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Original poster

David Cameron tells Angela Eagle to "calm down dear" at PMQ

714 replies

Bennifer · 27/04/2011 13:25

I posted this in feminism but think this is appalling, if true.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13211577

OP posts:
QuelleLeJeff · 27/04/2011 16:58

TallulahBetty - well, the person who said that can't believe that some people think it's ok - I'm struggling to believe that women are defending our PM, deliberatley and blatently using sexist language to one of his collegues in order to get her to just STFU. That doesn't mean it's not OK for you to have your opinion, anymore than it's not OK for me to hold mine.

catsareeasier · 27/04/2011 17:00

JoanofArgos: "I doubt Cameron's daughter's will need to seek any more taxing employment than opening a hat shop or something."

And you think your grammar is the only thing that needs correcting in that statement? This is what the next generation of women should aspire to?

DC has a son too, I believe. Do you think he would be allowed to consider using his father's power and influence to become a world leader too, or should he just stick to flower arranging?

Shame on you and your sexist 'jokes'. (Oh, and everyone else is right about tired and emotional, by the way.)

Quenelle · 27/04/2011 17:03

I didn't hear the documentary but good post Imps7. One for the I don't 'do' feminism types to think about.

cornflower123 · 27/04/2011 17:05

I am offended by it, makes me cringe watching that clip. He should've apologised. The fact that he didn't doesn't surprise me though. The oldest line in the book - 'it's only a humorous remark'.

If a man said that to me in the workplace I'd feel very patronised, uncomfortable and angry. I would certainly mentally mark him down as a complete tosser.......

JoanofArgos · 27/04/2011 17:06

Hmm, but the point was initially raised in specific relation to Cameron's daughters, which is why I mentioned them. And I was referring to the fact that they are very very wealthy, rather than the issue of power and influence.

I am not arguing that 'tired and emotional' doesn't refer to drunkenness, but Oldlady said that it was never sexist, no matter who said it or to whom. I dispute this.

Caroletok · 27/04/2011 17:10

Everyone het up about this needs to calm down. There are far more important issues we should be concentrating on. Grow up.

JoanofArgos · 27/04/2011 17:11

Perhaps some kind person could let us know, say, the three most important issues we should concentrate on, and then Mumsnet and society generally could just talk about those and not get het up about anything else ever at all?

aliceliddell · 27/04/2011 17:11

I've said this before on other threads, but I say again :Who's got the bingo cards ready? We've had the "so many much worse things, sexism goes to the back of the queue"; "no sense of humour"; "the whole nature of (X) is like this, if you don't like it it proves women can't do X" (doesn't prove the way you do X is inherently sexist); "but this could be said/done to a man" (it never is); "other similar things are done to men"; "Of course, real sexism would be dreadful, but this isn't real sexism" (it never is); and my personal favourite "I'm a woman, and I think (whatever majority of men want)". Usually some reference to 'special' 'patronising' treatment and being 'oversensitive'. This thread has been classic; thankyou, gentlemen and supporters. Can someone mention "on her own merits"? Then I will win a basket of fruit.

Imps7 · 27/04/2011 17:12

Arg - second line of my previous post - I meant "because", rather than "before".

TethersEnd · 27/04/2011 17:13

How on earth do those who don't do feminism think that women got in to the houses of parliament in the first place? Confused

What an utterly bizarre thread.

slavewife · 27/04/2011 17:14

calm down dears, really its not a feminist remark! Hmm. Think people need to stop getting on there soap box, and engage their brain cells!

JoanofArgos · 27/04/2011 17:15

a feminist remark?

I'm reminded of Alan Partridge when he was on the radio saying 'please, any women out there, please don't write in saying that's sexist..... it's not'.

TallulahBetty · 27/04/2011 17:16

TethersEnd - not going to enter a debate about feminism, and I agree that some must have been necessary to break through the barriers so we could end up with female politicians, as you say.

I just don't find an awful lot of other feminist issues appealing to me, that's all.

KatieMiddleton · 27/04/2011 17:17

No slavewife you are quite right it is not a feminist remark at all. It us a sexist remark.

nijinsky · 27/04/2011 17:18

Hmmn, I've recently had "Stop talking so fast" by a surveyor in whose work I found a glaring mistake and then the phone put down on me. Pretty sure he wouldn't have said that to a man.

David Cameron is a bully. He will use whatever techniques he can get away with. I suspect most pms are bullies of some sort or another. However it is embarrassing for a country to have a PM who makes comments which might be interpreted as patronising or sexist towards women MPs.

slavewife · 27/04/2011 17:18

I dont agree, its a rude remark, however I dont see the feminist or sexist side of the argument, highly rude tho.

TethersEnd · 27/04/2011 17:23

Which issues aren't appealing, Tallulah?

Being allowed to see your children after a divorce? Voting? Perhaps equal pay? Or working at all?

This is all really, really odd.

LDNmummy · 27/04/2011 17:25

Proud to say I have just shown my DP the clip and the first word out of his mouth was "mysogyny". So obviously it is not just us 'hysterical feminist types' flapping our gums over an overly hyped issue. If my DP who comes from a traditional and very patriarchal West African background can see it for what it is then it is sadder for me that many women on here do not.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 27/04/2011 17:26

It's a sexist comment because it's highly unlikely that he would have said that to a man. It's a feminist argument/ issue because feminists believe that men and women are equal and require equal treatment and respect.

Tallulah, if everyone didn't 'do feminism' not many of us would be on this site as we wouldn't be able to read or write. If we were even allowed on the internet.

Supermoo · 27/04/2011 17:27

It was rude. And sexist. And, well, a bit embarrassing. He's our prime minister fgs, and he's quoting Michael bloody Winner! If you're going to be offensive, at least make it a bit clever, this just makes him look like a nasty little bully. A thick nasty little bully.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 27/04/2011 17:28

supermoo, that's a bloody good point about quoting Winner Smile.

QuelleLeJeff · 27/04/2011 17:28

My nan who is in her 80's thinks it's sexist so gawd help.

Lilmeena · 27/04/2011 17:29

Nijinsky - what's embarrassing is having a PM who calls one of his life long supporters 'a bigot' when he thinks he's off air - ( the spineless coward )

Spudulika · 27/04/2011 17:34

Lilmeena - come on, there ARE loads of bigoted people out there and they can be found among ranks of labour supporters as well as elsewhere.

Gordon Brown's mistake was not listening carefully enough to what the woman was saying. And I'm sure all politicians bad mouth their constituents at times when they think they're being overheard - just like teachers do their students and chefs do diners. Especially at moments of high pressure. They're only human!

Spudulika · 27/04/2011 17:36

AliceLiddel - I heart you! Smile