Conservative MPs lambasted House speaker John Bercow by stating he refused to acknowledge Mr. Corbyn's muttered remarks where he allegedly called UK prime minister Theresa May a "stupid woman".
Rt. Hon Sir Patrick McLoughlin of Derbyshire Dales launched the first strike over the noise of Tory hecklers, stating that when Mr. Corbyn had sat down "he muttered words that were quite clearly visible, accusing the Prime Minister of being a 'stupid woman'."
Speaker Bercow responded: "As he rightly surmised at the start of it, I saw no such thing, I'm not making an allegation, and I'm not denying or seeking to refute that of [Sir McLoughlin]."
"I cannot be expected to pronounce upon that which I did not see and that which was not witnessed by my advisors and which I did not hear," Mr. Bercow said, adding that it was incumbent upon all MPs to "operate in accordance with its best conventions" and that any MPs failing to do so would have "a responsibility to apologise".
Commons leader Andrea Leadsom then turned on the Speaker, stating that he also refused to apologise for remarks in May.
"Why is it that when an opposition member found that you had called me a stupid woman, you did not apologise in this chamber?"
Mr. Bercow responded, stating that the matter had already been resolved in previous sessions and that his comments had been fully explained.
How Has the Labour Party Responded?
A spokesperson for Jeremy Corbyn stated that the opposition leader “did not call [Theresa May] a stupid woman, and so I don’t think there’s any basis for an apology,” adding that he said ‘stupid people’ instead.
“I think it was referring to the remarks and the exchanges about pantomimes and so on,” the spokesperson said, referring to those who were “failing to address the reality of [Brexit].”
The spokesperson said that Britain was “dealing with a situation where the prime minister has behaved in a reckless and cynical manner by pushing the vote back on her deal which she knows cannot pass parliament, in an attempt to try and force MPs to back her deal.”
When asked why Corbyn had abruptly left Parliament, he said: “As I understood he was leaving the chamber because of the point that was being made,” adding that lip reading was “always open to doubt”.
How Did Social Media Respond?
The Conservative stunt backfired, with many on social media standing up for both Speaker Bercow and Jeremy Corbyn, noting that had the opposition leader made the comments, they were fitting as Mrs. May was delivering the UK into financial and political chaos.
If @jeremycorbyn did call @theresa_may a #stupidwoman at the end of PMQs, then it is the most sensible thing he has said in the House in months. She is heading us to no deal #brexit and playing with the future of the U.K. I can think of something a lot stronger than “stupid”.
— Professor Ian Donald (@iandonald_psych) December 19, 2018
No Beth, there are many inspiring women in the world. But she is the stupidest woman, just like she has some of the most stupidest men sat behind her. Stop spouting stuff that is irrelevant. She is a #StupidWoman
— William Wallace (@BillyWallace89) December 19, 2018
#StupidWoman
— Alastair Stewart (@alstewitn) December 19, 2018
The Speaker is in total and absolute denial mode.
He didn't see it; he didn't hear it; his staff didn't, either.
Sort of " I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as this house is pleased to direct me whose servant I am here".
The tories are whipping themselves into a frenzy on this #StupidWoman.
— Stevie #ABZ (@StevieCABZ) December 19, 2018
It is interesting that @BBCParliament 's cameras just so happen to be on him, at that convenient time.
anyone would think the BBC knew what they were doing! #BBCBias
#stupidwoman thousands of people have died, millions are homeless and over a million and a half children won’t have Xmas. Yet there’s hell practically a riot about a quite reasonable statement, the PM is a stupid woman. Who in their right mind puts the country in this state .
— sussie (@corbs536) December 19, 2018
