Ed Balls opted to “sit out” a Good Morning Britain interview with his wife, Yvette Cooper, after previous controversy over potential conflict of interest.
On the show on Monday, Susanna Reid, Balls’s co-host, said: “Still to come, as the government doubles the money it’s putting in to tackle people smuggling gangs, it is still facing criticism after a record month for crossings in October.
“Joined by the home secretary Yvette Cooper next.”
To which the former Labour MP added: “Who as you know, she’s my wife, so I’ll sit this one out.”
Following Cooper’s appearance on GMB in August, viewers had questioned whether it was appropriate for Balls—a former Labour leadership candidate and cabinet minister—to interview his own wife.
At the time, Labour was under scrutiny for its response to riots and far-right unrest across the UK.
His interview with Cooper was perceived as gentler compared to an earlier conversation with Labour MP Zara Sultana, whom he interrupted repeatedly as she called for political leaders to denounce the protests as “Islamophobic” and “racist.”
Balls’s interview with Cooper also drew comparisons to prior incidents at GB News, where Ofcom had ruled that Tory MPs interviewing fellow Conservatives violated broadcasting regulations.
Despite the backlash, which drew 8,201 Ofcom complaints, GMB producers had initially defended their decision to allow the interview.
An ITV spokesperson said at the time: “Following a weekend of rioting and national unrest, GMB featured a range of interviews and discussion around this national emergency on today’s programme which included James Cleverly, shadow home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, home secretary.
“We are satisfied that these interviews were balanced, fair and duly impartial.”
However, it appeared as though the show’s bosses had a change of mind on Monday as viewers were informed that Balls wouldn’t be conducting the interview, in an attempt to potentially avoid further controversy.
Married for more than 25 years with three children, Balls and Cooper were the first married couple to serve in government together in 2008.
