Naga Munchetty has been championed by viewers for 'doing what needed to be done' after she locked horns with an MP live on BBC Breakfast on Friday, as others shut down accusations that she was being 'too biased' in favour of the Government.
The popular news anchor was back on the morning show's famous red sofa as it rounded off another week, with Naga and co-star Charlie Stayt addressing the furore over a tweet the Labour party posted about prime minister Rishi Sunak. The controversial post read: "Do you think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn’t."
BBC hosts Naga and Charlie were joined via video call by shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell to discuss the offending tweet and, going straight for the jugular, Naga asked her: "“Do you believe that Rishi Sunak doesn’t think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison?”
The politician replied: "Well look what I do know, Naga, that the figures that we’ve uncovered around those convicted with serious sexual assault are pretty startling."
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She continued: ""And also, figures of those who are found guilty of sharing or producing or selling child pornography material, up to 16,000 people in those cases, are also not facing custodial sentences in recent years.
"And I think people would be pretty appalled by that and that’s what we’re highlighting today."
Not content with her answer, Naga put Powell on the spot again, asking for a second time: "You’ve explained those figures but my question to you, though is whether you believe Rishi Sunak believes people convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison?"
After Powell again was non committal with her response, Naga became more and more frustrated, firing back: "No I'm sorry you’re telling me what you know but you are the shadow secretary for the state of digital culture media and sport. Do you stand by this tweet?"
Powell told her: "Well, what I stand by is what that graphic is trying to show which is the prime minister of our country is in charge of the criminal justice system
Viewers flooded Twitter with support for Naga, with one tweeting: "I like Naga. I also like the fact that she's managed to wind up the 'BBC are biased towards the left' AND the 'BBC are biased towards the right' lots this morning. Smart cookie."
Not a fan of Naga's approach, another reacted: "True colours shown again here from the BBC & of course Naga, impartial my backside!" But, quick to defend her, another viewer directly responded: "She was bang on. Lucy Powell was talking utter c**p and not answering the question.
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