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Monday’s episode of Loose Women proved to be a tense one as Myleene Klass and Ruth Langsford clashed over the ongoing protests and riots across Britain.
Scenes of chaos and violence in Manchester, Belfast, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, and Hartlepool mirrored the frightening events in Southport last week, as rioters attacked police and a local mosque.
The disorder started after misinformation spread on social media regarding the identity of Southport stabbing suspect Axel Rudakubana, who is accused of murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift dance class.
And it proved to be a contentious issue as Ruth, Myleene, and Gloria traded verbal blows, with Loose Women viewers upset by Ruth and Gloria’s comments during the debate.
After saying ‘nothing justifies’ the violence on display, Gloria argued the riots were attended by ‘ordinary people like ourselves in the mix who really are frustrated about their voice not being heard’.
She continued: ‘I don’t believe every single person in that mix was a far-right [member] or a thug. I think people are frustrated by the migrant situation.’
Ruth then stated that, while she agreed with Gloria that migration ‘underlined’ the scenes over the weekend, the ‘people hurling bricks and bashing the police with faces covered’ were only there in search of a ‘punch-up’.
Despite that, she continued: ‘But skim those people away, and there are people who want to protest peacefully and quietly but want to be heard. In the media it’s being skewed to far-right thugs… but people are worried about saying they’re concerned about immigration because you are labelled a racist.’
On Twitter, user @JULES53685245 said: ‘Tory Ruth showing her true colours too, her and Gloria should be ashamed of themselves.’
In response on the panel, Myleene said: ‘My mother’s from the Philippines. She came as a nurse. My father is from Austria, he became a Navy captain.’
She continued: ‘A lot of people protesting benefit from migration. They drive cars from Germany, wear clothes from Bangladesh and Vietnam, they probably have a curry on a Friday night and have come into contact with a Pakistani doctor.’
However, as Myleene attempted to expand her point and discuss the economic benefits of migration, Ruth interjected: ‘Those might be people who’ve been here for many years. The issue now is that the country is full – it’s groaning under the weight of this.’
Twitter user @Claire001Bush wasn’t happy with the comments made by Ruth and Gloria during the discussion with Myleene, calling them ‘hideous’.
@Mabel_Mouse agreed: ‘The services in this country are groaning under the weight of Tory cuts. I wish people – rich people – would stop gaslighting us.’
Myleene then described debates over migration as a ‘massive firework that everyone’s being [distracted by]’ and criticised a succession of governments for ignoring the needs of people around the country.
@Khomsi_Miriam agreed: ‘Yes Myleene, thank you for speaking the truth. Gloria and Ruth not wanting them to say it how it is.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted representatives of ITV, Ruth Langsford and Gloria Hunniford for comment.
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