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

[Bennifer]

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

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

Lilmeena,

I don't think Labour would have embarked on a 'reform' of the NHS that they didn't have an electoral mandate for. I don't think Labour's cuts would have been as ideologically driven as these clearly are (When the Catholic church comes out and criticises your cuts as being part of a 'neo-con' agenda, alarm bells surely should start to ring?)

I'm not a Labour supporter btw. I also don't think they'd have been as ham-fisted: the Forestry Commission, NHS. I think the reason they are coming unstuck as they seem to be hell-bent on pushing through proposals that are ideologically-led and poorly thought through, then when they sense the level of public hostility to them they have to retreat. (eg Why didn't Landsley listen to healthcare workers before drawing up his proposals and halting the bill?)

They seem a very arrogant bunch. In most of their actions so far (Arts Council cuts etc) they didn't consult and steamrollered ahead. And then, as we saw yesterday, when they're called out on it, they resort to cheap sexist jibes. Which just gives me that extra ring of confidence that they know what they're doing. [chmm]

We're on the same planet. Just some of us to be stuck in the Pre-Cambrian era...

Nesbo, politicians should stick to criticising their political oppenents' ideas, and should avoid sexism, racism and any other irrelevant, unfair (and possibly illegal) ways of attacking others.

opponents

No Nesbo, men don't put each other down because they are men! They put each other down because of what they have said. Cameron gender stereotyped his put down. Have you ever heard a white male gender stereotype another white male?

Nesbo, I think the point is that politicians shouldn't use sexist putdowns when a woman points out they are talking twaddle - otherwise it makes them appear sexist and like a prat who can't admit it when they make an error.

Of course the women can 'take it'. They are no doubt very used to it. The point is that they shouldn't have to take it.

My DH is French and he is just utterly by UK politics. He can't believe the way they heckle and shout at each other and make personal digs. Indeed he thinks it is a very top dog/male dominated/swaggery/bullying/bullshitty way to go about things.

I don't see the big deal about this, its no worse than the usual puerile remarks and juvenile behaviour that our politicians display every week

What a bloody idiot!

And you could see he knew he'd made a huge error and you could see it on Clegg's face too.

"Women's voices have higher pitches so when they do shout irrationally, it can be described as shrieking. Unless the higher pitches are a patriarchal conspiracy."

Ridiculous. That's not even a typical man's point of view, that's just silly.

no big deal IMO.

Totally agree that this has been over analysed.

Political banter!

they are about to discuss this on Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 if anyone's interested...

Personally I think David Cameron is a bit of a twat.

Am I the only one who doesn't really trust Michael Winner as an arbiter on decency and modern manners.

He's a knob and this proves it.

ROFL I am a bit of a lurker but my dh has just said "see you later love I am just popping down the road". Should I be jumping up and down because he is a patronizing, sexist, masogynistic, twat that I forgive as he will buy me a cream egg? Hmmm!
Sorry but do you really expect me to take this over analization of an off the cuff statement seriously. If you are female you are used to it and if you are male learn to live with it....we have to

I always thought the joke in the ad was Winner portraying himself as a chauvinistic dinosaur with a sexist catchphrase? So Cameron copying Winner seems like a huge own-goal to me if he is trying to court the female electorate.

Someone else also interrupted after tha calm down dear, and Dave said something like "I'll say it to you too". Does anyone know who it was that had interupted?

Madamimadam;

exhibit one

exhibit two

I'll try an dig out a recent New Statesman article ( written by a doctor ).

he basically said Tony Blair went further with some of his 'reforms' than the Tories ever would have - taking some of Margaret Thatchers ideas and putting them on acid, so don't tell me Labours track record on the NHS is squeaky clean - because it isn't.

Having watched the clip now, DC was being deliberately patronising but not sexist, IMO. He said it to a male MP a few weeks ago.

Obviously he thinks it is a hilariously funny catchphrase, which it isn't, and it backfired badly as he shouldn't be associating himself with Michael Winner as stated above.

Also I can't stand Angela Eagles either, she seems a right royal squeaky PITA.

What is a shame is that DC was being pwned in the debate, wasn't able to answer questions properly, and now all this has been covered up by this lightweight stuff.

If only the media would focus on issues rather than gossip and innuendo.

Of course partners often use affectionate names like "love" Bunglie. Rather different from being at work though, I would never expect this from a colleague or boss.

There is nothing being over-analysed here. It's fairly simple - Cameron used a gender-based jibe to get out of being held to account. Calling a loved one 'love' if she accepts it's ok is one thing. Calling a woman paliamentary colleague 'dear' is something else entirely - undermining, patronising, condescending and discriminatory - all of these things. If he said it to Mrs Cameron he'd find his shiney nasty little face beong filled with a finely-boned fist. Or some such - not alledging she is violent!

Not surprised he leaked out his sexism fundaments. Unfortunately even less surprised that so many posters wish to underplay it's significance.

I have spoken.

"regardless of your loony-leftie-lesbo opinion of Baroness Thatcher...." CameronRocks - are you DC's media advisor?

Here Here Insomnia 11, I agree
I also agree with you MBH but if a colleague or even my boss said it to me after I had kicked him in the bollocks and the tears had cleared from his eyes I would calmly explain how I felt and then make sure the twat did not do it again and not mention his little indiscretion

He has made this comment before and not just to women. It was a joke to diffuse a difficult situation - has been totally blown out of proportion. Ridiculous!

I have just watched this clip on You tube and I am absolutely disgusted that the Prime Minister has resorted to patronising sexism comments. It clearly shows his true colours and as a woman I am deeply offended.

He would not have said that to a man and it was a extremely dismissive and chavinistic remark. It may stem from a jokey advert but it should not seriously be used in an intellectual debate as a way of trying to end a discussion with a female colleague. It is yet another example of the undercurrent of sexism that remains in both government and society as a whole.

There are plenty of women on this thread who should hang there head in shame at some of the comments that they have made, 'Its just women being sensitive, feminist crap etc etc'.

This country is being run by white privately educated men who are currently in the government, remember there are only two women in the cabinet. Women continue to earn less than men in many industries (despite doing the same jobs), women are not respresented in boardrooms and in the austerity measures women have been hit the hardest.

This is not feminist crap this is about being treated with respect both within the workplace and as society as a whole.