Good Morning Britain star Ed Balls in fiery on-air bust-up with guest | The Sun

GOOD Morning Britain Ed Balls clashed with guest Edwina Currie in a fiery exchange today.

The presenter, 55, did not hold back when interviewing the former politician, 75, who appeared via video link from her home.

Ed and co-host Charlotte Hawkins grilled Edwina on whether Boris Johnson was shirking his responsibilities during the final days of his Prime Ministership.

Ed said: "As Boris Johnson prepares to leave office, some people say he's already checked out."

Boris has been accused by Labour MP Lisa Nandy of having "clocked off" after he failed to attend a Cobra meeting on the UK heatwaveand was pictured taking selfies in a typhoon jet and throwing grenades while visiting Ukrainian troops in the UK.

Ed is of course a prominent former Labour MP and Edwina was a Conservative one.

Edwina was quick to defend the PM saying Boris "isn't responsible for everything" and there are senior ministers in Whitehall on duty.

"There is an idea that somehow if the PM is not actually sitting in his seat in the cabinet office then nothing is happening and that's complete rubbish," Edwina said.

"There are all sorts of people in the Whitehall and ministries doing the job, you're never not covered, there are always ministers on duty, there are always civil servants on duty – senior ones.

"August is a time when Parliament isn't sitting.

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"No legislation is having to be taken through Parliament. I say good luck to Boris."

But Charlotte insisted the country "still needs to be run" as there are a lot of "big issues going on at the moment", including travel disruptions, rail strikes and the soaring costs of living.

Edwina – who was a Tory MP from 1983 to 1993 – was then quizzed on whether former Conservative leader John Major "would have behaved like this".

With a grin on his face, Ed said: "When you were a senior minister in the government, could you imagine John Major ever behave like this?"

But Edwina refused to give him a straight answer and fired back: "Well I can imagine Ed Balls behaving like this. I'm sure you took holidays."

Ed asked the question again, but Edwina swerved it again saying Downing Street won't ground to a halt without the PM.

The host again asked: "I still don't understand why you won't answer the question about John Major?"

Edwina hit back: "You're asking the wrong question perhaps."

"These days I ask the question and you don't answer them, "Ed replied.

But Edwina explained: "I'm not in politics anymore so I can ask the question….you can ask him [John]."

Edwina has been an outspoken figure on Westminster politics both during and after her time as a Member of Parliament.

She sparked sensational headlines in 2002 when she admitted having an extra-marital affair with John Major – who went on to become Prime Minister.

Currie served as a Conservative MP for 14 years.

She was a Junior Health Minister for two years between 1986 and 1988 but resigned following a scandal about salmonella in eggs in which she was claimed to have overstated the threat of infection and sent poultry sales plummeting.

In 2002, Currie published her diaries written during her time in government between 1987 and 1992.

She revealed she had a four-year affair with John Major – who went on to become Prime Minister – between 1984 and 1988 while both were married to other people.

Currie said she stopped the affair when they became more senior in the party and it became impractical due to the presence of bodyguards.

She admitted to being in love with him for years after and described him as the "love of her life".

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After publication of the diaries, John Major released a statement saying he was ashamed of the affair and had previously privately confessed to his wife.

Weeks later, Currie appeared to change tact and described him as being "one of the less competent prime ministers" and that he sidelined female and black politicians.

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