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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/19/jeremy-corbyn-accused-of-calling-theresa-may-a-stupid-woman
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| Jeremy Corbyn to MPs: I did not call Theresa May a 'stupid woman' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has insisted he did not refer to Theresa May as a “stupid woman” after multiple accusations from MPs that he muttered the insult during prime minister’s questions. | |
| The Labour leader told parliament he abhorred misogynist language and had in fact been describing Conservative MPs as “stupid people”. | |
| PMQs verdict: May puts spotlight on Corbyn with panto peroration | PMQs verdict: May puts spotlight on Corbyn with panto peroration |
| To the derision of some Conservatives, Corbyn said he had referred “to those who I believe were trying to turn a debate about a national crisis in this country into pantomime as ‘stupid people’” and said he did not use the words “stupid woman” about the prime minister. | |
| “I am completely opposed to the use of sexist or misogynist language in any form at all,” he added. “I am happy to place that on the record.” | |
| After being asked to come to a view on whether Corbyn should apologise, the Speaker, John Bercow, said that although it was easy to see why people believed Corbyn had used the phrase, he could not be certain and that the Labour leader should be taken at his word. | |
| The apparent insult caused uproar in the House of Commons chamber within minutes. A number of Conservative MPs, including the Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom, the Conservative vice-chairman, Paul Scully, and the former Tory chair Patrick McLoughlin raised the matter directly, with May still present in the House of Commons, with McLoughlin asking the Speaker to censure Corbyn. | |
| During PMQs, McLoughlin said he had seen Corbyn utter the words while he was sat on the opposite bench. | |
| “He muttered words which were quite clearly visible, accusing the prime minister of being a ‘stupid woman’,” he said, as MPs shouted “Shame!” and “Disgrace!” | |
| The Speaker said he had not witnessed the alleged comments but said if an insult had been made, then “a member has a responsibility to apologise,” he said. | |
| After the end of prime minister’s questions, the chamber became increasingly chaotic as many on the Tory benches tried to raise points of order to criticise Corbyn. | After the end of prime minister’s questions, the chamber became increasingly chaotic as many on the Tory benches tried to raise points of order to criticise Corbyn. |
| Leadsom also criticised the Speaker, saying he had not apologised for previously calling her a “stupid woman” himself. Bercow was reported to the standards watchdog over the alleged comments made in May. | Leadsom also criticised the Speaker, saying he had not apologised for previously calling her a “stupid woman” himself. Bercow was reported to the standards watchdog over the alleged comments made in May. |
| “I would just like to ask, after your finding there that individuals who are found to have made unwelcome remarks should apologise, why it is that when an opposition party member found that you had called me a stupid woman you did not apologise in this chamber?” | “I would just like to ask, after your finding there that individuals who are found to have made unwelcome remarks should apologise, why it is that when an opposition party member found that you had called me a stupid woman you did not apologise in this chamber?” |
| To loud shouts of “Apologise!” from Tory MPs, Bercow said: “I dealt with that matter months ago in remarks that I made to the House of Commons, to which the right honourable lady, in our various meetings, has made no reference and which requires from the chair today no elaboration whatsoever.” | |
| In the furore, Tory MPs from both the leave and remain camps united to criticise the Labour leader. | In the furore, Tory MPs from both the leave and remain camps united to criticise the Labour leader. |
| The backbencher Anna Soubry, a prominent remainer, suggested Bercow was giving preferential treatment to Corbyn. She was followed shortly by Mark Francois, a hard Brexiter and one of the key organisers of the recent Conservative no-confidence vote in May, who said: “I think you will find the video evidence is overwhelming … we cannot have misogynistic statements.” | |
| Earlier in the chamber, Scully had raised the insult with the prime minister. “This year, when we’ve been celebrating 100 years of women getting the vote, do you think it’s appropriate language to call people a ‘stupid woman’ in this chamber?” he asked. | |
| May initially looked confused but then said: “Can I say to my honourable friend that I think that everybody in this house, particularly in this 100th year 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.” | May initially looked confused but then said: “Can I say to my honourable friend that I think that everybody in this house, particularly in this 100th year 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 apparent insult came in response to May’s putdown after her final question from Corbyn. “I know it’s the Christmas season and the pantomime season. He’s going to put a confidence vote – oh yes he is, oh no he isn’t,” she said. “I’ve got some advice. Look behind you! They are not impressed and neither is the country.” | The apparent insult came in response to May’s putdown after her final question from Corbyn. “I know it’s the Christmas season and the pantomime season. He’s going to put a confidence vote – oh yes he is, oh no he isn’t,” she said. “I’ve got some advice. Look behind you! They are not impressed and neither is the country.” |
| Bercow said later he had looked at the television footage and consulted with professional lip-speakers. “It is easy to see why it may be construed as ‘stupid woman’,” he said, saying that was also the advice of the professionals. | |
| “I neither saw the incident nor heard anything … I am not a lip-reader. Nobody can be 100% certain. That includes professional lip readers. I will naturally take and would be expected to take the word of any member. It is reasonable to expect the house to do the same.” | |
| Leadsom said the “country and this house will form their own conclusions” and said that she “deeply regrets that the right honourable gentleman has not seen fit to apologise”. | |
| Other Tory MPs expressed similar anger after Corbyn denied he had used the phrase. In a point of order, MP Rachel Maclean said “Read my lips. I do not believe him” for which she was rebuked by Bercow. | |
| “It is well established that a member is to be taken at his or her word,” Bercow said. | |
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