Jeremy Corbyn accused of 'stupid woman' jibe at Theresa May

[MenInG]

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing calls to apologise for apparently calling Theresa May a "stupid woman" during Prime Minister's Questions.

The prime minister was mocking Mr Corbyn during heated exchanges, telling him to "look behind you" when he was caught on camera muttering words.

Conservative MPs called on the Labour leader to be ordered to apologise.

Speaker John Bercow said he had not seen the alleged incident and so could not "immediately" rule on it.

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: "He did not call her a stupid woman and so I don't think there's any basis for an apology. As I understand it, he said 'stupid people'."

The spokesman said Mr Corbyn was referring generally to MPs who were not taking the issues being debated seriously.

Asked about lip readers saying that Mr Corbyn had said "stupid woman", he added: "Lip reading is open to doubt - he is adamant he didn't say it."

The Labour leader had "no time for misogynistic statements", the spokesman said, after some Conservatives accused Mr Corbyn of being sexist.

Mr Corbyn had clashed with the prime minister over her Brexit deal, calling her decision last week to delay a vote on it a "deeply cynical manoeuvre" from a "failing" prime minister.

Mrs May hit back at Mr Corbyn, saying he had not tabled his promised no-confidence motion, and had then tabled one that was ineffective.

"I know it's the... pantomime season," she told MPs, "is he going to put a confidence vote? Oh yes he is," she said, prompting backbench Tories MPs to chant "oh no he isn't".

Image copyrightHOC
Continuing the pantomime theme, she told the Labour leader "look behind you - they are not impressed and neither is the country".

Mr Corbyn could be seen saying something under his breath in response.

Former minister Sir Patrick McLoughlin used a point of order to accuse Mr Corbyn of having "muttered" that Theresa May was a "stupid woman".

Cries of "shame" and "disgraceful" were heard from the Tory benches at this point.

Sir Patrick added: "Would it not be appropriate for him to come back into this chamber and apologise?"

The row continued after Prime Minister's Questions, with a string of female Conservative MPs joining in with calls for an apology.

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom turned on the Speaker himself, reminding Mr Bercow of his failure to apologise to her for calling her a "stupid woman" during an incident earlier this year.

Mr Bercow said he had already dealt with that matter.

He repeatedly insisted he wanted to see the evidence before "pronouncing" on Mr Corbyn's "innocence or guilt".

Former minister Anna Soubry suggested Mr Bercow would be more inclined to take action if the words had been uttered by a Conservative frontbencher at a female Labour MP.

Mr Bercow, who was being shouted at and heckled by Tory MPs, responded saying: "I cannot be expected to deprecate the behaviour of an individual which I did not witness."

Tory MP Caroline Johnson said the issue had caused "significant upset" and asked when the Speaker would respond.

Mr Bercow said her request was "reasonable" and he would respond later on Wednesday following government statements on immigration and Yemen.

Veteran Labour MP Margaret Beckett suggested the accusations were party political:


Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse said: "Sexism in any work place is not acceptable and it is time Jeremy Corbyn left the 1980s behind.

"Young women from up and down the country will have watched this exchange today and it is no surprise so many of them are put off participating in politics. If the allegations are true, Jeremy Corbyn must apologise."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46619689

 

[shaaik]

Jeremy Corbyn denies calling Theresa May 'stupid woman' during PMQs

Jeremy Corbyn has refuted claims he called Theresa May a "stupid woman" during Prime Minister's Questions, after he saw himself become embroiled in a misogyny row.

The Labour leader was shown saying something under his breath after Mrs May likened his attempt to force a confidence vote in her earlier this week to a Christmas pantomime.

Making a jibe at Mr Corbyn and accusing him of dithering over calling a no confidence vote in the Government, Mrs May said: "He's going to put a confidence vote. Oh yes he is! Oh no he isn't! I've got some advice... look behind you."

As Mrs May returned to her seat, Mr Corbyn was seen mouthing a response.

However, speaking in the Commons later on Wednesday, Mr Corbyn denied the claims and said his words were "stupid people", referring "to those who I believe were seeking to turn a debate about the national crisis facing our country into a pantomime".


The Labour leader said he "did not use the words 'stupid woman' about the Prime Minister, or anyone else".

The 69-year-old continued: "During Prime Minister's Question Time today, I referred to those who I believe were seeking to turn a debate about the national crisis facing our country into a pantomime as 'stupid people'.

"Mr Speaker 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."

Since Mr Corbyn's alleged comments were made under his breath, Mrs May did not appear to be immediately aware of them.

