SITDOWN PROTESTER WHO CHOSE TO WALK
M25 ECO-MOB’S LEADER STORMS OFF GMB AFTER COMPARING STAND TO CHURCHILL
A LEADER of the eco-protesters sitting down on the M25 stormed off TV after comparing his stand to Sir Winston Churchill taking on the Nazis – but admitting his own double standards.
Liam Norton, 38, clashed with Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley as he defended Insulate Britain’s bid to make the government pay for work on social housing.
When Susanna pointed out claims that his housing association home is single-glazed, uses gas, and has no wall insulation, he insisted: ‘Whether or not my home is insulated doesn’t change the fact that millions of people’s homes are not insulated.’ He also claimed he ‘lost sleep’ after a woman had a stroke while caught up in a six-hour delay caused by protesters but said: ‘The future of this country is at stake.’
And he bemused the pair when he said: ‘In 1937, do you know how many MPs supported Churchill when he was trying to fight Hitler? Six MPs. Six MPs supported him. And Churchill was right.’
When Richard asked if he was comparing himself to Churchill, Mr Norton insisted: ‘No, I’m putting myself into a historical situation, that not always the public are with you, but you’re still right. We are right now. This is about what’s right and what’s wrong. We’re talking about the future of our country and the destruction of our economy.’
Finally he stood up and stormed off set, adding: ‘I’ve had enough of talking to people about what we’re doing.’
In a reference to a former host’s exit in March after a row over the Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, laughing Richard told viewers: ‘Oh, he’s doing a Piers Morgan!’
Mr Norton once glued his hand to a table in court before later being found guilty of blocking a road at a newspaper print site. He got a conditional discharge.