GMB viewers left cringing as Susanna Reid clashes with new co-host Alastair Campbell on his first day

SUSANNA Reid clashed with her new co-host Alastair Campbell on his first day.

Good Morning Britain viewers were left cringing as the pair argued within moments of the show kicking off.

The pair were discussing the shock vote in Hartlepool that saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson riding high with a 7,000 majority win in the North East town that had had a Labour MP since 1974.

"Can we please call him Mr Johson, the Prime Minister," sighed guest presenter Alastair, who is best known as former Labour leader Tony Blair's spin doctor.

Susanna pushed: "Why do you want to call the PM, as everyone knows as Boris, Mr Johnson?"

Alastair replied: "Because it's part of his shtick that has helped him become the personality he is.

"The problem with our politics is that it's all about personality as opposed to of being about who is right for the job."

Susanna told him: "The voters think of him as being someone they can relate to, who they know by his first name and could go down to the pub with."

Defiant Alastair added: "It gives him a massive advantage."

Answering him back, Susanna said: "So the public voted for the Tories because we call him Boris? That's a fundamental misunderstanding."

"I'm not underestimating he has an appeal," insisted Alastair.

"But it gives him an advantage we shouldn't be giving him."

GMB viewers were divided over the point, with one saying: "The thing about piers was, wether [sic] you liked him or not, you couldn’t disagree with what he was saying (or at least he had a point). First 5 minutes I’m being told not to say “boris”."

Another argued: "Suzanne is wrong on this one, the press do call him Boris and not Johnson and it does make a difference. He had been made basically into a character, people find him funny etc. and he gets away with so much and people just brush it off as it being Boris."

Someone else said: "Please don't tell me this is a hint at how this week is going 2 pan out with alistair Campbell #gmb nobody will stop calling boris by just that."

But another agreed with Alastair, saying: "Yes - plz don't call him Boris - he's nobody's pal.

"I haven't watched #GMB for ages - will definitely be watching next week."

Alastair, 63, made his debut this morning as he replaced Piers Morgan as a guest host.

He's the latest famous face to present alongside Susanna, as he fronts the show until Wednesday to mark Mental Health Awareness week.