Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley has drawn rare praise for grilling chancellor Rachel Reeves for benefits cuts that will push 250,000 people into poverty – while herself receiving free concert and theatre tickets.
On Thursday (27 March), Madeley and co-host Kate Garraway pushed Reeves on her controversial decision to cut benefits, which will leave over a quarter of a million people in poverty, including 50,000 children. There has been widespread backlash to the policy announcement made during her spring budget speech earlier this week.
“When you hear that, do you feel sick inside?” asked Garraway as she read the government’s figures along with a headline that accused the chancellor of “balancing the books on the backs of the poor”.
Reeves responded: “I got involved in politics because I wanted more people to have opportunities, more children to have a good start in life.” She went on to describe the importance of getting young people back into work and referred to her announcement of £1b in funding for tailored support to do so. “The numbers are referring to welfare figures alone without taking into account people going back into work,” she explained.
Garraway hit back: “So you don’t feel sick about it? You feel pleased with it?” Reeves said that the welfare state should “always help people back into work” and “not park people on benefits”.
The presenter asked: “How do 50,000 of those children get work?”
Madeley joined in and confronted Reeves about a suspected tax hike, stating: “You’ve obfuscated one question after question about it, which is what you do. But you haven’t ruled it out. Are we going to see tax rises?” He attempted to bring the chancellor back on track as he shut down her response, saying: “I don’t want to spin off into generalisations.”
He then quizzed the politician on receiving £600 worth of VIP Sabrina Carpenter tickets as well as free theatre tickets, saying she had been “accused of having a tin ear when it comes to receiving freebies”. He said it “looks awful” when considering the climate. Reeves said she had to take the tickets for “security reasons”.
When Garraway asked why the tickets could not be paid for due to a “security concern”, Reeves said that the tickets were unavailable for sale.
Madeley, who is often the target of criticism on social media, received praise for his questioning.
'I am not intending to take concert tickets in the future.'
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 27, 2025
Chancellor Rachel Reeves tells @kategarraway and Richard that she won't accept free tickets in the future. pic.twitter.com/3pRc30Zh6r
“Great interview Richard Madeley,” wrote one person. “You skewered Reeves, she was squirming like a worm! She is unable to see how her behaviour, and greed for freebies is viewed by us 'ordinary' folk, especially after yesterday's ‘doomsday’ message where people are afraid of what lies ahead.”
Another added: “Fantastic interview, Richard Madeley doing a great job by asking right questions we all want answers to.”
“People might not like Richard Madeley but he was good this morning telling Rachel robbing Reeves some home truths” commented another, while one more X/Twitter user wrote: “Well done Richard Madeley for doing a fantastic job”.
“Well done Richard , had stuttering Rachel Reeves on the ropes,” praised another.
But others weren’t as happy at the line of questioning. “I don't know what's more depressing, the fact that Rachel Reeves spring budget is so bad that Richard Madeley of all people is apparently calling her out for it.”
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