Good Morning Britain (GMB) has come under fire once again as presenter Ed Balls shared a phone conversation with his wife, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, during Monday's broadcast. Balls recounted Cooper's praise for King Charles III's speech to the US Congress, prompting accusations of political bias from viewers.
Balls told co-host Susanna Reid and panellists Kevin Maguire and Kwasi Kwarteng: 'I spoke very early this morning to Yvette, who had just come out of the White House dinner. She said that being in the congressional speech was incredibly moving because at a time when American politics is so divided, the King managed to unite an audience of Democrats and Republicans.'
The former Labour minister added that Cooper described the King's performance as 'utterly brilliant' and noted the speech received 12 standing ovations. Critics argue that Balls' decision to relay his wife's insider perspective undermines the programme's impartiality, as Cooper is a senior cabinet minister and potential future Labour leader.
This incident follows recent confrontations with Green Party leader Zack Polanski and Labour MP Bridget Phillipson over Balls' political past. Despite insisting he has not been an MP for over a decade, Balls remains married to Cooper and has never distanced himself from Labour ties.
Viewers have expressed frustration, with many calling for Balls to be removed from political segments. One source said: 'Balls needs to be relegated to entertainment instead of grilling his former Labour colleagues or Conservative MPs. His bias is on full display.'
