Tory donor’s sexist jokes about Rayner
Labour raps bigwig’s crude jibes
RISHI Sunak faces yet another firestorm after a major party donor was accused of a string of sexist jibes about Angela Rayner.
Lord Ashcroft made the remarks about Labour’s deputy leader at the launch of his new biography in London.
The Tory grandee, 78, joked about a former aide of Ms Rayner calling her a diva, saying: “Her team call her a four-letter word…” Using a vulgar word for a part of a woman’s body, he continued: “But don’t worry, not the same four letter word she uses for her ginger g ****** .” The crude taunt referred to claims in 2022 that Ms Rayner crossed her legs in the Commons to distract Boris Johnson.
A newspaper claimed Tory MPS had likened her tactics to Sharon Stone’s infamous scene in Basic Instinct – something Ms Rayner branded “vile lies”. Lord Ashcroft also told attendees Ms Rayner had sent him an audio message, before playing a recording of her describing Tory MPS as “scum” at a
Labour conference event in 2021. He repeatedly referred to Ms Rayner as “John Prescott in a dress” – a description she has jokingly used herself. One source said: “The whole speech was pretty sexist.”
A Labour source dismissed his speech as “desperate recycling of old gossip”. The
Tories’ ex-treasurer, who has donated millions, said: “Angela Rayner has become well known for her colourful language and my speech quoted some directly.”
The row comes after Tory donor Frank Hester reportedly said Labour MP Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all black women”.
Ms Abbott said of Lord Ashcroft’s remarks: “Racism and sexism are becoming widespread in our politics. Pretending it is banter does not make it acceptable”