SWIPE LEFTIE
Esther McVey blames ‘cabal of leftie presenters’ for GMTV feud with Lorraine Kelly
ESTHER McVey has blamed a Labour cabal in breakfast TV for Lorraine Kelly’s hostility towards her.
The Tory leadership hopeful was sensationally snubbed by the ITV presenter live on air this week, sparking an unlikely feud.
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It left viewers wondering if the pair fell out when they both worked together on GMTV, the forerunner to Good Morning Britain, 20 years ago.
But The Sun can reveal that Miss McVey suspects it could be down to the number of Lorraine’s co-stars who have close links to the Labour Party.
A source close to the Tory MP said: “It was the worst mistake she ever made coming out as a Tory.
“GMTV was like a cabal of lefties.”
Fiona Phillips – whose maternity leave gave McVey a place on the sofa in 1999 - is a longtime Labour supporter who was even offered a peerage and a job as a health minister by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Gloria De Piero, now a Labour MP, was for several years a political correspondent for GMTV.
And former GMTV presenter Kate Garraway, who has filled in for Lorraine Kelly on her daytime show, is married to former Labour spin doctor Derek Draper.
On Monday, Lorraine, 59, appeared to snub former colleague McVey, 51, during a handover from Good Morning Britain hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
A clip showing Lorraine’s cold shoulder of McVey went viral after Reid asked if the ITV star remembered McVey.
Reid said: “Do you remember Esther McVey from her GMTV days?"
Lorraine replied: "Yep. Yes I do. Right, coming up after half past eight."
GMTV was like a cabal of lefties.
A source close to Esther McVey
The public bust-up resurfaced on Wednesday when LBC radio presenter Iain Dale grilled McVey about the daytime TV star, who she worked with at ITV in the 1990s.
Dale said: "What on earth did you do to Lorraine Kelly?"
McVey replied: "I don’t know! I had a very fun time at GMTV."
She yesterday hinted Lorraine may be jealous of her political career - suggesting their feud is down to the ITV presenter’s envy as she bids for Number 10.
But the Prime Minister hopeful also thinks it could be due to her being promoted to work with Eamonn Holmes.
McVey said: “She used to be on the programme afterwards and obviously she used to be partnered with Eamonn Holmes and then I was promoted to be partnering with Eamonn Holmes.”
"But she's great and it was a great show, and I can't believe it was 20 years ago, but never mind, it was really good at the time, really good fun."
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She said: “Well, who wouldn’t want to fight over Eamonn Holmes?
"There is no battle. I'm baffled, because I had my own show since 1992, and I don't actually think she joined until five years later."
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Esther McVey suggests former presenting pal Lorraine could be jealous of her
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