Politics
Kate Plummer
May 19, 2022
Indy
A Tory MP has accused a journalist of being "almost hysterical" for asking Boris Johnson a question about his party's "toxic culture".
MP Royston Smith shared a clip of an ITV journalist doorstepping Johnson yesterday to ask about the state of his party and wrote: "They call this news. She’s almost hysterical."
The "hysterical" female journalist had asked the prime minister: "Are the Tories collapsing? Are you doing anything to deal with you party's toxic culture, prime minister?"
And her question came after the party has faced a torrent of sexism accusations. An unnamed Tory MP was arrested on suspicion of rape this week and recently another resigned after admitting to watching porn in parliament twice. Another Tory MP resigned last month after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy and a female minister has spoken out about the sexism she has faced while in the commons.
Meanwhile, Tory MPs reportedly briefed the Mail about Angela Rayner using her legs to distract the PM and 56 MPs are facing accusations of sexual misconduct.
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And so, it was fair for the journalist to see what Johnson was doing about the problem, and people criticised Smith for his tweet, and accused him of perpetuating the very misogyny the journalist was alluding to:
56 MPs are under investigation for sexual misconduct. Why doesn\u2019t she just try smiling more?https://twitter.com/royston_smith/status/1527196564057382912\u00a0\u2026— Fiona Dolman (@Fiona Dolman) 1652949534
- Tory MP arrested on suspicion of rape\n\n- Tory MP resigns after watching porn in parliament twice \n\n- Tory MP convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy \n\nAll in the last month or so. Seems like a valid question to me.https://twitter.com/Royston_Smith/status/1527196564057382912\u00a0\u2026— Will Walters (@Will Walters) 1652948613
This MP\u2019s response to the PM being asked about his party\u2019s \u201ctoxic culture\u201d is to demonstrate its toxicity & misogynyhttps://twitter.com/royston_smith/status/1527196564057382912\u00a0\u2026— nazir afzal (@nazir afzal) 1652948802
Sorry, but an MP is arrested for rape and your concern is a TV producer shouting too loudly about it?https://twitter.com/Royston_Smith/status/1527196564057382912\u00a0\u2026— Charlie King (@Charlie King) 1652949841
They don't even try to hide their misogyny.https://twitter.com/Royston_Smith/status/1527196564057382912\u00a0\u2026— Marie Gardiner \ud83c\udf3b (@Marie Gardiner \ud83c\udf3b) 1652949877
\u2018Hysterical woman\u2019. Other sexist tropes are available.— Sue Allison \ud83d\udc99 (@Sue Allison \ud83d\udc99) 1652948327
indy100 has contacted Royston Smith to comment on this story.
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