A government minister has insisted there is “nothing surprising” about Boris Johnson and the culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, using identical words in tweets expressing support with Angela Rayner.
The comments from the culture minister, Chris Philp, came as politicians of all stripes condemned the misogynistic claims made about Labour’s deputy leader by an unidentified Conservative MP in the Mail on Sunday.
Ms Rayner labelled the story “desperate” and “perverted” after it quoted an anonymous MP claiming she crossed and uncrossed her legs in the Commons to distract Mr Johnson during prime minister’s questions.
Asked about the article on Sky News, Mr Philp said he was “appalled by the sentiment was being expressed”, and said he would be “disgusted” if he heard any colleagues expressing similar views.
“The prime minister and cabinet ministers have been absolutely right to roundly condemn that sentiment, to offer support to Angela Rayner on this issue,” he said.
Mr Philp’s, however, insisted it was not surprising that both the prime minister as Ms Dorries, the culture secretary, used exactly the same words in tweets they posted denouncing the claims.
“As much as I disagree with Angela Rayner on almost every political issue I respect her as a parliamentarian and deplore the misogyny directed at her anonymously today,” both Mr Johnson and Ms Dorries tweeted.
Asked about the messages, Mr Philp said: “They share the same view. Nadine’s my boss and she feels very strongly about the place of women in politics and this sort of abuse is unacceptable.
“I’m sure she’ll have discussed it with the prime minister and reached the same view and they’ve used the same words,” he added.
“There’s nothing surprising for two colleagues in government to have exactly the same view and use the same words”.
He also said that if the anonymous MP who spoke to the Mail on Sunday was identified, “I imagine they would be subject to discipline”. But he avoided questions on whether there should be an internal probe by Conservative Party whips.
Last night, Mr Johnson was also reported to have wrote to Ms Rayner to insist that “misogynistic” claims about her conduct were “not in his name”, while the party’s chairman, Oliver Dowden, described them as “ludicrous”.
In response to the article on Sunday, Labour’s deputy leader tweeted: “Women in politics face sexism and misogyny every day – and I’m no different.”
She added: “Boris Johnson’s cheerleaders have resorted to spreading desperate, perverted smears in their doomed attempts to save his skin. They know exactly what they are doing. The lies they are telling.
“The potted biography is given – my comprehensive education, my experience as a care worker, my family, my class, my background. The implication is clear.”
“I won’t be letting their vile lies deter me. Their attempts to harass and intimidate me will fail. I’ve been open about how I’ve had to struggle to get where I am today.
“I’m proud of my background, I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from – but it’s taken time.”
