Bristol's Alex Beresford calls out Piers Morgan during heated Good Morning Britain debate on knife crime

Bristol's Alex Beresford called out Piers Morgan during a heated debate on knife crime on ITV's Good Morning Britain.

The weatherman, who grew up in Eastville, launched into a passionate speech following another week of deaths as a result of knife crime on UK streets.

He hit back at John Apter, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, who said more prisons should be built to act as a deterrent.

Shouting across the studio, the GMB weatherman said: "Prison doesn't work though. It does not work.

"I've grown up in some of these communities you guys are talking about. Prison is not a deterrent. Some of these boys don't fear prison.

"If you don't change the environment you wont change anything and that's the key thing.

"This has been happening for years. And it's not always in the media. It won't change. It's going to take several things to come together. Yes policing is one thing."

He continued: "At the end of the day, if you don't change these boys' environment.

"All of you guys on that side have benefited from the environment you've grown up in. You've benefited from this work environment. I've benefited from it.

"But these boys, not all of them get to benefit from the enivironment. If we don't show them something else you won't change it, sorry."

Piers Morgan argued there needed to be a two-pronged attack on the cause and on those deciding to carry "large killing devices".

In response, Alex said: "Often you don't catch them Piers. Avon and Somerset Police I know for a fact do knife sweeps.

"Often you get the innocent young black boy who gets stopped by police and gets frustrated. We've all seem them on social media where they get arrested because they can't control their anger.

"That's how that relationship with the police breaks down."

Mr Beresford's passionate outburst attracted praise online including from Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, who described it as a "powerful intervention".

Source https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/piers-morgan-good-morning-britain-2610865