Piers Morgan in showdown with UKIP's Bill Etheridge during live TV clash

Morgan challenge UKIP's West Midlands MEP during a feisty interview on Good Morning Britain.

He challenged Mr Etheridge over his policy on holding a referendum to bring back the death penalty, and was told by the MEP that the majority of polls supported a vote on the issue.

Mr Etheridge, who is also a Dudley councillor, argued: "Actually, this is democracy, give the people a say.

"For too long the politicians have kept things to themselves and not represented the people properly. Give the people a say and respect their views."

He asked: "Don't you trust the British people, Piers?" To which the presenter responded: "No."

Again referring to a possible referendum on capital punishment after the interview, Mr Morgan went on to say that 'if you ask the question, you're going to get the wrong answer', adding: "Don't trust the British people with anything like that!"

Mr Etheridge, who is a candidate to become the next leader of Ukip, told the Express & Star: "This sneering establishment figure has made it perfectly clear that he holds the British public in complete contempt when it comes to making decisions that affect people's daily lives.

"His comments reveal a breathtaking level of arrogance on his part. He seems to think the electorate are too stupid to make any important choices and that the voice of the public does not matter as much as his opinion. I happen to believe in democracy."

The pair's clash met with mixed responses from Twitter users. One, barefootmower, tweeted: "Ukip's Bill Etheridge making Piers Morgan look reasonable and civilised."

Meanwhile Morgan tweeted: "The people should decide in elections not endless referendums."