The Minister for Women and Equalities shot back at a Tory MP when he asked about plans to commemorate International Men’s day
In the debate in the Commons, Caroline Dinenage said: “Women could be forgiven for thinking every day is International Men’s Day”.
Tory backbencher Philip Davies has been caught up in rows over whether MPs should devote attention to International Men’s day before.
In 2015 Davies said it was not fair that MPs have a debate to mark International Women’s Day but not one to debate International Men’s Day.
In a spat over the matter, Labour MP Jess Phillips dismissed Davies as “very basic”.
Philips had been subject to online abuse, including rape threats, for her role in the argument.
“It seems like every day to me is International Men’s Day,” she told the Tory MP at the time.
But Davies won his battle, and in November MPs discussed the higher rates of suicide and lower life expectancy among men as well as male victims of domestic abuse.
His request was initially rejected by the committee of MPs who decide on backbench debates but after support from fellow MPs, such as chair of the Labour parliamentary party John Cryer and Tory MP Lucy Allen, it was granted.
Davies had argued that there was not enough debate around issues affecting men - including a rising male suicide rate and the low achievement of boys in school.