Ed Balls cuts off Edwina Currie as GMB fans slam ‘patronising’ NHS interview

Former health minister Edwina Curry and Dr Hilary debated whether people should be fined for missing GP appointments, but Ed Balls was forced to cut her off after she used up her “allocated time”.

Good Morning Britain’s Dr Hilary stated: “You wouldn’t dream of not turning up for your solicitor appointment because you know you would get charged.

“You wouldn’t dream of not going to your dentist appointment because you would get charged.

“Why do people think, they won’t even bother to tell the doctor that they’re not going? So one appointment for somebody else could have had that time.”

Susanna Reid asked: “What do you think of the idea of making people respect the time of their overworked GP by saying you’re going to get a five-pound fine for instance for not turning up.”

Edwina began to explain: “Dr Hilary and I would agree that we think the NHS is wonderful and that we should keep it, we like it the way it is.

“I personally would do anything to reduce the bureaucracy and some of these suggestions would increase the bureaucracy which would mean the money would be paying the box tickers and bill producers.

“What we need to do is be very practical about the health service, it is one of the biggest employers on the planet, so there aren’t that many spare people in this country.

“The only ones that are bigger are like Indian railways and the Red China Army, we have a very huge organisation in a country of 67 million people.

“I would like to see us upskill the people who are there, we have done it once already when we took ambulance drivers into paramedics.

“I would like us to see us take the healthcare assistants in hospitals and the porters and the cleaners and the catering staff and upskilling them to do more and take more of the work.”

At the end of the interview, Ed and Susanna were forced to cut Edwina off, as Ed quipped: “You have had your eight-minute slot, you are well and truly over your allocated time.”

Viewers of the ITV show were left divided on what Edwina was suggesting and took to their Twitter accounts.

User @PERSIMONE commented: “Our Edwina wants everyone to do it for free #gmb.”

@Lucy_cat_lady said: “I do try to be kind to everybody even if their points of view don’t match mine but I’m willing to make an exception for Edwina Currie.

“Please stop dragging her onto mainstream tv, I can’t imagine anyone cares about her odious, irrelevant, badly thought-out views. #gmb.” (sic)

@domain_harry penned: “Don’t speak to Edwina, you’ll only encourage her #gmb.”

@wrinklytimelord stated: “Edwina patronising as per #GMB.”

@theputneyfalcon fumed: “Curry knows nothing if she thinks ‘upskilling NHS staff’ is a radical new idea. The problem is, they’re expecting to do it for free. #GMB.” (sic)

Not all viewers were against her suggestion, with @TillyNilly agreeing: “Well said Edwina. She gave a doable solution without spending a huge amount of money to recruit and train new people.” (sic)

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.