Good Morning Britain viewers expressed fury over a north vs south debate segment that aired less than 24 hours after Andy Burnham was appointed Prime Minister. Hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls welcomed broadcaster Terry Christian and businesswoman Claudia Hearne to discuss whether the south should subsidise the north, but the segment drew widespread criticism on social media.
Viewers accuse GMB of London bias
Many viewers took to X to slam the show, accusing it of promoting division and showing London-centric bias. One viewer wrote: "I’m not having this less than 24 hours [after Burnham's appointment] GMB talking utter cr*p, I cannot remember Burnham saying the south will be paying for the North, only uniting the country and less London-centric politics." Another commented: "@GMB Despite the programme title, they're only interested in England. Manchester isn't even the centre of mainland Britain, let alone 'North'. Preston is the midpoint of the road from Land's End to John O'Groats, and Kirkwall is much nearer to Bergen than Manchester. STV should drop this c**p."
Debate labelled divisive and exhausting
A third viewer added: "#gmb we will be asking. Do the South subsidise the North? Turns over." Another pondered: "#GMB Production team discussing how we can promote division today....I know..... North v South never fails." A fifth opined: "This North VS South debate is already exhausting. The snobbery about the north is really showing itself so soon #GMB." Meanwhile, a sixth observed: "#gmb I'm no great fan of #andyburnham, but it's fascinating to see how the moment even lip service is paid to cutting London's funding, even marginally, its supporters are screeching like a pig in an abbatoir. Welcome to the North, constantly starved to pump the southern economy."
Burnham's plan for a 'No 10 North'
The debate followed Burnham's confirmation that he intends to split his time between Downing Street in London and the North, with plans to create a "No 10 North". He revealed that the location will be near Manchester Piccadilly station, part of the Manchester Digital Campus being built on a 2.2-hectare site at the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats. Groundworks began in June 2026, with main construction planned for 2027–2029 and full operations expected by 2032.
Speaking to LBC, Burnham said: "This is about obviously extending the Downing Street operation, creating a North Pole, if you like, so that the country can see that the power is more balanced. No 10 North will act in the interests of everywhere, though."
