GB News host Miriam Cates has brutally shut down a Labour MP after claiming Reform UK’s “extreme policies” and “fantasy economics” cost them the win in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Speaking to the People’s Channel, Alex Ballinger argued that voters “tactically voted against” Reform leader Nigel Farage and his candidate Matt Goodwin, who placed second behind the Greens.
The MP for Halesowen told Miriam and co-host Charlie Peters: “I think there was a lot of protest against what the Reform Party policies were on the ground as well.
“We heard Nigel Farage talking about fraud in the election, I think if you’re talking about setting up American-style Ice deportations, if you’re talking about privatising the NHS, if you’re talking about the kind of fantasy economics that Liz Truss was doing, you shouldn’t be surprised that people are going to tactically vote against you and try and keep you out.”
In complete disagreement with Mr Ballinger’s argument, Miriam hit back and accused the Labour MP of “clutching at straws”.
She responded: “I have great sympathy for you, Mr Ballinger, but I do feel that you are clutching at straws here, because I don’t think any of those issues really mattered on the ground.
“And actually, if you look at the Reform vote, it’s quite a high vote for a right-wing party in a traditionally left seat.
“Isn’t it the case now that the Conservatives and Labour are over and they have been replaced by Greens and Reform?”
Dismissing Miriam’s suggestion, Mr Ballinger told GB News: “Well, we still have more than 400 MPs across the country and we did win a massive landslide election only 18 months ago.
Alex Ballinger has been shut down by GB News host Miriam Cates after accusing Reform UK of ‘fantasy economics’
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GB NEWS
“I think when people look at a general election, when they look at who’s going to form the next Government in a couple of years time, they will reject the fantasy economics and the extreme policies of the Reform Party.”
Interjecting Mr Ballinger, Miriam hit back: “But your party is engaged in fantasy economics?! We’re heading towards 300 per cent debt to GDP ratio, and you can’t even cut £5billion off the welfare bill. If that’s not fantasy economics, what is?”
Rejecting Miriam’s figures, the Labour MP responded: “I think you’re mistaken on our debt to GDP ratio.”
Miriam made clear: “That will be there by 2070 if nothing changes, that’s ONS figures.”
The Labour Party suffered a major by-election defeat in Gorton and Denton
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REUTERSQuizzed by Charlie on whether he believes Andy Burnham would have won the by-election had he been allowed to stand, Mr Ballinger admitted: “Possibly, but it would have been a very difficult situation if Andy had run.
“He’s very popular. He’s a fantastic mayor. The challenge, of course, was if we had Andy running in a by-election and he was winning in Gorton and Denton, we’d need to run another by-election for the mayor of Greater Manchester.”
He added: “And that would be very expensive, very competitive and put up all sorts of other risks. So I’m not going to take a position, but I know that the NEC had a very difficult choice when they were considering all of those factors.”
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to “keep on fighting” after Labour suffered a heavy defeat in Gorton & Denton by-election to the Greens.
Mr Ballinger told GB News that it would have been ‘very difficult’ if Andy Burnham was allowed to run
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GB NEWS
The Prime Minister said: “Incumbent governments quite often get results like that mid-term, but I do understand that voters are frustrated, they’re impatient for change.
“I came into politics late in life, as it happens, to fight for change for those people need it.
“The people who need an NHS that works for them, to be able to doctors appointment when they need it, to get the money they need in their pockets to pay their bills, and to have decent and better life.
“I will keep on fighting for those people as long as I’ve got breath in my body.”