Susanna Reid tells Tory MP that it's a 'terrible shame' that the PM is distracting him from the big issues

As the government’s partygate scandal continues to rumble on with the imminent release of the Sue Gray report, Susanna Reid has highlighted just how distracting it is.

Government minister George Eustice appeared on Good Morning Britain this morning (25 May) where he had to field questions about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s illegal actions during lockdown.

Host Susanna Reid brought up comments made by fellow Tory MP Mark Harper yesterday who said he was tired of members of his party “defending the indefensible”.

Harper said: “I’m fed up… with my colleagues, a number of decent men and women who are being asked to go out on the television day after day, saying things that are frankly ridiculous and defending the indefensible.”

After reading out Harper’s remarks, Reid then turned her questioning to Eustice, asking: “Do you feel like you’re defending the indefensible?”

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The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs responding saying he “recognises the anger” that people have been feeling over the partygate scandal.

But, he continued: “For me, as a cabinet minister, there are also important things that the government is trying to grapple with – getting out country back on its feet after the pandemic, dealing with rising costs of living pressures on people, dealing with that situation in Ukraine and many other events that we have to turn our attention to.”

Reid hit back: “And what a terrible shame it is your Prime Minster who is distracting you from all that.”

At the end of the interview, Reid’s co-host Richard Madeley chimed in with his gratitude for the free press that this country has.

He said: “If it wasn’t for the Daily Mirror’s scoop a few weeks ago, if it wasn’t for ITV News’ scoops and getting those pictures, we wouldn’t know anything about it.”

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