ITV's Good Morning Britain has come under fire today, Tuesday, June 21, after viewers asked: "What sort of question is that?" after presenter Richard Madeley's opening remark to rail trade unionist Mick Lynch. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) general secretary had been invited on to the morning show to talk about the rail strikes.
The largest strike by rail workers for 30 years is currently taking place across the country. Around 40,000 members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators have walked out after last-ditch talks failed to resolve the bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, with all sides blaming each other for the lack of progress, reported Manchester Evening News.
Richard Madeley and co-host Ranvir Singh were in the studio talking to Mick Lynch live from the picket line at London Euston Station as commuters faced their first morning of disruption. Richard went straight in and asked: "You’ve been accused severely over the past few weeks of being a Marxist.
READ MORE: Nottingham backs largest train strike in 30 years as services heavily affected
"It happened again last night, a backbench Tory MP said you are a “Marxist with no interest other than trying to tear down the Government. Now, are you, or are you not a Marxist? Because if you are a Marxist, then you’re into revolution and into bringing down capitalism. So, are you or aren’t you?"
"You do come up with the most remarkable twaddle, I gotta say. Opening an interview with that is nonsense," Mick laughed in response while Richard shouted over him: "Woah, woah woah... I'm not saying you're a Marxist. I'm saying you've been accused of being a Marxist."
He then added: "That's not twaddle, it's called reporting." A Marxist is said to believe that economic and social conditions, and especially the class relations that derive from them, affect every aspect of an individual's life, from religious beliefs to legal systems to cultural frameworks.
But Mick hit back: "I'm not a Marxist, I’m an elected official of the RMT, I’m a working class bloke leading a trade union dispute about jobs, pay and conditions, and service, so it’s got nothing to do with Marxism it’s all about this industrial dispute."
GMB viewers were quick to flock to social media to comment on the interaction. One tweeted: "'Are you a Marxist?' - Richard Madeley’s first question to RMT leader Mick Lynch on #GMB this morning. It doesn’t even make me angry anymore, it’s just cringe-making."
Another said: "#gmb #goodmorningbritain 'are you an marxist?' What sort of question to start is that." A third said: "#GMB #TubeStrike That was brilliant, how good was Mick Lynch. Richard was so (bent) out of shape, twaddle, lolz." And another added: "@GMB Richard Madeley goes full-on Partridge 'Mick Lynch, are you a Marxist, yes or no?' Lynch’s response 'You do come up with a load of twaddle' TV gold!"
