Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has said a Tory MP has shown that “classism and sexism” is “alive” in the Conservative party after he said she “squawks on about Geoffrey Cox” and appeared to question her “intellect”.
Posting on Twitter, Michael Fabricant implied last week that Rayner’s criticism of Cox for his lucrative second job was overstated, writing:
“Angela Rayner squawks on about Geoffrey Cox and his Virgin Islands Government client. She doesn’t grasp It’s the same case. He’s one of the top specialists in international law. She isn’t capable of holding down any job which requires intellect.”
She had accused prime minister Boris Johnson of being “corrupt, spineless and cowardly” after Cox was seen again working as a barrister, representing global firm Withers for the BVI government at a corruption inquiry launched by the UK government in January, while parliament was sitting.
He has been under scrutiny about the gig after it was found that he had been voting by proxy in parliament from the BVI during the pandemic. This scrutiny also comes as part of a wider crackdown on sleaze within the Tory party – something Rayner has been consistently critical of.
Rayner also said Cox was “taking the mick”.
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Today, Rayner said she had been made aware of Fabricant’s tweet and said that it revealed that “classism and sexism is alive and well in the Conservative Party”.
She also slammed Johnson for that CBI speech last week, in which we went off on one about Peppa Pig and attracted widespread criticism, writing: “Michael your PM went to Oxford and Eton but can’t even do a speech without embarrassing himself and talking about Peppa Pig. “Intellect” or just entitlement?”
Looks like the temporary convivial spirit that was enjoyed across the benches following the death of David Amess is well and truly shot.
indy100 has asked both politicians to comment on this story.
Fabricant said: “It took Ms Rayner long enough to respond. My tweet was posted 5 days ago. After all that time, she might have said something more original.”