Good Morning Britain co-host Ed Balls has faced significant backlash following a contentious interview with MP Zarah Sultana, who argued that recent violent riots should be labelled as Islamophobic.
The altercation unfolded as Sultana suggested that far-right agitators, responsible for recent unrest over migration levels and the fatal stabbing in Southport, were targeting multiple mosques, thus warranting the term “Islamophobic”. However, this assertion met resistance from Balls.
GMB host Kate Garraway inquired about the importance of this terminology, while Balls noted that several politicians have referred to the violence as “racist”.
“These are not trivial matters,” Sultana began, but Garraway interjected, “Sorry, we do have to ask you questions as well.”
“Absolutely –” Sultana attempted to continue, but Balls interrupted, “And if you want to, you can answer them, it’s your call.”
Sultana responded, “I’m just going to wait for Kate to finish her question, if that’s OK.”
Balls reiterated, “If you want to answer the questions you can, but you don’t have to.”
Garraway pressed, “Why is it important to you to use that specific word, Islamophobic? It’s been called racist, it’s been called thuggery. Why does that matter to you?”
Sultana highlighted that bricks were deliberately thrown at a mosque in Southport, with people inside fearing for their lives.
When Balls mentioned that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had condemned these attacks, Sultana responded, “I’m just finishing the question.”
Sultana, a Labour MP recently suspended for rebelling against the government over a parliamentary bill, criticised Balls’ past as a cabinet secretary under New Labour’s Gordon Brown. She referenced New Labour’s immigration controls and Balls’ 2010 Guardian article suggesting the UK had accepted too many Eastern Europeans.
She queried, “The discussion around that article, you don’t see that as playing a role in what we’re seeing across the country?”
Balls countered that failing to control immigration leads to problems, but Sultana insisted there is a “direct correlation” between political language and that used by far-right mobs.
“You’ve moved from attacking Andrew [Pierce, a Daily Mail columnist] to attacking me,” Balls retorted, eliciting giggles from the panel.
Sultana emphasised, “Language matters.”
Balls responded, “What you can’t do is just spray out attacks on all of us and then not have any comeback. You didn’t answer Andrew’s question, you attack me!”
The issue of Islamophobia was subsequently addressed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Balls’ wife, on the same programme. Cooper acknowledged that targeted attacks on mosques “clearly reflects Islamophobia” and condemned targeting individuals for their faith or skin colour.
Sultana’s exchange with Balls sparked significant online debate, with many viewers criticising the GMB hosts for their frequent interruptions and perceived condescension.
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