On GMB today, politician Jake Berry clarified comments he made regarding the cost of living crisis and viewers weren’t impressed.
In an interview with Sky News recently, the Tory Chairman said that those struggling with bills can “get a higher salary, higher wages, go out there and get that new job”.
Unsurprisingly, viewers were left fuming and his apology has only sparked more uproar today.
The MP for Rossendale and Darwen caused outrage on Sunday (October 2) as he spoke to Sky News in the wake of the cost of living crisis.
GMB today
Defending his party and their mini-budget, Jake Berry told Sky News: “People know that when their bills arrive, they can either cut their consumption or they can get a higher salary, higher wages, go out there and get that new job.”
The comments caused outrage on social media, with Berry’s name trending and thousands of tweets posted.
In response to this uproar, Berry appeared on Good Morning Britain today to address his remarks.
Berry told presenters Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard he accepted that his comments were “clumsy”.
He said that they were part of a “larger interview” and that he was sorry if viewers had “misinterpreted” them.
He added: “The real point I was trying to make probably in a terrible and very clumsy way was that the approach of the government is to grow the economy to ensure that families when they receive things like their energy bills don’t have that huge bill shock.”
I accept they were ever so clumsy and I’m sorry if people have misinterpreted it.
In spite of his attempt to apologise, it’s safe to say that people were not happy. If anything, his apology has caused more outrage.
Several fuming viewers took to twitter following Berry’s appearance on Good Morning Britain to make their feelings known.
What did viewers have to say?
“Jake Berry should get on his bike, IMHO,” tweeted one furious viewer.
“‘Apology’ not accepted. You said what you meant,” wrote another, following up with an expletive.
“Inexcusable arrogance!” criticised someone else.
A fourth described it as a “car crash interview”.
Read More: This Morning criticise ‘out of touch’ presenters amid cost of living crisis discussion: ‘Stop pretending you care’
Mainly, viewers were keen to point out that his “apology” was not an apology at all.
“So no apology. It’s your fault for not understanding his offensive words,” one person tweeted.
“Jake Berry not so much apologised but blamed others for misunderstanding,” pointed out another.
“People haven’t misinterpreted what you said Jake Berry. You said people on low income jobs to get better paid jobs. What’s there to get confused over with that statement?” a third agreed, tagging the MP @JakeBerry.
Someone else tweeted: “Apologising if people have misinterpreted his comment is not the same as him actually apologising for his comment.”
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am to 9am.
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