when was the last time two female politicians..

Eric Joyce wasn't UKIP, for one.

I've seen two women fighting outside DS's primary school!
However men are far more likely to be involved in violence than women. It isn't just UKIP either, wasn't there a Labour MP who was suspended in the last parliament for a few punch ups?

I'm not sure who is doing that. My comments were tongue-in-cheek. I think most people understood that.

Not sure why pointing out when men are violent does more harm than good. It does show how male violence is just under the surface doesn't it? It's a thin veneer.

I'm thinking you dismissing it as down to fascist idiots is no better that what you are accusing us of. It conveniently parks the problem of male violence at a particular sub-groups door, when in fact evidence shows men from all walks of life and beliefs having the propensity for violence in much greater numbers than women.

Oh I agree absolutely scallops. I will (and do) stick up for women's rights to take part in public life, because I recognise that there's a need for this

But I think pointing at a couple of two-bit fascists scrapping and going 'aren't male politicians violent' is ridiculous and probably does more harm than good

I don't disagree thedancingbear. I'm just find it ironic (and slightly amusing) that people are quick to defend men's right to be in political life when it may be suggested they aren't suited based on the behaviour of two politicians (although it isn't two is it - John Prescott, anyone, amongst others) and stereotypical characteristics of their sex.

I suspect women (and other marginalised groups) could understand that irony better though.

yes . They (UKIP generally and these two loons in particular) are clowns and arseholes. Almost all respectable male politicians think this. Which bit of this could you possibly disagree with?

"I think it's wrongheaded to besmirch male politicians as a class based on the actions of two fascist dickheads." Really ?

Whilst recognising that men are often more violent than women, I think it's wrongheaded to besmirch male politicians as a class based on the actions of two fascist dickheads. Some male politicians have made moderately useful contributions to society.

to be fair, I think it's more indicative of UKIP men

He does not appear to have had a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage (the type of delayed-effect potentially lethal brain injury).He keeled over some 2 hours after whatever the fracas was, and has one-sided symptoms. Those are symptoms of a stroke/TIA.

No, an extradural haemorrhage is the classic "walk & die" head injury. You occasionally get SAHs after injury but they occur straightaway.

Any brain injury can cause one-sided symptoms. If you have just had a bash on the head and develop symptoms, they are likely to be due to the head injury.

I think there must be a full moon or something, affecting the men

It is their hormones that make them just so irrational.

Testieheria is a medical condition that makes men entirely unsuitable to making difficult decisions.

'I just don't think men are suited to political life. Too emotional; too aggressive. They clearly can't cope. It's too demanding for them.'

Love it

Why don't two women ever have 'altercations'? I've never seen that word used to describe women's conduct. It's far more likely to be minimised as a "cat fight"

Oh, and I read somewhere that Diane James had made a note under her signature on the official documents returned to the Electoral Commission in which formally accepted the leadership the phrase "under duress" or similar in Latin.

The papers had been returned to the UKIP Executive by the Electoral Commission with a query about their content. It may be a conspiracy theory, but then again.....

She said she didn't have enough support.

Most male politicians go through their entire careers without punch ups.

There is a considerably larger number of male politicians, so I would expect an incident that is exceptionally rare amongst them to be vanishingly rare amongst females.

Apologies to any stats bods that I have just stated the bleeding obvious.

"brought international politics and media to a standstill with a punch up leading to a serious brain injury?"

Politics and media weren't 'brought to a standstill', if you are talking about events of today.

He does not appear to have had a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage (the type of delayed-effect potentially lethal brain injury)

He keeled over some 2 hours after whatever the fracas was, and has one-sided symptoms. Those are symptoms of a stroke/TIA.

Female violence is incredibly rare - not unheard of , but rare

Interesting thread, is the suggestion that 2 women would never fight? Or, as may be the case here one women would never assault another?

Men have so much to juggle as MEPs. Worried about home, being far away from home, thinking about how will the packed lunches get made and the school uniforms laundered, does my shirt match my jacket?