Edwina Currie clashed with Ranvir Singh during Wednesday’s edition of Good Morning Britain, in an exchange that ended in the former MP repeatedly “shushing” the presenter.
During the show, Currie was part of a discussion about Boris Johnson being fined for his breach of lockdown rules, and her past statement that these fines are “basically like speeding tickets”.
Over the course of the conversation, she insisted that Johnson should retain his role as prime minister, claiming there are “more important” things going on that people should focus on.
“You’ve been reporting on Ukraine,” she said. “We’ve got millions of refugees in Europe.
“We’ve got a vicious and horrible war going on, we’ve got thousands of refugees actually arriving in this country from Ukraine. If we destabilise this country, the Ukrainians would think we were crazy to get rid of Boris. They recognise him as one of the strongest supporters of ensuring that they actually win this war. And Putin would be laughing. Is that actually what we want?
“As a hypothetical, if we destabilise this country by getting rid of the prime minister in an undemocratic way – when in fact it’s the right of the electorate to do that when it comes to a general election – how are we going to cope with all the other crises and problems that the country is facing?′
Currie added that she was “not defending” Johnson’s actions, continuing: “That was then. We can’t rewind that, we can’t undo that. Let’s get the fines paid and move on. Because actually Boris has got a job to do and I think he’s doing it rather well.”
“But then what’s the point of the ministerial code?” Ranvir questioned. “What’s the point of it? If he knowingly…”
Edwina then interjected: “The point of the ministerial code is to set some standards. I’m not saying Boris didn’t break the rules. I’m sure he has broken the rules… But what we need to look at is what is good for our country and changing waters in midstream is not good for our country right now.”
“Of course I feel cross about it,” she said later in the discussion. “But that doesn’t mean that I want to see an extraordinary destabilisation, I don’t want to see our government falling apart.
“The government was elected with a big majority to get on with Brexit, which they have done. Nobody put a pandemic in any manifesto, but they’ve done that absolutely brilliantly… but they don’t do anything perfectly and they are not saints.
“Ukraine really matters, it’s not just something that is happening a long way away. Ukraine is a war, on our doorstep. And it’s a war for our values. It’s a war for freedom.”
Ranvir then asked: “Well it is, and you talk about values, but can I just clear up something you just said a moment ago? And I want to fully understand what you’re saying.
“When you said you’re pretty sure Boris Johnson did break the rules, he must have broken the rules. Do you mean the ministerial code rules about knowingly misleading parliament?
“Do you believe that now we know what we know, he’s being fined, he did break the law, that you do believe that, as you said quite casually in a way, that you think he did break the ministerial code? But actually that in itself shouldn’t be enough to make him resign? Is that what you’re saying? I just want to be clear.”
Currie then responded: “Ranvir, I don’t care. I really don’t care. What matters for me and what matters for millions of people in this country, is the results we get from our politicians. The results we get from Boris are pretty good.”
Ranvir’s co-host Richard Madeley then told Currie: “I admire your frankness in saying you don’t care, if it is the case that a serving prime minister knowingly misled parliament. What does that say about where we are today in our political climate? That a former MP can say, quite calmly…”
“I don’t mind a law-breaker, and I don’t care about a liar,” Ranvir then offered.
At the end of the debate, Ranvir returned to Currie, telling her: “Edwina, you say you don’t mind if he’s lied, it doesn’t matter to you. You said that you don’t mind…”
“I didn’t say that!” Currie then interrupted.
The GMB star continued: “You said you don’t care, you said you don’t care if he misled parliament…”
“Ranvir, shush. Listen,” Currie interjected again. “I did not say that. I said that you can’t change the past, you can’t rewind the tape. I wish they hadn’t had any parties, I wish the prime minister was absolutely perfect. But he hasn’t, he’s a human being, and so are the people around him.”
The host had one final question, asking how members of the public could be expected to follow any future laws that were brought in after seeing the PM’s behaviour during lockdown.
After raising her finger to her lips, Currie said: “Shush, let me answer your question! I understand the question. And the answer is because the public understand what the rules were for.”
Currie’s behaviour during her GMB appearance did not go down well with many viewers who were watching along on social media…
The same morning, Currie made headlines when she and Rylan Clark were involved in a heated Twitter exchange over the same subject.
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am on ITV.