Rishi Sunak joined Alison Hammond and Craig Doyle in the This Morning studio on Thursday as the presenters grilled the Prime Minister on his decision not to order an inquiry into the Suella Braverman speeding row.
During the interview, Alison accused Rishi Sunak of letting Braverman "off the hook".
"You said she hasn't broken any rules but it is a distraction from the things we need to sort out, isn't it?" Alison added.
"I haven't let her off the hook. I've gone through the details," Sunak replied as the host hit back: "Did she break the rules?"
"No, she didn't break the ministerial code and I've spent time going through it. And not just that I've also asked my independent adviser, the government and the Prime Minister has an independent adviser on these things, he's also met with her she's made a fulsome disclosure about what's happened, she's expressed regret," Sunak continued.
Interjecting, Craig remarked: "She looks for the option to break the ministerial code, she took advice on ways around it, let’s be honest."
"She took her advice and she herself has said that she might have done things differently now in hindsight, and that's the right approach [to] apologise and on the basis of that the independent advisor said no need for a formal investigation, and we can close the matter here," the Prime Minister argued.
"If she was going to do the speed awareness course I’d think that was amazing and think she was one of the people. She breaks the law as well…I would have loved to have seen her on the speed awareness course, I’ve done two. They were taking selfies of me on the on the zoom," Alison revealed.
"They’re not meant to Alison," Sunak replied with an awkward giggle.
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Interrupting, Craig said: “It’s bugging me a little bit I'm sorry Prime Minister but the Suella Braverman thing is more a consequence of post-Boris, let's be honest, and people want to feel that you're a relatable government and when moments like this happen, they still feel that your ministers feel they can behave differently to everyone else and that's the problem. Is that something that keeps you awake at night being more relatable to the public, so they can really believe you and trust you?"
Sunak replied: "I want to earn people's trust and the way we're going to do that is by demonstrating to everybody that we're acting with the right intentions, we've got the right priorities, and that we're going to make a difference."
Elsewhere in the interview, Alison told Sunak she understands he has a "difficult" job before the hosts asked him personal questions that included the last time the Prime Minister had cried and his relationship with his two daughters.
This Morning viewers were divided over the interview as on tweeted: "Could Alison Hammond have been any more fawning over Rishi? #thismorning OK, it was never going to be a grilling, but honestly, you might have just as well have asked "what's your favourite colour?" Etc," while another added: "I'll interview rishi do a better job than these two they don't press him on any serious questions #thismorning."
"These quick fire questions for Rishi is so cringe. #ThisMorning," another wrote and a fourth said: "I like Alison but she’s really giving Rishi an easy interview … what kind of questions are these “ when did you last cry ?” #ThisMorning."
However, one viewer disagreed: "#ThisMorning Loving Alison and Craig playing good cop bad cop with the prime minister. A much more relaxed approach, much prefer it," and another said: "woo hoo alison hammond hammering rishi sunak on this morning go girl . #ThisMorning #RishiSunak."
