Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid spoke to Boris Johnson on Tuesday in his first interview with the programme in five years. As she challenged the Prime Minister over the cost of living crisis and noted a sad example of an elderly woman forced to sit on a bus during the day to save money on heating, his immediate response was to point out that he introduced the 24-hour Freedom Bus Pass. Reflecting on this on Wednesday, Reid told Richard Madeley how she had been stunned by Johnson’s “lack of human response”.
“I think in these situations where you are challenged by an individual case, rather than claiming credit for the fact that she can travel on the bus in order to not to have to switch off from her heating, lighting and kettle and television at home, I think leaders should say, ‘That sounds desperate, I do not want to be in a country where someone like Elsie feels that she has to do that, let me find out about that case, let me find out about Elsie.
“‘Let me talk to her and we will see what help we can get her.’
“That seems to me the more human response to that sort of story.”
More to follow…