BBC Breakfast fans 'switch off' as Sally Nugent sparks fury in 'car crash' Shapps row

Grant Shapps was grilled over the defence budget by Sally Nugent (Image: BBC)

BBC Breakfast turned tense as Grant Shapps clashed with Sally Nugent after he suggested that budget cuts would be made to the civil service to make room for extra defence spending. He revealed that he was planning to "take the size of the civil service down by 72,000" - and Sally's reaction as she interrogated him saw viewers threaten to switch to GB News instead.

Taking to Twitter, viewers expressed their annoyance. One exclamed: "The #bbcbreakfast presenter Sally Nugent baring her teeth at the Minister of Defence Grant Shapps. Total unnecessary aggression, switch to GB News where presenters are just a little bit more respectful of ALL their guests."

Another groaned: "@BBCPolitics have given up on impartiality!" A third then quizzed: "Why do you watch the BBC?"

However, the original poster returned to defend: "Because I live with someone who watches the BBC, he also watches GB News. I don't want to live in an echo chamber."

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Yesterday, Shapps had announced: "Today’s £75 billion uplift in defence spending is an undeniable message to Britain’s enemies. Leaving no doubt of our resolve to protect Britain from the threats of a more dangerous world."

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Grant Shapps speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning (Image: BBC)

However, Sally was unimpressed as she fired back in the TV studio this morning, arguing that head counts in the army have dropped.

Shapps insisted that Britain boasts the second largest budget in NATO after the USA - and suggested that the defence spending boost would be used to improve things like accommodation standards for staff.

However, an unamused looking Sally arched her eyebrows as she quizzed: "Let's talk about the £75 billion shall we? How are you going to find this money? Where is it going to come from?"

It emerged that 72,000 jobs will be lost as the number of civil servants is to be slashed to take Britain back to "pre-pandemic levels".

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Sally Nugent looked unimpressed over Grant Shapps' budget announcement (Image: BBC) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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The interview between the pair was branded a "car crash" by viewers, as one poked fun at the debate on Twitter, writing: "When is 'extra' really 'extra'. Um, er, can’t answer!"

The stormy exchange comes after Rishi Sunak commented on Tuesday about heightened tensions over the likes of Russia, North Korea, Iran and China.

The nations are thought to be investing in more drones and cyber capabilites, which could pose a serious threat to the UK's security.

It was also announced this week that planes flying over Baltic airspace have been affected by suspected GPS jamming, with Russia thought to be responsible.

Grant insisted today that the budget announcement he has made is for the best - but Sally wasn't sure if the numbers added up.

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