ITV GMB guest sparks outrage with shoplifter defence amid ‘scumbag’ warning row: ‘An absolute disgrace!’
A television guest who defended shoplifters live on screens sparked outrage on Monday during a fiery debate.
Former police officer and activist Chantelle Lunt appeared argued that calling shoplifters terms such as “scumbag” is wrong given the various circumstances surrounding the person’s motive for stealing.
The debate came after a shopkeeper was understood to have been visited by police over a sign in their store referring to shoplifters as “scumbags”.
“I think that shoplifting is a real broad spectrum, and right now we’ve got a cost of living crisis that’s not only seeing mothers stealing formula, that’s gone up by 45 percent, but also the other end of the spectrum, the elderly are stealing more,” Lunt stated on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
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“This is a clothing store, so he’s not selling formula,” host Richard Madeley pointed out.
“It is, so context matters,” Lunt replied. “And I don’t agree that it’s a hate crime, but I do think the calling people ”scumbags,’ calling people ‘filth,’ and ‘lower than the low’ at a time when we are seeing eye watering profit and a living wage-“
“Hang on,” Madeley cut in, adding: “I could see your argument if he wasn’t running a second-hand clothes store, and he was in a chemist or a pharmacy, where some people are driven to steal from shops. But in his case, they are scumbags aren’t they?”
“I take your point, but I don’t think as business professionals we should be perpetuating a language that is essentially shaming and problematising people and when we know we’ve got this broad spectrum,” Lunt noted.
“Because essentially, we want to know what’s causing the problem.”
“If you get home after this programme and find that you’ve been burgled and the place has been trashed, I bet you do some fruity language about them,” Madeley assumed.
“So I have actually been burgled in the past, and it is a horrendous, horrific thing,” Lunt explained.
“But personally, as someone who has been on the other end of the spectrum, who’s been homeless, who’s been in poverty, I’d be more interested in saying, ‘Why did you do that? Why did you steal that? Can you afford formula?
“‘Can you afford bread? because it’s essentials that we’re seeing stolen more and more.”
Presenter Kate Garraway shared: “Plenty of our viewers have got in touch to say, ‘I don’t really care if people that steal are offended. In fact, a little bit of offense and a little bit of shame is quite helpful.'”
On the other side of the debate, Pastor Mick Fleming, former shoplifter turned bishop argued: “I think you’re absolutely correct – you can’t eat socks, you can’t eat jackets.
“Also the language that’s being used is working class language that shop lifters will understand.
“If you take that language away, it doesn’t work, it becomes ineffective and that’s what’s happening here in this case what you’re saying is you’re looking to bring a fairer society, the only thing is fairness doesn’t exist.
“It’s not fair that children die, it’s not fair that people are hungry, but you’re using something like fairness as a measuring stick – it doesn’t exist, it’s not real.”
“So we shouldn’t try for a fairer society, is that what you’re saying, pastor?” Lunt asked, continuing: “We shouldn’t try to help children not be starving? We’re living in Dickensian times-“
“It doesn’t exist!” Fleming argued as Lunt went on: “We have Victorian-era illnesses like rickets go up by more than 40pc, that is a sign of poverty and malnutrition.”
“It doesn’t exist. We shouldn’t be using it,” Fleming repeated as Garraway noted: “But she wants to try for a fairer society.”
Viewers soon got in touch in the comments on X to express their bewilderment.
One penned: “No, it is not offensive, it is actually extremely mild. I actually found your female guest offensive, she refused to let the gentleman speak, continually talking over him, not allowing him to present his counter views.”
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“Theft is theft……how can this woman defend the indefensible?” a second asked.
“Her position on this is quite frankly offensive. The impact of shoplifting is affecting shopworkers, owners & the public,” someone else noted.
“Another apologist. We’re in the mess we’re in because of the apologists,” one outrage fan added.
Another shared: “Ex police officer now an ‘activist.’ Says it all. She is an absolute disgrace, no wonder the police are such shambles with her as an example. Better off without her.”
“I am so sick of these people defending criminals. Feeling sorry for them seeing them as poor souls. What about the true victim the shop keeper trying to feed his family. Small businesses struggle with cost of living too. Most shoplifting is for profit and done in scale,” one more wrote.