It was only when the Prime Minister was asked whether it was "appropriate language to call people 'stupid women' in this Chamber?" that members of her Cabinet clustered around her and appeared to explain what they believed had happened, with one pointing to the Labour benches, at which point Mrs May could be heard exclaiming "really?".

In response to the question, Mrs May said: "I think that everybody in this House, particularly in this 100th year anniversary of women getting the vote, should be aiming to encourage women to come into this Chamber, and to stand in this Chamber, and should therefore use appropriate language in this Chamber when they are referring to female Members."


The Labour leader's apparent comments united both sides of the Commons, with both Tory and Labour MPs accusing Mr Corbyn of "misogyny" and calling for him to apologise.

Conservative Party Chair Brandon Lewis called the alleged remarks "shocking" and "unacceptable in any environment".

While Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has talked publicly about misogynist abuse she has faced on social media, wrote on Twitter: "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 #21stcenturycalling".

MPs attempt to show Mr Bercow video of Mr Corbyn's apparent remarks on a mobile phone.
MPs attempt to show Mr Bercow video of Mr Corbyn's apparent remarks on a mobile phone. Credit: UK Parliament/Mark Duffy UK Parliament handout
May says Bercow’s alleged ‘stupid woman’ remarks unacceptable
Commons Speaker John Bercow did not initially see Mr Corbyn's comments and so examined video evidence.

Reporting back to the Chamber on Wednesday afternoon, the Speaker said that after watching the footage, any comments made by Mr Corbyn were "not audible" and since he did not see or hear the incident, nor did the clerks or his private secretary, he could not be "100% certain" what had been said.

Mr Bercow continued that he would "take the word" of Mr Corbyn, who has denied the allegations made against him.

This prompted the Leader of the Commons, Andrea Leadsom, to make a point of order, telling the Chamber she was "deeply disappointed" that Mr Corbyn had not apologised to the Prime Minister.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Leadsom made another point of order, tackling Mr Bercow over allegations he called her a "stupid woman" in May.

"If individuals who are found to have made unwelcome remarks should apologise, why it is that when an opposition member found that you had called me a 'stupid woman', you did not apologise in this chamber?" Ms Leadsom asked the Speaker.

After repeated jeers and banging from Tory MPs, Mr Bercow said: "No no I'll deal with the point.

"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."

The Speaker added that "the matter has been treated of and I am leaving it there".

Last updated Wed 19 Dec 2018

https://www.itv.com/news/2018-12-19...to-call-theresa-may-stupid-woman-during-pmqs/

 

[MenInG]

Corbyn would have gotten away with it if PM was a man?

 

[KingKhanWC]

The politics in the UK are becoming a joke. They can't discuss Corbyns policies so attack him every other day regarding his personal character, if its not anti semtitic, it's anti women etc.

Meanwhile the country is being ruined by upper class politicians and a population who are too dumb to understand politics.

 

[gazza619]

The politics in the UK are becoming a joke. They can't discuss Corbyns policies so attack him every other day regarding his personal character, if its not anti semtitic, it's anti women etc.

Meanwhile the country is being ruined by upper class politicians and a population who are too dumb to understand politics.

I think some silly mistakes were made. EU Referendum should never have happened. Damn media brainwashed everyone.

Not all decisions should be left to people. If there was no referendum, David Cameron would have been running the affairs and things would have been a lot sane.

Something needs to be done on the electronic media. They have far too much freedom in my opinion.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I think some silly mistakes were made. EU Referendum should never have happened. Damn media brainwashed everyone.

Not all decisions should be left to people. If there was no referendum, David Cameron would have been running the affairs and things would have been a lot sane.

Something needs to be done on the electronic media. They have far too much freedom in my opinion.

I would say 90%+ have no clue what the customs union, NI backstop, E.U laws, E.U trade are. Most voted on not having immigrants so much, UK decides its own laws and believed the NHS would save millions.

Now because JC is attacking the government almost to the point May is nearly in tears they have decided to divert the attention on to him.

People in the UK need to wake up, this nation is not a great imperial superpower anymore so stop living in the past and get used to how things need to be now for people to live in decent standards.

 

[Markhor]

She's much worse.

Nonsense "controversy" when the clock is ticking towards no deal.

 

[shaz619]

She's much worse.

Nonsense "controversy" when the clock is ticking towards no deal.

She even worse then that lady in 101 dalmations

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

So he's as well as being a communist and an anti-semite, he's now also managed to get himself labelled a sexist in the popular media. The only thing no one has been able to pin on him is Islamophobe, and there would be no mileage in that anyway if you were looking to tar his image.