Ed Miliband's 'painful' BBC Breakfast interview forces viewers to 'switch off'

BBC Breakfast viewers switched off while Labour MP Ed Miliband was being interviewed by Charlie Stayt. The 54-year-old politician appeared on Thursday's instalment (July 25) of the BBC programme to explain GB Energy.

Naga Munchetty revealed the government will present the Great British energy bill in the House of Commons today. Labour first announced plans two years ago whilst in opposition.

GB energy will be a publicly owned company, operating and investing in energy projects. It will be able to build new wind farms and invest in privately owned renewable schemes.

However, it will not supply power to homes and businesses. Miliband shared Labour's hopes to tackle the cost of living crisis, suggesting GB Energy will be one solution.

He explained that GB Energy is one of the most important ways to help get the country off dependence on fossil fuels and generate wealth.

Charlie probed the Energy Secretary on when GB Energy will make profit, when people's bills will start coming down and in what time period the company will have a positive impact on the country.

Viewers immediately claimed that Labour's aims are "unachievable" as they took to social media to complain. One wrote: "Labour’s Ed Miliband just unambiguously promised a clean National Grid by 2030. UNACHIEVABLE nonsense. Yet not one single question by BBC presenter about WHY Miliband thinks CO2 is bad. A conspiracy of ignorance."

A second agreed: "Listening to Ed Miliband on BBC about #RenewableEnergy & #GBEnergy. He made an example of the cheapest renewable energy being Wind, is it the “cheapest” because it’s the least reliable?"

While others complained about Charlie's approach to the interview. One fumed: "This interview was painful. @Ed_Miliband explained many times how ROI works. It's a solid plan that has industry backing, will create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign states for gas/oil and progress us towards clean energy. Why was the interview so aggressive / negative?"

Revealing they were switching off, another commented: "A shockingly negative interview by Charlie Stayt. You repeatedly deliberately misinterpreted what Miliband said. This initiative can only be a good thing and should be welcomed. Back to GMTV for me I think."

Also hitting out at the presenter, a third declared: "Charlie Stayt tried his hardest to find issues and trip Milliband up, and frankly was an embarrassment. A good example of why I now rarely ever watch BBC Breakfast!"

BBC Breakfast airs every day at 6am.