Richard Madeley cuts off Therese Coffey in benefit inflation clash

GMB: Susanna Reid quizzes Therese Coffey on benefits

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Richard Madeley returned to Good Morning Britain on Tuesday and hit out at Therese Coffey for what he believed was some classic question-dodging tactics. Susanna Reid led the interview but fellow host Richard felt compelled to butt in when the Deputy Prime Minister was asked about her thoughts on whether benefits should match the rate of inflation.

Coffey appeared on the ITV show to discuss the cabinet’s meeting after the government’s ‘mini-budget.’

However, as the conversation moved to the impacts of inflation, she angered co-host Richard for her response.

Reid asked: “Do you expect that benefits are uprated in line with inflation? Because, your cabinet colleague Penny Mourdant does and she thinks they should.”

Coffey replied: “Well, I am a member of the government, we have a government view and that view has not yet been established.”

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Madeley could be heard off-camera protesting: “Oh come on.”

The MP continued: “My friend Chloe Smith who has replaced me as secretary of state for working pensions colleague, will be carefully considering all the evidence that’s put to her by officials and she will announce that in November.”

A frustrated Madeley interjected again: “Surely Deputy Prime Minister you can answer Susanna’s question, it’s really simple, what do you personally think?

“Do you think benefits should be linked to inflation or not? It’s a dead simple question, would you like to tell me what you think?”

She replied: “I am not going to second guess, this is the joy of being in government that we work together as a team, it’s not a case of having all sorts of individual personal views.

“I support the overall plan for growth that we are trying to achieve in order to grow the economy.”

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