PM:Bercow should face probe over ‘useless’ jibe at Leadsom
THERESA May piled further pressure on John Bercow yesterday over his alleged description of a Cabinet minister as a ‘useless stupid woman’.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the alleged remarks, claimed to have been directed at Andrea Leadsom, were ‘unacceptable’ and should be investigated.
The Speaker is said to have made the comments in a muttered aside after a tirade in which he berated the Commons Leader for two-and-a-half minutes on government business, according to MPs.
No 10 said yesterday: ‘We have seen the alleged remarks. Clearly the Prime Minister thinks they are unacceptable. If an official complaint is made it should be properly investigated.’
A Commons source said there were ‘no plans’ for Mrs Leadsom to complain ‘at the moment’.
But an ally of Mr Bercow also weighed in, urging the Speaker to apologise to Mrs Leadsom and to the Commons.
Sir Peter Bottomley told the Evening Standard: ‘Were I to be in a situation where there were credible reports I had said something unwise, indelicate or inappropriate, I expect the Speaker would advise me to say sorry without delay.’ He also reiterated that he was ‘confident’ Mr Bercow would step down by next month as he previously promised. The Speaker had originally pledged to leave next month, but later claimed the general election meant he would stay longer.
Mr Bercow, who has faced calls to resign over allegations of bullying staff who worked for him, is said to have called Mrs Leadsom a ‘stupid woman’ under his breath on Wednesday, before adding that she was ‘f***ing useless’.
Mrs Leadsom was reported not to have heard the comments. The Speaker’s office did not deny he had made them.
The row provoked further fury yesterday when Labour MP Barry Sheerman demanded Mrs Leadsom’s resignation, tweeting that the controversy had been ‘spun by Tory Whips as fault of Speaker’.
But Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson hit back, writing online: ‘Is Barry Sheerman REALLY trying to mansplain why a professional woman, when sworn at and called useless at her place of work, should take the blame?’ She dismissed his intervention as ‘ridiculous’.