GB News host Michelle Dewberry was forced to intervene during a heated exchange between Reform's Laila Cunningham and journalist Dan Hodges on Wednesday's programme. The debate erupted over Nigel Farage's recent call for 'cold rage' in response to the murder of Henry Nowak.
Heated Exchange Over Farage's Remarks
Cunningham expressed shock that the national debate focused on Farage's choice of words rather than the content of the video that sparked the anger. 'I was actually shocked that the whole political debate, national debate, was about Nigel's use of 'rage', as opposed to what we actually saw,' Cunningham said. 'Nobody questioned that perhaps the rage was the actual video that we saw. That was what caused the rage.'
Hodges agreed that people do not need permission from politicians to express their views, but questioned why Farage felt it necessary to call for rage. This remark clearly struck a nerve with Cunningham, who fired back: 'I put it to you, I felt the whole political class told us how we respond. Keir Starmer said we must respond in a certain way, Kemi Badenoch said respond in a certain way - you said we should respond in a certain way.'
Accusations and Denials
Cunningham accused Hodges of saying it was wrong to use the word 'rage,' but Hodges vehemently denied this. 'No I didn't! When did I say that?' he retorted. As the conversation grew increasingly tense, with both participants talking over each other, Dewberry stepped in. 'Don't talk over each other,' she warned them.
Cunningham then argued that the people of Southampton were solely responsible for their decision to protest, telling Hodges: 'Don't lay blame at people's doors.' The exchange highlighted the deep divisions over how to respond to tragic events and the role of political leaders in shaping public discourse.
