Lorraine Kelly has found herself under fire from a number of ITV viewers after she interviewed Labour politician and Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, on Wednesday’s show.
While criticism was levelled at the programme for supposedly giving Rayner an “easy” ride during their chat, others were left furious over comments made towards Reform UK leader and Labour rival, Nigel Farage.
The interview came at a rather tumultuous time for the Labour Party and its MPs, with the government fighting off a backbench rebellion this week as well as facing criticism for its U-turns on the Welfare Bill.
Kelly put the U-turns and proposals to Rayner at the top of their interview, quizzing the Deputy PM: “Two groups that really are so vulnerable [the elderly and disabled], that you would think the Labour party would protect, the perception again is that you are targeting people like that.”
Rayner replied: “We got the threshold at the wrong point, and that is very clear.
“People said we needed a threshold but where you set that line, we took it too low, and then we reflected on that and we changed the policy as a result of that, and I think that is a fair thing to challenge me on and say.”
She went on: “There’s a lot that we’ve done and a lot that we’ve got right, and there’s a lot that we should reflect on as we get to the first year as well.”
Later in the interview, attention turned to Labour’s main rival in the polls, although the way Kelly approached the question left plenty to be desired among some.
As she cut to an ad break, Kelly teased viewers with what other questions she had lined up for Rayner, but scrunched up her face when she said Farage’s name before letting out a chuckle.
Upon returning from the break and teeing up her question about Reform UK’s popularity, the ITV host sighed as she asked: “Now look, apparently, according to the polls, if there was an election today, say there was, Reform would win and Nigel Farage would be Prime Minister.
“Do you see that ever happening, do you think that’s gonna happen, what are you guys doing to stop that happening?” she asked.
An unchallenged Rayner replied: “I think in the volatile election world that we are in at the moment, anything is possible – but I think that’s determined upon whether we deliver.
“People are frustrated, they voted for change, they’d had enough and they’d seen what’s going on. They want to see that delivery… I understand people’s frustration.
“I think politics is more volatile now than it’s ever been, but I think it’s also a worthwhile and respectable job and I think for a very long time there has been politicians that will stick something on a billboard and say, ‘We will get this sorted’ or, ‘This will happen really quickly’…
“Actually, some of the real challenges our country faces take time, a lot of effort, and you can’t stick it on a billboard.”
Making no effort to mask her disdain for Farage, Kelly weighed back in: “So the prospect of Nigel Farage in Number 10 will give people basically a rocket up their bottom.”
“Nigel Farage was the key architect for Brexit and all these wonderful things we were going to get, and we haven’t had those wonderful things,” Rayner replied.
“He can argue this, that, and another but we were promised a lot, and we haven’t had that.
“I think you have to be very sceptical about people that promise the world and the moon on a stick and then there is no detail on how they can actually deliver it.”
Before long, social media was soon awash with Farage supporters and disgruntled ITV viewers taking issue with the way in which the interview was framed.
One X user took particular issue with Kelly’s conduct, typing on the social media site: “What’s wrong with @reallorraine. What’s with her stinking attitude and the smug smirk when she mentioned @Nigel_Farage? @ITV? This is the smug establishment we are up against.”
They followed their first post up with a second similarly angered response: “Complaint @Ofcom. @reallorraine @lorraine this morning was anti @reformparty_uk @Nigel_Farage as she spoke with a negative biased attitude giving @UKLabour @AngelaRayner positive look. Disgusting @ITV. I hope @reformparty_uk @drdavidbull will take action.”
Elsewhere, a second unimpressed viewer typed: “Listening to this Lorraine interview with Rayner like a couple of kids giggling about farage while the rest of the world laughing at the Labour Party, UNBELIEVABLE.”
“‘You have to be very wary of someone who promises the moon on a stick and delivers nothing” says Angela Rayner about @Nigel_Farage. You couldn’t make this up,” a third blasted. “She knows that #KeirStarmer is her boss, yeah? #lorraine #LabourLies #clueless.”
“What a dreadful sycophantic interview of #angelaraynor… #lorraine,” a fourth hit out before a fifth targeted Rayner specifically: “You’re not helping the working class people, Angela. Your party is destroying them. #lorraine.”
And a sixth simply summed up the interview by sharing: “These MP’s Really do believe we are actually Stupid and We believe what they say #Lorraine.” (sic)
The Farage remarks were far from the only talking points from the interview, with Kelly also putting the Deputy PM on the spot about potentially taking over from Starmer as Labour’s leader.
“People always say to me, ‘Do you want to be prime minister?’, and I say, ‘Not a chance, it will age me by 10years within six months’,” she said.
“Anyone that has been prime minister, it is a very challenging job and to be fair for Keir Starmer, there has been a lot going on. He’s been all around the world, trying to repair the relationships in Europe.
“We’ve got the trade deals that the previous government wasn’t able to do, tackling the things like the tariffs… There is a lot going on and the prime minister has been here, there and everywhere.”
She continued: “I am very interested in delivering for the people of this country and to be elected as an MP from my background was incredible.
“When I first went into parliament, I thought, ‘This is Hogwarts, this is an incredible place’, I had never been anywhere like it… But having that opportunity to serve my community that have raised me, looked after me and given me opportunities, and I don’t forget that, and to be deputy prime minister of this country has got to count for something.
“Not a title, but what are you going to give back to your communities?”
Rayner also addressed the welfare Bill U-turn and subsequent rebellion. “Well, welfare reform is always difficult and I think one of the things I would reflect on this week is, in particular, making sure we get this right,” she explained.
“So some of the concessions that people have said and the work that we did with MP’s is to make sure anyone listening to your show today, they know that there will be no changes to their welfare and I want to make sure that people are reassured by that as a lot of people have been scared by what is going to happen.
“Many of them [my colleagues] have been raising concerns privately, some have not raised them privately, some have, and it’s fair that the process of parliament can look argy-bargy and like everyone is falling out, but that’s the way you get to a consensus…
“People might see that as, ‘Oh well it’s chaos’, but actually, we’ve got to a better place now and we’ve got the bill through Parliament at its second reading, and now we’re getting to the details.”