A furious debate broke out today between two mums as they discussed parents allowing their children to travel on their own, with TV personality Nicola McLean exclaiming "look what happened to Jay Slater."
It comes as Kirstie Allsopp, presenter of Location, Location, Location!, has been questioned by social services after revealing she allowed her 15-year-old son to go interrailing across Europe.
Speaking on GB News, McLean said that she would not allow her son to travel without a guardian.
She said: "We look at Jay Slater, kids make mistakes. Kids are kids. My 18-year-old is still a kid.
Nicola McLean said she would not allow her child to travel alone
GB News
"He still needs me. They will make mistakes, so let them make mistakes when they're close enough for me to help them out.
"I know the things that I was doing at 15 and obviously we're in a different generation.
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"My 14-year-old isn't the same character as me, he is really, really super independent. But is he old enough to make correct choices on his own around Europe? Of course he's not, because fundamentally he's a child."
However, actress Debbie Arnold furiously disagreed, claiming "you have got to know your children."
She said: "We don't allow any sort of freedom to our children, we take them to school. We do everything these days. I mean, my daughter, my grandsons are like that. They're treated with kid gloves.
"They really are. I went to boarding school. My friends used to travel from the age of 10 years old from places like Kenya, South Africa, all over the place, back to England by themselves.
The debate got very heated as Debbie Arnold said that parents "overprotective"
GB News
"I think she obviously knows her son. I think it's all about the child that you have, the trust that you have in them.
"She obviously trusted him, and I think that's what's gone out the window. I don't think we're listening to our kids.
"One of my grandsons who wants to cycle to school. No, we can't let him do that. It's three yards down the road.
"Don't you think we're too overprotective these days?"
Debbie Arnold said that she "obviously trusted her child"
GB News
Speaking after her questioning, the TV presenter said: "I just felt sick – absolutely sick. Then I was cross. I was very, very cross. It was just so extraordinary.
"I was in a parallel universe where they were actually taking this seriously.
"I have broken no law and nothing about allowing my child to travel around Europe is neglectful."
