A furious debate broke out on GB News today as former editor of the Sun, Kelvin Mackenzie, criticised comments made by Lisa Nandy in her first speech as Culture Secretary.
Nandy told staff at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that the "era of culture wars is over" and changing the "polarisation, division and isolation" of recent years will be her guiding mission.
She has been elected as Keir Starmer's first Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport after the Labour Party won the General Election by a landslide last week.
Speaking on GB News, journalist Judita Dasilva said: "I think what Lisa Nandy is speaking to is what has been happening pretty much across most of the Western world, which is the highlighting of the differences between peoples.
Kelvin Mackenzie argued that nothing is going to change
GB News
"That spurs an animosity between them and really heightens fracture lines between a society. Then you have the kind of contention you have that we saw going into this last election.
"She's saying coming off the back of that, if you move towards pride in Britain, but a Britain that is made up of different communities recognizing them celebrating and the contribution they make to make this Britain great. That's a wonderful thing. That's a beautiful ethos going forward, which is more inclusive of everyone that goes together to populate Britain."
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GB News host Dawn Neeson then highlighted that "the biggest culture divide or culture war at the moment is the gender issue" and added that Nandy once said, "trans women are women and trans men are men and should be accommodated in the prison of their choosing."
MacKenzie explained: "There is no possibility in a free speech world and actually really in a social media world where people are going to agree with each other, what we've discovered is that not only do we get a vote, we have the ability to go on X or Twitter or whatever it is and actually say these things, and it's that issue, which means and that is why I don't even know, by the way, why should you bother saying any of this?
"Because it fundamentally will not be true. People want to have pride in their country, but there is likely to be division based on culture."
Dasilva said: "That's the difference when you're saying that there will always be differences of opinion because people are individuals. I cannot just intrinsically think like you. I'm a different person. It is possible to function with a difference of opinion without being combative with an antagonistic in the process."
Lisa Nandy is the new Culture Secretary PAMackenzie interjected: "That is where I disagree with you."
She added: "But it's the same thing between men and women. Men don't go through what women go through. You have to recognise and respect a difference.
"When you feel respected, you feel understood, you feel you have value. And then you don't feel you're fighting with men or you're combating with men, or there's a contention with men. You understand that you occupy a space of value, that that recognizes your individuality and that can work in tandem."
Judita Dasilva praised the Culture Secretary for her speech
GB News
Mackenzie later fumed back: "Lisa Nandy is very lucky to even be in the job, isn't she? Let's be honest, you once you get culture, the next job is basically pushing a broom outside audits."
He added: "I absolutely guarantee to you that everybody now has a view which is basically at odds with somebody else's view.
"This is this is the world we're in. I mean, and I'm afraid we just have to accept it."