The first Good Morning Britain of the new year erupted into a fiery political row as presenter Susanna Reid repeatedly challenged Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch live on air. The heated exchange on 5 January 2026 saw Reid raising her voice to demand clear answers on Tory policy regarding tax and potential political deals.
A Demand for Clear Answers on Tax
Reid pressed Badenoch on whether the Conservatives would retain or cut Labour's increase in employers' national insurance payments. After a series of questions, Badenoch responded with the vague comment, "So you're asking lots of questions..."
An evidently frustrated Reid quickly interrupted, shouting in response: "Yes because the prime minister says we need to know what you would do as an alternative!" Badenoch countered by stating the Tories would not have implemented the policy initially and shifted focus to cleaning up "Labour's mess."
She listed several Labour policies the Conservatives would scrap, including:
- Family business and farm taxes.
- VAT on private schools.
- Laws "chasing down" soldiers and veterans.
The 'Slip of the Tongue' on Reform UK
Earlier in the interview, Reid seized on what she called a "slip of the tongue" from the Tory leader regarding a potential deal with Reform UK. Badenoch initially stated, "We are not going to do deals on that basis," before correcting herself to say, "Sorry, we're not doing deals."
Reid pointedly asked if the idea was "in the back of your mind which is why it accidentally came out?" Badenoch denied this, attributing the phrasing to the question asked, and went on to definitively rule out a deal with Reform at any point up to and including the next general election.
Broader Criticism and a 'Pathetic' Defence
The tense television clash follows wider criticism of Badenoch's leadership. Last week, Justice Minister Jake Richards branded the Tories "pathetic" over what he called a "desperate defence" of shadow attorney general David Wolfson.
Richards alleged a conflict of interest, claiming Wolfson was paid by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich while the Shadow Cabinet discussed policy on sanctioned individuals. He stated the party's late-night response to his questions showed "how pathetic their position is" and demonstrated weak leadership from Badenoch.
The blistering Good Morning Britain interview underscores the intense scrutiny facing the Conservative Party as it positions itself against Labour's policies, with presenters like Susanna Reid adopting an aggressively forensic approach to political accountability.
