Three female Labour frontbenchers were left stunned after a male Tory MP told them to “shut up” in the House of Commons.
Paul Howell, the MP for Sedgefield, apologised after Sarah Owen, Lisa Nandy and Paula Barker visibly expressed their shock at the comment.
MPs were debating an opposition day motion on severance pay for departing ministers after it was reported that Liz Truss, who only served 50 days as prime minister, was in line to receive a payment of £18,860.
Kwasi Kwarteng, who was chancellor for just 38 days before he was sacked by Truss, is also in line to receive £16,876.
Howell accused Labour of “scaremongering” over the mini-budget that prompted Truss’s demise and said it was “wholly inappropriate” to make the public think the economic situation is “worse than it is”.
Turning to severance payments, Howell said: “When it comes to the point that has been raised with reference to severance payments, severance payments are statutory. It is wholly inappropriate for political intervention on those.”
He added: “I think it is up to the individual if they want to choose not to take it because they think it is inappropriate, then they can make those decisions.”
One of the Labour MPs could be heard saying: “But what do you think?”
Howell replied: “What do I think? I think it depends on the individual.”
He then said: “You have chirped and talked – do you want to hear or do you want to shut up?”
Howell immediately apologised after he saw the reaction of the three MPs.
Deputy Commons Speaker Nigel Evans accepted the apology but said: “This isn’t a chat. This is a debate.”