To think allisons pearsons rant about Angela Rayner is full of nasty stereotypes about girls who are 16 and pregnant?

[Helhigh]

Well I’m not a fan of Angela Rayner and have never voted labour but Pearsons rant in the telegraph yesterday was half assumptions that Rayner must have been a bully who thumped classmates for doing their homework and distracted the class by talking about how many boys she shagged.
And of course reading books and having a child at 16 is mutually exclusive.
I don’t think Rayner has ever said she was like this Pearson has just made a load of assumptions because she was 16 and pregnant.

Anyway it’s behind a pay wall so I had to copy and paste the nasty part:

“I have noticed a tendency among politicians and commentators, particularly the posh ones, to praise Rayner’s flame-haired “authenticity”. That’s because they didn’t go to school with an Angela. Those of us who did know the harm that the Angelas do to kids from poorer homes who want to work hard and do well but whose lessons are permanently disrupted by those who don’t. The Angelas sit in the back row of the class putting on make-up, doing their nails and chatting loudly, throughout readings from the set book, about who they’ve sh---ed. They disdain the teachers who are rather scared of them.
Angelas have sex by the age of 13 (they mock those of us who are saving our virginity for later). Pregnant at 16, they leave school without any qualifications and work behind the till in Mac Fisheries before embarking on a romantic life which features at least two injunctions and a restraining order. By the age of 37, they are grandmothers (as Rayner was).
Believe me, all the kids who want to get on in life breathe an almighty sigh of relief that the Angelas have left school because now they can hand in their homework and try to pass their exams without being ridiculed or thumped by an Angela.
So you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t join in the applause for Angela Rayner’s vibrant “back story” and her ascent to the top of government through militant trade unionism. The working-class kids I admire often came from difficult council-house homes, as Rayner did, but they clung on to education like a life raft. Or they saw a job opportunity and grasped it with both hands. They did that old-fashioned thing called bettering themselves”

Rayner was recorded at a conference fringe event, quoted upthread.
She was also filmed mouthing the word "scum" from the shadow front bench towards the tory benches. Rayner was reprimanded by the deputy speaker for doing so.
Afterwards, she tried to pass it off as a normal northern turn of phrase in an interview with Kay Burley. Burley is from Wigan and strongly disagreed that "scum" was normal language.
Then, and only then, came the apology.

Rayner reminds me of Barbara Castle, an equally reviled red haired politician, who said The secret really in public life is to be a person . . . You’ve got to be yourself. You’ve almost got to defy the public: That’s me. Take me or leave me.

Didn’t Nye Bevan, architect of the NHS and political icon, also call Tories “scum” (or similar)?

I’m also pretty sure Neville Chamberlain referred to Labour politicians as “dirt”, before being pulled up on it by the then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (who was much more measured).

Although I bemoan the piss poor state of political debate and the personal insults that get traded, it’s slightly refreshing to see a real person with a bit of fire in their belly, rather than the insipid wet lettuces that pass for politicians these days.

Bottom line, people would be far less vociferous about Angela Rayner if she was (a) male, and (b) from a middle or upper class background.

But there is a whole load of potential voters who won’t hate her with a passion who Labour need to try and win over

Rayner isn’t the most competent of MP’s and she now has her hypocrisy hanging over her. If her career up until that point had not relied so heavily on calling out such unfairness in our society for those who have and can gain more by playing the system and then she may have connected with more people

but that has passed now the public will be reminded again and again and that is her own doing

Rayner will be the best gift to the Tory and Reform party not to Labour should she ever become party leader

Bevan referred to the Tories as “vermin”.

Rayner will never get a fair chance in the current climate, the media will make sure of that.

All this microanalysis about Angela R‘s behaviour now is just a waste of time. None of that is relevant to the thread title! The question is, is it then okay for this journalist to invent stuff about AR’s childhood (and then use that to criticise all teen mums). She has invented a story. AR’s actual headmaster said that she was bullied at school. There is no reference of her behaving in the way described.

AR could be the most hateful MP that ever existed. It’s still not relevant to the OP!

Rayner is not in the league of who should have absolutely been Labours party leader

She was herself a highly intelligent competent MP

So why do we think Allison Pearson thought it would be good to hatefully and untruthfully smear Angela's teenage years? This thread isn't about the adult Angela. It is about laughing at working class young girls and jealousy towards "flame-haired" Rayner.

Thank you!

I disagree. I see many similarities.

I don’t disagree

Her downfall though was her own doing of course it’s going to be used against her time any fool knows this

I'm sure she presents an interesting conundrum for the current right. Because given the target demographic, I'm not entirely sure that this article would be on message.
It's one thing to point the finger at people who are not them as the source of all ills. Quite another to launch a non political attack on the percieved characteristics of their own. We know support for the right is linked to lower educational attainment, so I think its reasonable to say that many supporters will recognise aspects of the Angela stereotype in themselves or the women in their families.
The right are going after the WC and underprivileged vote with a strategy of faux respect, flattery and scape goating "We're listening to your valuable insight as intelligent hard working people who are losing out to immigrants".
It's not hugely helpful when someone breaks ranks, lets the mask slip and reveals the true contempt for the WC that has always been there on the right.

Have to disagree BC was an extremely intelligent competent MP which is what is most important

That rather depends on the outcome of the HMRC investigation. It can’t be cut and dried or it wouldn’t be dragging on for so long. How long has it been now? About nine months so far.

Many male MP's survived worse

Even if Rayner never made a mistake, she would still not be accepted by a large number of the electorate.

Och, none of this really matters.

Labour will be wiped out next week and Starmer will finally be put out of his, and our, misery.

Who or what follows will be a zombie Labour government.

Not disagreeing with that

but she has risen on the ranks because of what she represents not because of her intellect and competence

she it has worked both ways for her and her hypocrisy is her downfall

She ignored advice that was there in black and white

that is what is relevant not further HRMC inquiries

and certainly something she would she rightly so pulled another MP up about

Well maybe that will finally bring you some joy and happiness, which I think you may be sorely in need of. ❤️

You have been saying this from the day Labour became government.

Hope you didn't put too many bets on it.

'our misery'

Do tell us where you pay tax @Selectivemute and what any of this is to do with you?

Life is good!

Tempted to share a timestamped photo of the view I have currently.

It also helps that I am no longer propping up the UK’s welfare state….

MYOB, CF.