At a time when Prime Minister Johnson was criticized by public opinion for the "gathering door" of the Prime Minister's Office, another eye-catching thing happened in British politics.
On the 24th local time, a Conservative MP anonymously posted in the British "Sunday Post" that the target was aimed at The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner, saying that he had distracted Prime Minister Johnson sitting opposite by crossing and separating his legs. Several MPs have publicly expressed their support for Rayner while condemning the article, while Rayner himself believes that the Conservative Party is trying to save Johnson through a series of slanders.
On the same day, Johnson publicly condemned the anonymous lawmaker's post on Twitter, "Although I disagree with Rayner on almost all political issues, I respect her status as a parliamentarian and strongly oppose today's content against her, which is the embodiment of 'misogyny'." ”
According to the BBC, the Sunday Mail said in the controversial article that the anonymous Conservative MP suggested that Rayner had distracted the prime minister by crossing and parting his legs, "just like the scene that Sharon Stone showed in the movie "Instinct" in 1992".
The Sunday Post described Rayner as a "41-year-old socialist grandmother who became pregnant at the age of 16 and left school with few qualifications." ”
The MPs, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Rayner knew she couldn't compete with johnson's debate training at Oxford, but she had the abilities that the other side lacked, and someone had taught her to use that tactic." She admitted this when we drank together. ”
The report infuriated Rayner, and on the same day, she denounced the report as too "vulgar" and completely defamatory.
Johnson and government workers have been issued at least 50 tickets by the police for violating epidemic prevention regulations during the epidemic, and the British opposition party has been demanding his resignation for months, and on the 19th, Johnson apologized to Parliament for the "party gate". Just 1 day later, on the 20th, Johnson announced that he intends to participate in the next general election in the United Kingdom as the leader of the Conservative Party.
In Rayner's view, the Conservatives are "trying to save Johnson through desperate and perverse slander," saying, "I will not let these despicable lies deter me, and their harassment and intimidation will fail." ”
Labour leader Kiel Stammer also believes it is shameful that the Conservative Party, mired in scandal and chaos, is peddling sexist and misogynistic notions.
Numerous female MPs have publicly expressed their support for Rayner, with Conservative MP Carolyn MPs saying that she has not been able to support Rayner. Knox said that many female parliamentarians in various parties have similar experiences; shadow cabinet minister Rachel Livs revealed, "All female parliamentarians and staff members of parliament have stories related to sexism and misogyny, which is basically a 'endemic disease', to be honest, I am tired of the way parliament has always treated female parliamentarians and other women." ”
Other members of Congress, while condemning the aforementioned anonymous lawmakers, criticized the Sunday Post's reporting tendencies to be too strong. Liberal Democrat MP Munela Wilson described, "It's a shameful story, and I couldn't believe it would be reported." ”
Knox, chairwoman for women and equality in the UK, said she had reached out to House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to ask if the political editor who wrote the article should really hold a media pass for parliament.
On the 24th local time, Johnson also posted a condemnation of the anonymous post of members of Congress, he said, "Although I do not agree with Angela Renner's views on almost all political issues, I respect her status as a parliamentarian and strongly oppose today's content against her, which is the embodiment of 'misogyny'." ”
It is understood that a Downing Street source revealed that Johnson also contacted Rayner himself privately to reiterate what he said on social media. However, the BBC said Downing Street would not investigate which of the MPs had published the aforementioned article in the media.
Rachel Reeves said in an interview that the prime minister should not just post, but should clean up the cabinet and make sure his MPs know they have no right to make similar remarks.
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