Carol Vorderman has commended TV writer John O'Farrell for his "superb" handling of a challenging interview with Laura Kuenssberg.
The incident unfolded on the recent episode of 'Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg', where the presenter pressed O'Farrell about Labour's response to the investigation into Angela Rayner. The deputy leader of the party is under police scrutiny over allegations that she did not provide the correct address on her official documents, reports the Mirror.
A statement from a Labour representative read: "Angela welcomes the chance to set out the facts with the police. We remain completely confident that Angela has complied with the rules at all times and it's now appropriate to let the police do its work."
The inquiry also touches on whether Rayner paid the right amount of tax when she sold her council property, which she acquired in Greater Manchester in 2007.
John O'Farrell, known for his work on programmes like Spitting Image and Have I Got News for You, addressed the issue by saying: "I think this is such a ridiculous non-story. And when we're sitting here and we've got war in Ukraine, war in the Middle East and we're talking about something that happened that long ago, something that the police could only prosecute within the first year after it happening."
"This was in the FT yesterday, that if the police were going to take any action about these alleged financial misdemeanours, that would have had to have been in the first year. So everyone in Manchester right now, I hope all the crimes that you've endured have been sorted, because Manchester Police are spending time on this.
"And Laura, I have to say, for you as a broadcaster, for the BBC here to keep spending time on this, and to have Yvette Cooper sit here and come and talk about violence against women and girls, and that to take second place to this bit of gossip."
Laura retaliated: "I think a lot of viewers will think that Greater Manchester Police aren't exactly a bunch of pussycats who just investigate something because a Tory MP tells them to."
Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Carol shared her support for John's remarks. She wrote: "Author, @haveigotnews writer @mrjohnofarrell was superb on #bbclaurak this morning.....brilliant. Robbie Gibb, the Tory "plant" on the BBC Board, would have hated it. Marvellous."
Another viewer agreed: "Her face was a picture she couldn't shut him up quickly enough trying to talk over him. About time someone spoke out about the 'gossip' and said there are real issues to talk about good for him." While someone else said: "Finally Laura and the BBC challenged on this ridiculous pursuit of a non-story. I hope this blows up in Conservative faces big time!"
