‘I think it’s shameful’: Piers Morgan attacks ‘disgraceful’ Matt Hancock for not appearing on GMB

‘It is a disgrace. They don’t want to be challenged, they don’t want to answer the difficult questions,’ says host

Piers Morgan has called health secretary Matt Hancock a “disgrace” for not appearing on Good Morning Britain and accused him of denying viewers ”potentially life-saving information”.

While the Cabinet minister was present on Sky News and BBC Breakfast to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, his absence on GMB provoked a furious outburst from Mr Morgan.

The TV presenter, who claimed that the government has banned all ministers from appearing on GMB, said that Mr Hancock’s no-show denied viewers potentially life-saving information.

“You are not worthy of the health secretary’s potentially life-saving information, guidance and clarifications,” he said on Tuesday morning.

“[Mr Hancock] is going to go on every other show so their listeners and viewers will have that information.

“I think it’s shameful and completely wrong, he’s not doing our show because the junior ministers couldn’t answer basic questions – like how many health workers have died.”

Mr Morgan went on to claim that the government’s lack of GMB appearances was a result of the scrutiny that “extremely poor” government figures had been subject to on the programme

“We got annoyed with them because they didn’t know basic things, we got annoyed, frustrated and angry on behalf of the health workers’ family,” he said.

“Our punishment for asking difficult questions and holding the government accountable, Matt Hancock is now boycotting the programme, as is every government minister and the prime minister.

“It is a disgraceful way to treat you, the viewers, we can only apologise. It’s been going on for 10 days now.”

The 55-year-old presenter continued: “It is a disgrace. They don’t want to be challenged, they don’t want to answer the difficult questions.

“We have the second worse death toll in the world, we have made a series of mistakes and we should be entitled to ask the health secretary why and how can you guarantee you won’t make these mistakes again?

“It is called accountability it is what journalists to do.”

Mr Morgan also accused Mr Hancock of prioritising BBC Breakfast viewers over those who watch GMB.

“They don’t think your lives matter as much,” he said. “For the risk of a rough and tumble interview about life and death they don’t think your lives matter as much. They don’t.

“The health secretary doesn’t want to tell GMB viewers this information – I think it’s a disgrace.”

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Hancock refused to directly answer whether people have a legal right not to go to work if they do not feel safe due to Covid-19.

In response, he said: “Well this needs to be a collaborative effort. Absolutely workplaces need to follow the guidelines on making a workplace safe for Covid, so that is very important.

“Critically, everybody who can work from home should continue to work from home.”

Asked for a second time whether people are protected by law if they felt unsafe in the workplace, the health secretary said: “Well, employment law has not changed, but that isn’t the point.

“The point is that businesses and employees should be working together to make the best of a very difficult situation.”