cashing in
Susanna Reid forced to defend her high salary in heated Good Morning Britain debate over MPs’ pay
SUSANNA Reid has been forced to defend how much TV presenters earn during a heated Good Morning Britain debate.
The breakfast show host, 50, is believed to make more than £1m a year - with a reported net worth of £7m, according to CelebWorth.net.
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Commenting on a claim that MPs should be paid more, Susanna said today: "On the day Universal Credit is cut for thousands of people across the country, Sir Peter Bottomley says MPs who are paid £82,000 a year should be the same as GPs whose average salary is £100,700."
Guest and former Conservative MP Michael Portillo, 68, cut in, saying: "Or TV presenters? What about that?
"What if they were paid the same as TV presenters? Would that be a good one?"
Defending TV presenters' notoriously high wages, Susanna argued: "Well, the difference is, of course, that TV presenters aren't paid out of the public purse on this channel.
"So, I'm not sure the comparison applies."
Michael asked: "But are you saying that because people work in the public sector there can be no market consideration?"
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Appearing to back down, Susanna said: "I'm not saying anything...
"If Sir Peter Bottomley is struggling on £82,000 a year then I think he has the perfect right to say that and express that view."
Michael replied: "Let me say what I think is a fairly serious point, which is that MPs get the same amount of money whatever age they are.
";So if you went into the House of Commons at 26 and £82,000 then you think this is fantastic because you were stacking shelves the week before or whatever.
"But when you're over 70 with all those years of seniority..."
"There's not progression," agreed Susanna.
Michael continued: "But if you were in the private sector he'd have been making a lot more."
In 2019, Susanna's former co-host Piers Morgan tried to push her into admitting she's a millionaire.
The 56-year-old - who has an estimated net worth of £13million - promoted hard work over "rich person envy" as he encouraged her to celebrate her wealth.
The debate was sparked when Piers revealed he loves spending Christmas Eve having a shopping spree in the food hall of plush Knightsbridge department store Harrods.
Poking fun at her co-host, Susanna said: "You've got the common touch, Piers. Do you go in to buy your goose, or your partridge and the pear tree?"
"There's a thing about billionaire, or rich person envy," said Piers.
"I have done well for myself.
"I came from a good, hardworking family where both parents worked seven days a week in a country pub to give us a living.
"They instilled in all of us a work ethic. That's what life is really about.
"Then if you're successful then people should enjoy and celebrate that, not want to scratch your car with a coin, which is a very British thing to do."
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Susanna joked: "I must stop doing that", before Piers added: "I find the politics of envy about successful people really annoying.
"You're a millionaire, but you hate to admit it. If you die tomorrow of starvation from your vegan diet and we sold everything you have, you'd be a millionaire."
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