Boris Johnson has written to Angela Rayner to insist “misogynistic” claims reportedly made about her by an unidentified Tory MP weren't in his identify.
In keeping with the Day by day Telegraph, the Prime Minister despatched the deputy Labour chief a letter on Sunday in response to a report within the Mail on Sunday which has been condemned by Tory and Labour MPs alike.
Mr Johnson reportedly moved to guarantee Ms Rayner within the non-public letter that the feedback have been “not in his identify”, expressing his sympathy over the nameless assault.
The article claimed that an unnamed Tory MP had informed the newspaper Ms Rayner crossed and uncrossed her legs on the Labour entrance bench throughout Prime Minister’s Questions in an try to distract Mr Johnson.
The paper likened the claims to a scene from the 1992 erotic thriller Fundamental Intuition and mentioned she was making an attempt to place the PM “off his stride”.
On Sunday, Ms Rayner referred to as the story “determined” and “perverted” and shortly acquired solidarity from throughout the Home of Commons for the “smear”.
The Prime Minister was amongst these to publicly condemn the claims on Twitter.
“As a lot as I disagree with (Ms) Rayner on virtually each political subject I respect her as a parliamentarian and deplore the misogyny directed at her anonymously right this moment,” he wrote.
Senior ministers adopted swimsuit in condemning the claims. Whereas Treasury minister Simon Clarke retweeted Mr Johnson’s message, Tradition Secretary Nadine Dorries posted the identical tweet because the PM.
On Sunday night, the Tory chairman of Parliament’s Girls and Equalities Committee, Caroline Nokes, revealed she had written to Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, to recommend the journalist who wrote the story be formally censured.
The Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North informed LBC the Tory MP sources behind the article must be “hanging their heads in disgrace”.
Earlier within the day she wrote on Twitter that “too many feminine MPs (of all events)” have been on the “receiving finish of vile” claims like these geared toward Ms Rayner.
Ms Rayner usually sits subsequent to Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer and reverse the Prime Minister in the course of the weekly Commons clashes.
She has additionally stood in for Sir Keir at PMQs when he has been compelled to self-isolate because of Covid-19.
In a collection of tweets, Ms Rayner lashed out on the “lies” being briefed about her.
The Ashton-under-Lyne MP mentioned: “Boris Johnson’s cheerleaders have resorted to spreading determined, perverted smears of their doomed makes an attempt to avoid wasting his pores and skin.
“They know precisely what they're doing. The lies they're telling.”
She mentioned Mr Johnson and his backers “clearly have a giant drawback with girls in public life” and that they “must be ashamed of themselves”.
“I gained’t be letting their vile lies deter me. Their makes an attempt to harass and intimidate me will fail,” Ms Rayner added.
Sir Keir mentioned the sexism displayed by these briefing the Sunday paper was a “disgraceful new low from a celebration mired in scandal and chaos”.
Tulip Siddiq, the shadow financial secretary to the Treasury, mentioned the accusations have been “disgraceful”.
The Labour politician informed Sky Information’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “On the finish of the day, Angela Rayner is an MP who was elected on advantage.
“To speak concerning the truth she is utilizing her legs or her posture to govern the Prime Minister is ridiculous and I’m actually upset about it.”
One Tory MP is claimed to have informed the paper: “She (Ms Rayner) is aware of she will’t compete with Boris’s Oxford Union debating coaching, however she has different abilities which he lacks.
“She has admitted as a lot when having fun with drinks with us on the (Commons) terrace.”
Andrea Leadsom, the previous chief of the Commons, equally referred to as the feedback “completely unacceptable” and expressed sympathy for the deputy Labour chief.
When requested on Sophy Ridge concerning the protection, Tory chairman Oliver Dowden mentioned he didn't recognise the claims attributed to his social gathering’s MPs.
Well being Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted: “If an MP or MPs actually mentioned this then it’s completely shameful.
“No lady in politics ought to should put up with this.”
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