Corbyn denies ‘stupid woman’ jibe at PM after misogyny row grips Commons
The Labour leader told MPs he was saying ‘stupid people’ after inaudible TV footage from a heated PMQs went viral on social media.
Jeremy Corbyn was forced to deny calling Theresa May a “stupid woman” as the final Prime Minister’s Questions of the year sparked a heated row over misogyny.
Television cameras picked up the Labour leader saying something to those sat with him after the Prime Minister likened his attempt to force a confidence vote in her to a Christmas pantomime.
The video footage went viral on social media on Wednesday afternoon and sparked a furious debate in the Commons, with Tory MPs demanding Mr Corbyn be brought back to apologise.
“I did not use the words ‘stupid woman’ about the Prime Minister or anyone else, and am completely opposed to the use of sexist or misogynist language in absolutely any form at all.”
Mrs May had suggested Mr Corbyn apologise if he had indeed used “inappropriate language” as the row overshadowed a heated PMQs that focused on the ongoing Brexit impasse.
Speaking on a subsequent visit to Heathrow Airport, the Prime Minister said that with 2018 marking the centenary of women getting the vote she wanted “to see more women encouraged to come into Parliament and not put off by the sort of remarks that they might feel have been said in Parliament”.
She added: “The Speaker made very clear that if a Member of Parliament uses inappropriate language then they should apologise.”
But he triggered a furious response from a slew of female MPs, including Commons leader Andrea Leadsom after refusing to take immediate action because he had not seen the incident.
Mr Corbyn had already left the Commons chamber by the time the points of order were raised and his spokesman later said he had not said anything that required an apology.
He added: “I will naturally take and would be expected to take, the word of any right honourable or honourable member. It’s reasonable to expect the House to do the same.”
Before Mr Corbyn’s statement, Conservative MPs had been quick to attack him, with party chairman Brandon Lewis urging him to either “apologise or clarify”.
Deputy Tory chairman James Cleverly said on Twitter that “this kind of misogynistic language must not be tolerated”, and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: “The mask slips. Jeremy Corbyn’s abuse of the Prime Minister shows what a reactionary misogynist he is.”
Mr Corbyn also faced criticism from his own backbenches, with Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, who has talked publicly about misogynist abuse she has faced on social media, saying: “This is not ok.
“PMQs is a hotbed of emotions but I hope that Jeremy will accept this kind of behaviour isn’t his normal good nature or what we expect of progressive men.”
The Labour leader’s spokesman said afterwards that Mr Corbyn had said “stupid people”, referring generally to MPs who were not taking the issues being debated seriously.
He said he had confirmed the word spoken with the Labour leader personally, adding: “He did not call her a stupid woman and so I don’t think there’s any basis for an apology.”
The footage also prompted the bizarre spectacle of former West Wing star Rob Lowe weighing in on Twitter to give his opinion.
There were audible cries of “shame” and “disgraceful” as Tory former minister Sir Patrick McLoughlin used a point of order during PMQs to suggest Mr Corbyn should “come back into this chamber and apologise”.
Mr Bercow, who hit the headlines in May himself after being accused of calling Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom a “stupid woman”, told MPs that any MP who failed to follow House conventions on conduct had a responsibility to apologise.
He then clashed with Mrs Leadsom after she raised a point of order over an incident involving the Speaker.
After repeated jeers and banging from Tory MPs, Mr Bercow said: “I dealt with that point months ago in remarks that I made to the House of Commons to which Ms Leadsom in our various meetings since has made no reference and which requires from the chair today no elaboration whatsoever.”
Tory backbencher Anna Soubry also questioned his response, saying: “If it was one of my male colleagues on this side of the house that had used that expression against a woman on the front bench of the opposition, you sir would take action immediately.”
