ambition to hit 3% in the next parliament. But there’s not a single member of our armed forces serving in the military that’s had a decade of rise in spending. That’s what this review delivers.”
The presenters made it clear they were still not convinced about the government reaching 3%, prompting Pollard to hit back: “I’ve got no doubt that we will get to 3% in the next parliament because we are getting our economy back on track and because threats are increasing.
“What we spend it on is just as important on what we spend and that is why the defence review sets out more investment in our people. It’s why we’ve announced 1.5 billion pounds to sort out the scandal of the appalling state of defence accommodation.”
He added: “It’s the reason why we’re directing more money from the increase defence budget at British firms, creating jobs in every part of the country.”
Luke Pollard shut down Ed as he claimed Vladimir Putin wouldn’t tune into Good Morning Britain (Image: ITV)
Interjecting, Ed pondered: “I wonder if Vladimir Putin will smile seeing you dancing around with your language here and think, ‘Are they really serious?'”
But the Labour MP hit back with a brutal blow, claiming the Russian president would not be tuning into Good Morning Britain. “I’m not certain Vladimir Putin‘s got you on in the Kremlin.”
The presenter snapped: “Don’t underestimate us, Mr Pollard.” At the end of the interview, Susanna said: “You underestimate yourself if you think Vladimir Putin doesn’t listen to what the UK government says.”
Pollard laughed before issuing one final swipe. “I’m certain they listen to UK government. I’m not certain they listen to every media interview.”
Getting in the final word, Ed declared: “I tell you, he was listening to it this morning, Mr Pollard.”
