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Conrad Duncan
Sep 07, 2019
Boris Johnson has been called sexist after he described David Cameron as a “girly swot” in a handwritten note.
The comment came from a set of private cabinet papers that have been released in a court case on the prime minister’s decision to suspend parliament until mid-October.
Johnson’s “insult” was originally redacted from the papers but Sky News managed to get hold of the full document.
BREAKING: Sky News has obtained details of a leaked document which shows @BorisJohnson calling @David_Cameron a 'gi… https://t.co/wb5i7hVKvF— Sky News Politics (@Sky News Politics) 1567786689
In his explanation for suspending parliament, Johnson wrote:
The whole September session is a rigmarole introduced by girly swot Cameron to show the public that MPs are earning their crust.
Johnson has called Cameron a “girly swot” before, in a 2013 interview for the Evening Standard, but he wasn’t the prime minister then so no-one paid much attention to it.
With this latest leak coming days after he was criticised for calling Jeremy Corbyn a “great big girl’s blouse” in parliament, politicians have once again accused Johnson of sexism.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson and prominent Labour MPs Emily Thornberry and Yvette Cooper were among those who condemned the prime minister’s comment.
First it was ‘big girl’s blouse’ and now it’s ‘girly swot’. Boris Johnson thinks being a woman is a weakness. He’s… https://t.co/hOxCMwAVRp— Jo Swinson (@Jo Swinson) 1567787782
Good grief. The Prime Minister of Great Britain thinks he’s still back at Eton - “girly swat,” “big girl’s blouse”… https://t.co/E2wzBqfyYk— Yvette Cooper (@Yvette Cooper) 1567788222
In one week, 3 Commons defeats, 21 MPs purged, police cadets exploited as a backdrop, a Tory press officer walking… https://t.co/bKvVA6KL9g— Emily Thornberry (@Emily Thornberry) 1567787441
Why Johnson thinks being compared to a hardworking woman is an insult is unclear.
Imagine thinking being female and studying a lot was an insult #girlyswot— Louise Ridley (@Louise Ridley) 1567786515
Girly swot is a compliment, right? 💁🏼♀️ https://t.co/A6bdq2CjSM— Sophy Ridge (@Sophy Ridge) 1567788449
as a girly swot I am especially furious, David Cameron is NOT in our club and CANNOT sit with us— Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley (@Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley) 1567787846
And why he thinks it's acceptable for a 55-year-old man to speak like that is a mystery.
"And he says you called him a girly swot in the playground. Is that right? Because that's mean, isn't it?" https://t.co/ToO7J7jykN— Katie Martin (@Katie Martin) 1567786366
It’s also very generous to claim Cameron was studious…
Journalist Henry Zeffman was left wondering why the government was allowed to redact “girly swot” from the court case.
Honest question: on what basis does the government get to redact "girly swot"? https://t.co/2F744EWNrQ— Henry Zeffman (@Henry Zeffman) 1567786785
Apparently, public embarrassment is a good enough reason to withhold government information.
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