Jump directly to the content

IAIN Dale walked off the Good Morning Britain set this morning after a panellist claimed the Tate Modern attack was due to Tory austerity.

The political pundit tore his microphone off as he was interrupted during the debate with Grace Blakeley - raging "right, that's it".

 Iain Dale stood up and pulled his microphone off after being interrupted during the debate
Iain Dale stood up and pulled his microphone off after being interrupted during the debateCredit: ITV
 The pundit then walked off, leaving his fellow guests and the GMB hosts shocked
The pundit then walked off, leaving his fellow guests and the GMB hosts shockedCredit: ITV
 Iain Dale declared 'right, I won't speak' after being interrupted
Iain Dale declared 'right, I won't speak' after being interruptedCredit: ITV

The panel debate had started in a civil enough manner as they discussed the horrific revelations that Jonty Bravery, an 18-year-old who threw a six-year-old boy 100ft off the Tate Modern, had told carers about his plan a year before the attack.

One carer claimed they had alerted a more senior colleague about the troubling claims - something care provider Spencer and Arlington denied.

The teen, who has autism, had been assigned up to six full-time carers for round-the-clock care.

Discussing the reports this morning, panellist Grace Blakeley quickly jumped in, saying: "I've worked with quite a lot of counsellors who have worked in and around children's social care that is obviously funded by local authorities and local authorities have had their funding cut an unbelievable amount."

She added: "This is again, another story that you can actually trace back to austerity and it doesn't look like it is getting any better."

But Iain Dale then stepped in, saying: "Utter rubbish, if I may so.

"It's nothing to do with cuts, this is to do with people doing the sensible thing and reporting something.

"You don't have to have thousands of pounds to be sensible to report something."

Grace then hit back saying: "You have to have a basic amount of money to be able to respond."

Their fellow panellist Nihal Arthanayake then argued: "Do you want data?"

The pair then continued to cut over Mr Dale, with the pundit finally declaring: "Right, I won't speak."

'I WON'T SPEAK'

And when urged by hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard to keep debating, the regular panellist said: "Right, that's it" and dramatically pulled of his mic and left.

The move stunned the hosts and guests, with Kate saying: "I would have liked to hear what he had to say."

But despite the interruption, the debate then continued.

Mr Dale later tweeted: "I enjoy my early mornings on GMB with Jacqui Smith because they’re all about civilised discussion.

"Today’s was not. It was about closing me down.

"I decided it wasn’t worth hanging around.

"Apologies to Kate Garraway, Ben Shephard & Charlotte Hawkins but enough is enough."

Jonty Bravery, 18, pleaded guilty to attempted murder after throwing a six-year-old boy from the Tate Modern in August last year.

One of his carers has said opportunities to stop him were missed, with recordings capturing the teen saying "I've got to kill somebody".

His care provider, Spencer and Arlington, said they had "no knowledge or records of the disclosure".

An independent case review has now been established.

 Iain Dale later tweeted, saying the debate was not civil
Iain Dale later tweeted, saying the debate was not civilCredit: Twitter
 Panellist Grace Blakeley argued the Tate Modern tragedy was down to austerity
Panellist Grace Blakeley argued the Tate Modern tragedy was down to austerityCredit: ITV
 The panel had started civilly on GMB this morning
The panel had started civilly on GMB this morningCredit: ITV
 Iain Dale declared Grace's claims were 'utter rubbish'
Iain Dale declared Grace's claims were 'utter rubbish'Credit: ITV
 Kate tried to get the panellist to stay
Kate tried to get the panellist to stayCredit: ITV
 Jonty Bravery, 18, pleaded guilty to attempted murder - with chilling recordings allegedly capturing audio of the young man say he wanted to throw someone off a building
1
Jonty Bravery, 18, pleaded guilty to attempted murder - with chilling recordings allegedly capturing audio of the young man say he wanted to throw someone off a buildingCredit: AFP

 

Jonty Bravery tells carer of plan to kill a year before Tate attack

 

 

Topics