‘He and his cheerleaders clearly have a big problem with women in public life’
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has responded to the “perverted” accusations from Tory MPs, who claim she uses similar tactics to Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.
According to The Mail on Sunday, the 42-year-old looks to put Prime Minister Boris Johnson “off his stride” by crossing and uncrossing her legs. Such tactics were employed by Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) in Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 cult classic Basic Instinct.
“She knows she can’t compete with Boris’s Oxford Union debating training, but she has other skills which he lacks,” an unnamed MP allegedly said. The Mail on Sunday suggested that Rayner uses a “fully-clothed Parliamentary equivalent of Sharon Stone’s infamous scene.”
I stand accused of a “ploy” to “distract” the helpless PM – by being a woman, having legs and wearing clothes.
I am conspiring to “put him off his stride”.
The rest I won’t repeat – but you get the picture.
2/9
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) April 24, 2022
“Women in politics face sexism and misogyny every day – and I’m no different,” she wrote on Twitter. “This morning’s is the latest dose of gutter journalism courtesy of @MoS_Politics.”
She continued: “I stand accused of a “ploy” to “distract” the helpless PM – by being a woman, having legs and wearing clothes.
“I am conspiring to “put him off his stride”.
I won’t be letting their vile lies deter me.
Their attempts to harass and intimidate me will fail.
I’ve been open about how I’ve had to struggle to get where I am today.
I’m proud of my background, I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from – but it’s taken time.
6/9
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) April 24, 2022
“The rest I won’t repeat – but you get the picture.”
“He and his cheerleaders clearly have a big problem with women in public life,” she said of Johnson. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
But, the former care worker maintained that she “won’t be letting their vile lies deter me.”
Know I’m jet-lagged from India but have I been transported back to 1950s? What misogynistic tripe
“She knows she can’t compete with Boris’s Oxford Union debating training, but she has other skills which he lacks” @AngelaRayner says those with backgrounds like hers must persist https://t.co/N26WS65ktE
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) April 24, 2022
“We need more people in politics with backgrounds like mine – and fewer as a hobby to help their mates,” she concluded.
Tory party chair Oliver Dowden said that the accusations are “totally ludicrous.”
Sky News’ Beth Rigby was among the public figures to condemn the sexist accusations.
“Know I’m jet-lagged from India but have I been transported back to 1950s? What misogynistic tripe,” she tweeted.
“Women sometimes move we are not mannequins,” said labour MP Jess Phillips.
Jesus this Angela Rayner at PMQs story is a genuine new low.
A) women sometimes move we are not mannequins
B) if women moving puts off PM maybe don't mention that while also painting him as a great war leader…our enemies will simply employ some women to shimmy.
C) WT actual F— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) April 23, 2022
“Solidarity from across the political divide to Angela Rayner on this,” tweeted Nicola Sturgeon. “It’s a reminder of the deep misogyny women face every day. Tho the line about Johnson’s Oxford debating ‘skills’ is truly laughable – from what I’ve seen she can debate him out the park!”
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