Money saving expert Martin Lewis apologises for gatecrashing GMB interview with Kemi Badenoch, admitting 'you handled it far better than I would have'

Money saving expert Martin Lewis has apologised for gatecrashing Kemi Badenoch's interview on Good Morning Britain.

The Conservative Party leader was 'ambushed' by Mr Lewis as she discussed plans to cut student loan repayments for struggling graduates with GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls. 

Mrs Badenoch was being questioned by the former Labour minister on her proposal to cut 100,000 low quality university places, and redirect the money to reduce the staggering interest rates on student loans. 

However while they spoke, Mr Lewis walked unannounced on to the set and began lecturing her on the need to increase the salary threshold at which repayments start.  

The money saving champion has since apologised to Mrs Badenoch, writing on X: 'Dear @KemiBadenoch, apologies for gate crashing your @GMB interview today.

'Student loans are so life-impacting that I wanted to ensure the key point was made - that financially, if not psychologically, the repayment threshold is a bigger issue than the interest. 

'Thank you for being so courteous after the interruption - you handled it far better than I would have done the other way round. I have asked my office to request a meeting, if you are available, to discuss this more calmly.' 

Mrs Badenoch accepted Mr Lewis's apology, posting on X: 'Hi @MartinSLewis, thank you. I really appreciate that, and honestly, don't worry. I do love a feisty debate! It helps people understand what the real issues are. 

'You and I agree on the principle: student loans have become a scam. It took me eight years to pay mine off. I made my last payment in 2011, and I remember how happy I was, and my debt was only £14,000. I can't imagine what it's like to be a young person with £40,000 debt today.

'Whatever the Coalition government brought in back in 2012, it's clearly not working for the world in 2026. So I'd genuinely love to come on your show and debate my plan vs yours.' 

After Mr Lewis arrived unannounced, he and Mr Balls began speaking at Mrs Badenoch on live TV as she struggled to get a word in edgeways. 

Eventually Mrs Badenoch told them: 'If you want us to have a debate I'm very happy for us to have a debate. I think people need to know what it is I am talking about, you're both talking over me, excuse me, let me explain what my policy is.'

After receiving a quiet apology from Mr Balls she went on: 'I want to make sure that those young people who are paying and paying and their debt is not going down get a relief. If you think there is a better offer, let's look at it.'

She added that Rachel Reeves freezing the thresholds meant 'the whole student loan system is not working properly and someone has to do something', adding: 'The thing that shocks me is that the minute I say 'well let's do something', everyone says 'ah well no, no, no, this is not right'. We are going round in circles.' 

Viewers jumped on the behaviour shown by the two men, with one saying: 'UK TV has really hit a low when this kind of behaviour has become acceptable. What happened to manners?'

Another said: 'Ambushing, shouting and screaming at people is not a solution.'

Mr Lewis apologised for gatecrashing her appearance, adding: 'Thank you for being so courteous after the interruption - you handled it far better than I would have the other way round'

Mrs Badenoch accepted Mr Lewis's apology, while adding to her post on X: 'I do love a feisty debate!'

While she was being questions by Mr Balls, Mr Lewis bounded unannounced on to the set and began haranguing her increasing the salary threshold at which repayments start

Anger has been growing at the huge interest rates on so-called 'Plan B' loans, with many former students highlighting that their debt is rising despite being in good jobs. 

Interest on Plan 2 loans is charged at the rate of RPI inflation plus up to 3 per cent, depending on how much a graduate earns. 

The issue has been fuelled by Rachel Reeves announcing at the November Budget that the salary thresholds at which repayments kick in are being frozen at £29,385 for three years.

The Conservatives said they would restrict the rate to RPI only to help higher numbers of graduates pay off their debt. 

When Mrs Badenoch raised this point on GMB, Mr Lewis said lowering the rate now 'will only help those who can clear (their debt) within the 30 years which means lower and middle earning graduates wont benefit from that change'.

'If you have a billion pounds to help students, the most direct thing that would help all students would be not freezing the repayment threshold, it would be increasing the repayment threshold. While the interest rate is psychologically damaging, I absolutely agree with you, it is really damaging for many people watching...'

Mrs Badenoch interrupted saying: 'I just don't think this is fair on young people. I'm sorry Martin, I strongly disagree.

'Many of these young people have gone to university and taken out courses that were not worth the money, that's why we're also talking about apprenticeships. I also did an apprenticeship, I remember more about the apprenticeship than I do the two degrees, so I'm speaking from experience. 

'I did an apprenticeship, I had two degrees, I paid off student loans, I know what it's like an I think this is the best thing. We have got to start reforming the system and making it better. 

'We can have an argument about the technical details but this is about the principle. 

'What is happening right now is wrong and someone needs to fix it - Conservatives are the only party who have an answer.'

Later she tweeted: 'Really good to debate Martin Lewis this morning. 

'We both want to see the student loan burden brought down, while Labour hike it up. 

'I'm sticking up for young people in the student loan trap, because no-one else in politics is.'

And Mr Lewis apologised for gatecrashing her appearance, adding: 'Thank you for being so courteous after the interruption - you handled it far better than I would have the other way round.'

The Tory leader replied: 'Thank you. I really appreciate that, and honestly, don't worry. I do love a feisty debate! It helps people understand what the real issues are.'

The party also wants to cut the number of university entrants by 100,000, which they say would save the Government £3.6billion, and fund the same number of extra apprenticeships for 18 to 21-year-olds, as part of a 'new deal for young people'.    

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson squirmed yesterday as she was grilled on the situation, insisting she will 'look' at the arrangements. 

Speaking to broadcasters on Sunday, Ms Phillipson said it was 'galling that the very people who designed, implemented and delivered that system are now complaining about the fundamental problems that they see within it'.

She also hit out at suggestions to reduce the number of people entering university, which she said were coming from those who 'had the benefits of a university education' themselves and wanted to deny it to others.

'I'm not in the business of pulling up the drawbridge behind me and saying to other young people who are ambitious, who want a chance to go to university, that they're going on to study on poor-quality courses,' Ms Phillipson said.

Asked whether the Government would change the Plan 2 system, over which critics have accused the Treasury of acting like a 'loan shark', she told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'I will look at it, of course I will.'

Ms Phillipson insisted that graduates in their 30s were being supported in other ways, citing an expansion in free childcare, a freeze on rail fares and 'investment in housing'.

Challenged on whether the Government would ease the repayments specifically, she told Sky News' Sunday Morning Trevor Phillips: 'I get the problem. I see the issue.

'In reality as a Government, you have to look at a question of priorities, and what you can do and how fast you can do it, and given the shape of what we have in the public finances this is really hard.'

Earlier in February, the National Union of Students (NUS) gathered in Westminster to call on the Chancellor to reverse the decision to freeze the repayment threshold for Plan 2 student loans.

NUS president Amira Campbell said previously that the Chancellor should look for solutions to a system in 'dire need of overhaul'.

Source link