GMB’s Richard Madeley apologizes for his comments about Layla Moran
The TV presenter interviewed the Liberal Democrat MP on the ITV show on Tuesday and asked him if “there was anything heard in the street” before Hamas launched its attack on Israel.
The comments were criticized on social media, with some calling the question “appalling.”
A GMB spokesman said: “Richard is sorry for upsetting viewers with his question to Layla Moran.
“His intention was to understand the mood and atmosphere among the civilian population of Gaza immediately before the attacks.
“He asked Layla about her family in Gaza City because she had talked about speaking to them earlier in the interview. He did not mean to suggest that she or her family might have known about the attacks beforehand.”
On Monday, Ms Moran spoke in Parliament about her extended family, who are Christian Palestinians whose home was bombed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), lived in a church and were “too old” to flee Gaza.
The MP for Oxford West and Abingdon then appeared on GMB on Tuesday where she said: “There is no food, no water, they (my family) have more and more people coming to church because you seek refuge in a church “That’s it.” They do it…we’re desperately, desperately worried about (them).”
Later on GMB, Madeley asked Ms Moran: “Given your family connections in Gaza, did you have any indication of what was going to happen 10 days ago, two weeks ago? Was there anything on the street?”
Ms Moran replied: “Not that, not that. I think everyone…everyone was surprised, first of all, partly by the timing, the sophistication (and) the way it happened.
“What I want to say is that I – and others in Parliament – have been warning for a number of years that if we don’t find a way… the fact is that there have been no (negotiations). at the table for at least 10 years, not to mention returning to the negotiating table.
“This is a cycle of violence, and every time there is a cycle of violence, I worry now that it radicalizes another generation on all sides.
“We have to stop this hatred. We have to bring people together and find a way. So when we in Britain say, “We don’t want to see that anymore,” we have to put our shoulder in the basket and say, “We need peace now,” and that also means it gets harder. Peace is more difficult than war.”
Richard Madeley criticized his comments about the family of Gaza City MP Layla Moran
Among those who criticized Madeley was aspiring Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Liz Jarvis, who wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Moran had “handled this situation with remarkable composure and dignity”.
Layla Moran handled this situation with remarkable composure and dignity, but Richard Madeley should apologize or be taken off the air @GMB. Horrible question.
– Liz Jarvis (@LizJarvisUK) October 17, 2023
Eastleigh councilor Ms Jarvis also said the TV presenter “should apologize” for the “appalling question”.
SNP Glenrothes and Central Fife MP Peter Grant wrote: “Dear God. Richard Madeley is trying to suggest that innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the UK knew about the planned massacre in Israel and did nothing about it.”
The PA news agency understands GMB has been in touch with Ms Moran, who told the ITV program she “appreciated” the interview and would appear again.
