Chancellor in sexism row for calling female MP ‘hysterical’

PHILLIP Hammond was accused of sexism yesterday after he told a female Labour MP not to be ‘hysterical’ during a Commons debate.

The Chancellor clashed with Mary Creagh after she suggested Brexit could spark an exodus of businesses to Ireland.

Mr Hammond said: ‘I would urge her not to be hysterical about these things – many companies are making contingency plans, including setting up and incorporating subsidiaries.’

An angry Miss Creagh replied: ‘This sort of sexist language is used to diminish women who make a perfectly reasonable point. That is the sort of language that would not be used had I been a man. My question on the registration of companies in Ireland had nothing to do with the condition of my womb travelling to my head.’

The word hysteria comes from the Greek for womb.

Mr Hammond said he ‘did not accuse the honourable lady of being hysterical, but I urged her not to be hysterical’. He concluded that ‘if my comments have caused the honourable lady any offence I withdraw them unreservedly’.

Miss Creagh raised a point of order with Speaker John Bercow, who said: ‘There is a difference between order and taste, and people will have their own view about taste.

‘The point has been raised and the Chancellor has made a gracious statement in response, and I think for today we should leave it there.’

During the session of Treasury questions, Miss Creagh had said that many UK firms had registered companies in the Republic of Ireland to ‘hedge their bets’ due to uncertainty over Brexit.

In 011, Labour accused David Cameron of sexism after he told Angela Eagle to ‘calm down dear’ during a Commons exchange. The then prime minister borrowed the catchphrase, made famous by Michael Winner in TV adverts, during a row about NHS reforms.