Thursday's instalment of This Morning made for uncomfortable viewing after Rishi Sunak joined hosts Alison Hammond and Craig Doyle to discuss his decision on not ordering an inquiry into the Suella Braverman speeding row.
It comes as the home secretary allegedly asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one speed awareness course after being caught speeding last year. Ms Braverman said in the Commons on Monday that she “paid the fine” and “took the penalty”, adding: “at no point did I attempt to evade sanction”
ITV viewers couldn't help but notice the very 'awkward' interview which took place on the morning programme when television personality Alison accused the Prime Minister 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 when speaking to the Prime Minister, according to reports in the Mirror.
"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 as he masked the conversation with an uncomfortable giggle.
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."
Meanwhile, as the interview moved on Alison told Sunak that she understands he has a "difficult" job before the hosts pressed him on more personal questions that included the last time the Prime Minister had cried and his relationship with his two daughters.
The interview left many This Morning viewers divided as they took to social media following the programme airing.
One person wrote: "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,"
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."
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