Angela Rayner calls for PM she labelled ‘scum’ to apologise for his own words first

Angela Rayner


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Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has refused to back down after she called senior Tories “scum”. Colleagues including knight of the realm sir Keir Starmer have distanced themselves from her attack on the political establishment.

The PM asked to answer for his own words

Rayner challenged Boris Johnson on 27 September to sit down with her and apologise for his own “racist, homophobic and sexist” comments before she says sorry for her verbal attack on the Conservatives.

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She attached reports of Johnson using offensive remarks such as comparing burka-wearing Muslim women to “letter boxes” and describing gay men as “tank-topped bum boys”.

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson (Michael M Santiago/PA)

Rayner continued the row after Labour leader Starmer distanced himself from her choice of words and said he would speak to her about the remarks.

Her initial attack, delivered at a reception for activists at the Labour Party conference, offended members of the government, with one minister accusing her of “talking crap”.

The Daily Mirror reported that at the event in Brighton on the night of 25 September Rayner said:

We cannot get any worse than a bunch of scum, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, absolute vile… banana republic, vile, nasty, Etonian… piece of scum.

Starmer told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One on 26 September that he and Rayner “take different approaches and that’s not language that I would use”.

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said voters can see a Tory party which has had two female prime ministers and the “most diverse government” and “they’ll know she’s talking crap”. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said Rayner’s verbal attack was “absolutely appalling”, telling Sky News: “There’s no place in public life for that sort of language, that sort of behaviour”.

Veteran Tory MP James Gray opened up the Conservatives to criticism after he suggested a bomb should be planted in Labour frontbencher Anneliese Dodd’s office. Gray apologised for the “foolish remark”, made in a WhatsApp group with fellow Tory MPs.

People also commented on the situation on social media:

Others, meanwhile, suggested it’s as bad to call politicians “scum” for their actions as it is to insult those who are impacted by those actions:

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  • Show Comments

    1. That’s All sweet and everything Rayner, but you are as much Establishment as Johnson, growing working class means nothing turn establishment careerist!
      The word working Class does not make any sense in these times! With “Working Class” earning more than white collar and Doctors, and millionaires who sincerely care more for those suffering and work hard to raise awareness and supporting funds than many of those suffering!
      • There are only The PEOPLE who work and stand together, for a better future for all. No matter where, how they were born and brought up.
      • There are The ELITES/ESTABLISHMENT who ONLY work for the benefit of themselves.
      • Then there are The PEOPLE who mindlessly work for the benefit of themselves and the ELITES/ESTABLISHMENT and will walk over The PEOPLE, THEIR PEOPLE, US, for that extra buck/status!
      Sadly some UK Labour Party MPs & Staffers have one foot way too deep in Thatcher’s Neoliberal Neolabour Party TORIES, too deep To be recognised as UK Labour Party!
      As much as I believe this is a futile browny point scoring exercise she is 100% right.
      I was once flooded by whiners for my language on a tweet that shown Yemeni children on a bus blown up! I also asked if my furiously vulgar language really bothered them more than seeing those poor dear children! What world do we live in that words are more offensive than unnecessarily dead people!?

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    3. Rayner’s correct. In fact she only means the top ‘layer of dirt & froth’ in government.
      As for the Night of the Realm the Starmerfuhrer, he’s the disgrace, reneging on so many promises – but at least he shows he’s just like his Tory chums who lie as a matter of course……….

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    5. Much as I agree with what Rayner said, it was evident long ago that she was ‘jockeying for position’. We should not forget her comment ‘we don’t care how many we expel’. ( for false charges, unsubstantiated charges, or without stating the reason for a suspension). Meanwhile, many in the right wing of Labour are ‘getting away with’ many comments, and conduct that would see many (mostly on the left, including Jewish members) supended.
      Don’t get me wrong, it needed saying. But Rayner has I feel ‘burnt her bridges’ as to much support from the Left, ( in or out of the party). Dawn Butler was thrown out of the commons for a similar comment. She gets more Kudos from me than Angela. Having just read a comment in a publication that said that,’ tories are more diverse on their front bench’, (they are, as regards race) that somehow excuses Mr Piffle of any criticism. It does not, and should not.

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