Piers Morgan says 'the modern day woke is a form of fascism' that puts democracy at risk

Piers Morgan has claimed that "the modern day woke is a form of fascism" that risks "the end of our democratic society".

Speaking on Steven Bartlett's podcast The Diary of a CEO, the journalist made a number of critical comments about "woke" people in a wide-ranging interview which also touched on his views on mental health, his new show, and, of course, vegan sausage rolls.

He said that in the past "woke" people campaigned against racism and social injustice but claimed the modern woke brigade "have stolen wokery and they've now used it as a new form of fascism". He added they now decide what we can find funny and what films and television shows are acceptable.

Using the idea of not being able to raise voices in a workplace, he added: "All the joy's been sucked out of life by this woke brigade of, in my view, awful people who just think that life should be humourless, banterless, everything is bullying."

"A small group of people who are very vocal and very angry about everything all the time they are driving an agenda which if we go down that road will be the end of our democratic society as we know it," he said. "I see myself humbly as trying to defend democracy."

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His interview comes ahead of the launch of his new show Piers Morgan Uncensored which is scheduled to launch on Rupert Murdoch’s TalkTV channel on 25 April.

Morgan said his new show will "cancel cancel culture" and called for people to find consensus when debating with others and "agree to disagree". Cancel culture, he said "is a virus as deadly over time than coronavirus".

Elsewhere, Morgan revealed he always planned to be successful. "I wanted to be famous, I used to practice my autograph," he said.

Talking about the infamous time he got angry when Greggs released its vegan sausage roll, he said the CEO personally thanked him for increasing sales at the bakery. He added he maintains vegan products should not use "meat language" and claimed vegans don't always think about all the animals in the food chain.

"I feel sorry for the bees," he said. "You never hear vegans talking about bees, always the big animals, they care about cows, not the little guys."

He also claimed people use the language of mental health but should be more stoic, double-downed on his criticisms of Meghan Markle and heaped praise on Rupert Murdoch - his new boss.

As always, the views he expressed will be bound to divide opinion.

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