BUMBLING TV presenter Richard Madeley has been accused of “racism” after asking a British-Palestinian MP whether she had heard advanced warnings about Hamas’s attacks on Israel.
The Good Morning Britain presenter came under fire on Tuesday after a clip on an interview with the LibDem MP Layla Moran – who has family living in Palestine – went viral.
ITV have been told his comments were unacceptable and commentators have accused Madeley, best known for the Richard and Judy show, of being racist against the Oxford West and Abingdon MP.
A spokesperson for ITV have since said Madeley has apologised that he "upset viewers".
Speaking on the programme on Tuesday morning, Moran called for an end to the siege on Gaza, where her family’s home had been bombed and they had taken refuge in a church.
She added: “What I know is that there is no food, no water, they have more and more people coming to the church because you seek sanctuary in a church, that’s what you do.”
Dear God. Richard Madeley trying to suggest that innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the UK knew about the planned massacre in Israel and did nothibg about it. https://t.co/vS8QBfbIuo
— Peter Grant MP (@PeterGrantMP) October 17, 2023
Madeley then asked: "With your family connections in Gaza, did you have any indication of what was going to happen ten days ago, two weeks ago?
"Was there there any word on the street?"
Moran replied: "Not this, not this.
"Everyone, everyone has been surprised first of all by the timing and sophistication and they way that it's happened.
"What I will say is that I've been warning, and others have in Parliament as well for a number of years now, that if we don't find a way... People say 'go back to the negotiating table'. The fact of the matter is there has not been a table, let alone to go back to a negotiating table for at least ten years.
"This is a cycle of violence. My worry now is that this is radicalising another generation on all sides.
"We have to stop this hatred. We have to bring people together and find a way through.
"Peace is harder than war. It's harder."
Responding to the clip on social media, SNP MP Peter Grant said: "Dear God. Richard Madeley trying to suggest that innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the UK knew about the planned massacre in Israel and did [nothing] about it."
Ash Sarkar, a journalist with Novara Media responded: "This is no different from asking British Jews if they have any special warning about settlers attacking Palestinians. Outright racism from Richard Madeley."
Florence Eshalomi, the Labour MP for Vauxhall, said: "I just saw the clip from [GMB] interviews this morning. Richard Madeley is actually disgraceful.
"I was in the chamber yesterday but sadly I didn’t get an opportunity to speak in the statement. Solidarity with [Layla Moran] for having to endure this racist line of questioning."
A spokesperson for ITV said: "Richard is sorry that he has upset viewers with his question to Layla Moran.
"His intention was to understand the mood and atmosphere amongst the civilian population of Gaza immediately before the attacks.
"He asked Layla about her family in Gaza City because she had discussed speaking to them earlier in the interview.
"He did not mean to imply that she or her family might have had any prior knowledge of the attacks.”
