Dermot O'Leary challenged Gyles Brandreth during a lively political debate on Friday's (July 24) edition of This Morning, after the pair disagreed over comparisons between Britain's new Prime Minister.
The discussion came just days after Andy Burnham was appointed as the UK's new Prime Minister on Monday (July 20), making him the nation's seventh leader in the space of a decade after Sir Keir Starmer. Since entering Downing Street, Andy has already outlined plans to tackle the cost of living, boost opportunities for young people and combat homelessness.
Morning View segment sparks debate
His first week in office became one of the key talking points during the ITV programme's Morning View segment. Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond were presenting Friday's show before welcoming Gyles Brandreth and Ashley James to the panel to discuss the biggest stories making headlines.
While the conversation began as a broad discussion about politics and the country's new direction, it soon developed into a spirited disagreement between Dermot and Gyles. Sharing his thoughts on Andy's first few days in office, Gyles suggested the new Prime Minister had already helped lift the mood across the country.
Dermot challenges Gyles over Starmer remarks
During his remarks, Gyles referenced the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh, joking that everyone knows an "Eeyore" before suggesting former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had often come across as rather gloomy. Gyles said: "I'm giving good marks to Andy Burnham for his first week. I think atmosphere, tone do make a difference. It's the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh, we all know an Eeyore. We were all a bit gloomy and maybe Keir Starmer was a bit gloomy."
Before he could continue, Dermot stepped in to challenge the comparison. Telling Gyles he was "better than that", the presenter argued that judging political leaders on personality alone overlooked the bigger picture. Dermot maintained that Starmer had been focused on long-term planning and delivering lasting change, rather than simply creating a positive public image.
However, Gyles defended his comments, insisting he was making a serious point. He stressed that the way leaders communicate and the atmosphere they create can have a genuine effect on how people feel, maintaining that tone should not be dismissed as unimportant.
Viewers react on social media
The exchange quickly caught the attention of viewers, with many taking to X to share their opinions on the debate. Some applauded Dermot for pushing back against Gyles. One of the comments read "Go on Dermot, you tell him!" Another added: "Love Dermot calling out Gyles." Meanwhile a third also added: "Literally no-one around the table listening to Dermot's point about Starmer and long-term planning strategies for the long-term good."
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.
