BBC Breakfast fans were left fuming at Charlie Stayt’s “car crash” interview with health minister Sajid Javid on Thursday morning.
The pair butted heads during a video link interview, with Charlie joined by his co-host Naga Munchetty on the red sofa after her absence last week.
Javid was appearing on the programme to discuss the lack of face-to-face GP appointments, and Charlie definitely wasn’t pulling his punches.
“You may be familiar – one of our regular GPs on this programme is Dr Rosemary Leonard, who is a very well respected voice amongst GPs,” Charlie began.
“And she says what you, Sajid Javid as health secretary, are doing is stirring up anti-GP rhetoric. On top of which, she says that if you’re saying they should go out and hire more staff to get more people to work for them […] she says you have no idea because there are no locums to employ.”
(Image: BBC)
The MP responded by saying: “GPs have done an absolutely phenomenal job. We are so lucky to have our system of primary care and the fantastic GPs that we have.”
He elaborated on the steps the government are planning to take to protect GPs against “abuse” – but Charlie interrupted: “I feel like you’re slightly missing the point.”
“You’re being accused this morning by a GP of stirring up the rhetoric, the anti-GP rhetoric. They are accusing you of that,” he hit out at the health minister.
(Image: BBC)
And Charlie concluded the interview by asking: “Sajid Javid, I think it’s important… you’re obviously new in the job, we haven’t spoken to you since the coronavirus lessons learned report.
“Your role as health secretary – it’s a very important voice you have, especially for the families of those who lost loved ones. Are you prepared to say an unequivocal sorry for the failures that took place?” he asked.
The MP responded: “Of course I’m sorry. Obviously I’m new in the role but on behalf of the government I’m sorry, during the pandemic, for anyone that suffered and especially for anyone that lost a loved one.”
Fans instantly flocked to Twitter to share their opinions of the interview – but it generally wasn’t Charlie they weren’t happy with.
One viewer typed: “@BBCBreakfast @sajidjavid Seems a bit of a car crash interview this morning. Can’t see how it’s going to increase capacity and improve patient services.”
Someone else praised Charlie’s interviewing skills as they wrote: “Some great questions put to health secretary by Charlie Stayt this morning – sadly no good answers coming back.”
Another fan echoed: “Go Charlie!”
“Sajid not having a great morning. Thankfully getting a hard time on BBC Breakfast,” someone else wrote.
However, others accused the BBC of being “unbalanced”, as they urged: “Balance the argument BBC – go and ask people in the streets what their experience with their GPs was and now is – get to the truth and the problems!”
Another wrote: “@BBCBreakfast don’t attack @sajidjavid!”
While a third fan penned: “You, the BBC, are out of touch on this. Go to GP practices, not just your ‘mates’ you have on week in/out.”
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am every day on BBC One.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
