bosses are confronting a growing row ‘at the very top’ after Ed Balls was accused of 'whataboutery' over a controversial interview in the wake of the Golders Green antisemitic arson attack.
The former Labour cabinet minister
During the interview, Balls cited criticism of Muslim prayer in Trafalgar Square and asked whether such language risked causing division in the Jewish community.
He said: ‘When you see last week the shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy singling out the mayor of London, , for praying in Trafalgar Square in a Muslim group and saying that is wrong and shouldn't happen, isn't that the kind of intolerance and divisiveness which is causing problems in the Jewish community right now?’
Forman replied: ‘I think the shadow justice secretary was going to a point that many people in this country feel about Islamist extremism.
‘I won’t get drawn into a debate about whether his words were right or wrong. We are here to talk about the antisemitic attack this morning in the Jewish community.
Ed Balls (left) sparked the backlash during a tense on-air exchange with antisemitism campaigner Dov Forman (right)
Forman said: ‘I won’t get drawn into a debate about whether his words were right or wrong. We are here to talk about the antisemitic attack this morning in the Jewish community'
‘Certainly, we need to be careful with our words, but there are people - including many in the Jewish community – who are worried about the spread of Islamist extremism, which is running rampant.’
The exchange prompted an immediate backlash, with critics accusing Balls of engaging in ‘whataboutery’ rather than focusing on the antisemitic attack itself.
A well-placed source told the Daily Mail the row is being dealt with ‘at the very top’ with ITV bosses discussing whether Balls should issue an apology for his remarks.
Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick branded the interview ‘deeply unpleasant,’ and said Balls was ‘absolutely clueless.’
He said: ‘In one ridiculous question, Ed Balls reveals himself to be absolutely clueless.
‘Engaging in whataboutery with a young antisemitism campaigner at the scene of an antisemitic attack is deeply unpleasant.’
The Campaign for Media Standards also criticised the segment, saying the focus of the interview should have remained on antisemitism and the recent attack rather than wider political debates.
Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick branded the interview ‘deeply unpleasant'
In a post on X, the group said viewers would have expected ‘focused questions about the rise and threat of antisemitism in the UK’ following the incident, rather than a shift towards discussion of criticism of public Muslim prayer events.
They added: ‘This isn’t balance or insight; it’s poor journalism that misses the point and dilutes the seriousness of antisemitism.’
Meanwhile, a GMB spokesperson said: 'The intention behind Ed’s question was to ask whether a culture of intolerance was placing Jews at greater risk of harm in the UK. We regret any misunderstanding and apologise for any offence caused.'
The row comes in the wake of a suspected antisemitic arson attack in Golders Green, north London, which saw four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer organisation Hatzola .
The force of the explosions – believed to have been caused by gas canisters onboard the ambulances – shattered windows in a nearby block of flats, while residents were evacuated as a precaution. No one was injured.
Scotland Yard said on Wednesday that two men, aged 47 and 45, had been arrested by counter-terror detectives at addresses in north west London on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
The Metropolitan Police is believed to be hunting for a third suspect and has vowed 'to identify and seek to arrest all of those who may have been involved'.
An Islamist militant group linked to Iran has claimed responsibility for the attack, along with a string of other firebombings across Europe.
But security experts have said there is no evidence to verify the claim by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.
Balls, who has been part of Good Morning Britain’s rotating guest presenter line-up since 2021, has previously
Complaints were raised in 2024 after he .
Complaints from viewers of GMB erupted when Balls interviewed his own wife - former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper - after she made an appearance on the programme in August
The head of the Foreign Office Yvette Cooper, whose focus is currently dominated by the escalating crisis in the Middle East and the Gulf
Three young girls were stabbed to death, and ten others seriously
Ms Cooper's appearance on the show led to a barrage of objections on social media.
Many thought that Cooper got an 'easy ride,’ with Balls staunchly defending his partner and the government during the interview.
One furious critic wrote to the show: 'How could you let Ed Balls ?! That's not journalism, that's a cosy little chat between spouses. Biased doesn't even begin to cover it.'
Sources on Good Morning Britain told the Daily Mail the interview plunged the show into 'crisis' as they saw a number of their viewers complain to Ofcom about bias in their political coverage. The television regulator recorded 16,000 complaints about the programme.
'It all went pretty crazy, the bosses all headed off together,' one source said at the time. 'ITV is so paranoid about what is written on social media about their programmes, they see it as a yardstick of what the viewers think, so they really take it to heart.
'The bosses were fuming. There were some very angry people.'
