Angela Rayner has received a wave of support from the public and fellow politicians following the controversial claims she tries to distract the prime minister with her legs.
The deputy leader of the Labour party was compared to Sharon Stone’s character in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, just for crossing and uncrossing her legs in the House of Commons during PMQs.
Unnamed Tory MPs told the Mail on Sunday that this was Rayner’s way of distracting the prime minister when he’s at the despatch box.
The misogynistic attack has been condemned from people across the political spectrum and there are now calls for the Conservative Party to launch an internal investigation to find the MPs behind the claims.
Boris Johnson has texted Rayner to distance himself from the report, and explained on Twitter that he “deplore[s] the misogyny directed at her anonymously today”.
Rayner also addressed the controversy on Twitter, and hit out at the “perverted smear” from the anonymous Tory MPs.
She said: “Women in politics face sexism and misogyny every day – and I’m no different. This morning’s is the latest dose of gutter journalism.
“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.
“Boris Johnson’s cheerleaders have resorted to spreading desperate, perverted smears in their doomed attempts to save his skin. They know exactly what they are doing. The lies they are telling.”
She has been backed by other prominent members of the shadow cabinet, including Labour leader Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Reeves pointed out that female MPs face misogyny and sexism “every single day in the Commons” while Starmer said there needs to be a culture change in parliament.
And, judging from the response on Twitter, it seems most people agree: