Boris Johnson has threatened to unleash “terrors of the earth” on the Conservative MP who made misogynistic claims about Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner.
An unnamed Tory MP told the Mail on Sunday that Ms Rayner crossed and uncrossed her legs on the Labour front bench during PMQs in an attempt to distract the prime minister.
Mr Johnson described the comments made about Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner in a newspaper article as “the most appalling load of sexist, misogynist tripe”.
In a King Lear reference, the PM threatened to unleash “the terrors of the earth” on the source behind the comments if they were ever identified.
Speaking on a trip to Bury, he told reporters: “If we ever find who is responsible for it, I don’t know what we will do, but they will be the terrors of the earth. It’s totally intolerable, that kind of thing.”
Mr Johnson confirmed that he had contacted Ms Rayner personally to make clear that he views the wild claims as misogynistic. The PM is said to have told her that the story was “not in his name”.
He said: “I have to say I thought it was the most appalling load of sexist, misogynist tripe. I immediately got in touch with Angela and we had a very friendly exchange.”
Earlier on Monday, culture minister Chris Philp said that if the Tory MP responsible for the misogynistic comments about Ms Rayner is identified they would face “serious consequences”.
The minister said “efforts will be made” to identify who is responsible for the so-called Basic Instinct tactics claim.
But Mr Philip also conceded that “journalists fiercely guard their sources and I doubt Glen Owen [Mail on Sunday political editor] will be volunteering that information”.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipsos) revealed on Monday that it has received 5,500 complaints over the Mail on Sunday article which sparked outrage across the political spectrum.
Press regulator Ipso said it was exploring possible breaches of clauses one (accuracy), three (harassment) and 12 (discrimination) of the Editors’ Code of Practice.
Asked if he accepted was a cultural problem with sexism in parliament, Mr Johnson told reporters in Bury: “It’s hard to say on the basis of that particular story.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer insisted the whole culture of parliament must change after the treatment of Ms Rayner as he claimed: “It’s sexist, it’s misogynist.”
“She shouldn’t have to put up with it, but all women in politics shouldn’t have to put up with it. Almost every woman in politics has had an element of this in some shape or form”.
He said it was “up to” the Tory party what action they could potentially take, but stressed: “I actually think it’s a culture thing and therefore going after one or two individuals isn’t enough. We have got to change the culture.”
Labour MP Harriet Harman has called for a change to the Commons rules to make misogynistic, homophobic and racist briefings a breach of the MPs’ code of conduct.
“Sexist briefings designed to undermine them is an age old way of trying to shut women up,” Ms Harman, who is the Mother of the House – the longest serving female MP – told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One programme.
It comes as the Sunday Times reported that three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers were facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being referred to the parliamentary watchdog set up in the wake of the #MeToo scandal.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has claimed that he remains an electoral “asset” to the Tory party despite the ongoing scandal over lockdown parties in Downing Street.
Asked if he was still an asset to the Tories in the forthcoming local council elections, he said: “I’m not denying that.”
The PM said there was “absolutely no circumstance” in which he was going to comment on the final report of the senior civil servant Sue Gray.
A report in The Times, citing an official it described as being familiar with the contents of the complete report, said it is “excoriating” and could force Mr Johnson’s resignation.
