David Cameron apologises for 'sexist' remarks

[RowanMumsnet]

Morning all

The Sunday Times is today reporting that David Cameron is apologising for 'using words that could have been interpreted as sexist' in his replies to two women MPs during Prime Minister's Questions; he's also saying that the Conservatives must to more to appeal to women voters.

The full article is here (£), but - at the risk of bringing the wrath of News International on my head [buttock-clench emoticon] here are the most relevant parts:

'David Cameron has issued a heartfelt apology for disrespectful remarks he made to two female MPs and admitted that the Conservative party must do more to appeal to women voters.

The prime minister acknowledged making a 'terrible mistake' in the House of Commons by using words that could have been interpreted as sexist.

In a highly personal interview, he insisted he was not 'one of the lads' and had not meant to cause offence... Cameron acknowledged he had 'screwed up' at prime minister's questions during exchanges with Labour's Angela Eagle, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and one of his own backbenchers, Nadine Dorries. He insisted that he had been misunderstood.

'What I find frustrating is that I'm not a sort of 'All right luv, I'm down at the pub tonight' whatever. That's not me. But obviously I've come across in this way,' he said.'

Do let us know what you think.

Thanks
MNHQ

Hmm. Good idea, Scarlet. I fear I will be the lone voice as MN is something of a lefty hell!

I wonder why that is, Damsel (genuine question).

As you can probably tell from my name, I'm not a Friend of Dave, but there must be some supporters here, surely?

Seriously? you think just because people don't like DC and his govt's policies, they have to be left wing? Crap. It's perfectly possible to loathe the tories and all they stand for and NOT be left wing. Open up your mind to the possibility!

Anyone who voted the current government in - like me - is very reluctant to contribute anything remotely pro to 'we hate Dave' threads because the vitriol that gets heaped on us is pretty nasty. I have a go occasionally because I'm fairly thick skinned but I'm currently being accused everything from being a 'Millbank troll' to an 'enemy of humanity' elsewhere on MN ... and I really don't need that kind of abuse tbh :)

Cogito
Does that not make you think, well, personal attacks aside, that there's something in this anti-govt sentiment?
(genuine question)

Politics has never been a polite subject, IME, Cogito. I used to debate quite amazingly politely with a lovely bloke at my work when Thatcher was PM - he was very pro-Thatcher (I wasn't) but we managed to keep it polite because he was a true gent. I've never managed it quite so politely since because it does tend to get very personal very quickly.
I generally stick to the "never talk politics or religion" policy now (don't know why I'm on this thread, really! )

Ahhh, I geddit, the Tories want to appeal to women voters!! Their PR wants us voter ladies to know that members of the Conservative Party are not sexists at all and have a great sense of humour!! [lightbulb emoticon]

Starter for 10, Dave. What about changing your sexist policies? Actions speak far louder than words to your electorate.....

Do we think Rowan may pass this thread onto Tory HQ and Davie himself? It's the sort of thing their PR section may be interrseted in.

@Waltraut. I think what's in the anti-government sentiment are some genuine personal grievances and worry about the future, made worse by a big dollop of hype from the Opposition (who should be working with the government to improve matters, not taking lazy pot shots at it like divorcing parents rowing in front of the children) Add in some prejudice against stereotypes ('toffs' 'nobs' and 'looking after their wealthy mates'.. yawn), unrealistic expectations about what a government can do to combat the biggest global recession since the 1930s and you've got an easy target for everyone's anxiety. And I don't expect people to be polite about politics - certainly not on an anonymous message board - but others are more sensitive than I am, hence why they don't join in.

Sexism seems to be rather the poor relation of the "isms". When you think how quick everyone is to denigrate racist comments, and rightly so, I don't understand why sexist remarks are still tolerated - in fact even expected.

From David Cameron's patronising "Calm down", to, on the thread about single sex schools, girls being called "tarts" by the boys. Frankly, to call a girl a tart or a slut is as offensive as a black person being called a n***.

An MP would lose his seat for a racist remark, or a pupil excluded from school. So why does the same not happen for sexist remarks?

PR is the bloomin's problem. It was the PR person who thought "We'll get some headlines and talked about on Mumsnet if we bring this all up again".

How long until we get Tory HQ calling up to offer another CallMeDave webchat? I changed my name last time to "HugaHoodie" and offered to embrace Conservatism .

Can someone just write what he said so we can have an opinion?

p.s. If MNHQ would like to send a delegate to Manchester to discuss this article and Tory policies on behalf of all MNers, I'm not doing anything special this week [thinks hard about cousins wedding and where to park DS during Newsnight interview]

Cameron sorry over remarks to female MPs

I am glad to see that he has apologised.

Link to useful guidance for Dave & Co re sexist remarks

The man needs better advisors. Apologising for remarks invoking misogynist stereotypes by invoking class stereotpyes is ridiculous.

''What I find frustrating is that I'm not a sort of 'All right luv, I'm down at the pub tonight' whatever. That's not me. But obviously I've come across in this way,' he said.'

No. He's not. He's someone who has had every privilege and advantage money can buy, who has deliberately and calculatingly used sexist comments to belittle women MPs on live television in their workplace.

We still have a pathetically low % of women in parliament. The house act like schoolboys during PMQs. He knew full well what their reaction would be. Which is why he said it.

Look at his policies. If he actually gave a damn about women he would not be making the changes to child benefit, working tax credit etc etc.
I seriously doubt that he actually cares about people. He only cares about votes.

At a time when vital services are being cut he has found the money to bribe councils into keeping weekly bin collections - £250 Million. Because that will be popular in the Daily Mail and Daily Express.

what fallenmaddona said

Cogito, there's such a gulf between Labour and the govt that I find it hard to imagine that they could work together. Politics is combative. That's all there is to it.

Cogito, your 15.25 post was an excellent one.

Scarletbanner, I think there probably are Conservative voters/Dave supporters on MN, but they keep a very, very low profile because they don't fancy having abuse piled upon them. Whether it actually be the majority or not, the lefty wing of MN is very vocal and pretty abusive.

Cameron is being amazingly crass if he thinks that it's socially acceptable to apologise only when someone (in this case an opinion poll) points out that you have been offensive.

He's upper class. Basic social skills would have been drilled into him by his family and/or nanny. Oh hang on though, it's only tiresome ruddy wimmin isn't it, unless it's your wife/mother or other close relation it doesn't matter.

His comment about "I'm not a sort of "alright luv I'm down at the pub tonight" whatever" does nothing to repair his reputation, it merely indicates a stereotype poor opinion of working class men, who he clearly feels superior to.

Badly done Dave and still being badly handled - no creibility or respect restored yet with me.

As far as I can see (not on this thread though) there is plenty of abuse from both sides on the politics threads. I'm genuinely a bit perplexed as to why tory supporters should have to feel they need to keep quiet. I'm a raging socialist and if/when I get laughed at or put down for that, it's water off a duck's back tbh. What gets through to me sometimes is well-written and thoughtful argument. Do you not feel the same, Cogito and Damsel?

I still can't quite see though how you can't see that the sheer numbers you are talking about is a result of genuine dissatisfaction and dislike of the way things are going, not some desire just to do a tory down no matter what.

"Politics is combative. That's all there is to it."

In a crisis situation such as the very serious one we have at the moment, it shouldn't be.

You don't need to be 'one of the lads' to be a misogynist.

"sheer numbers "

Sheer numbers means nothing when it comes to the internet. We've had vastly popular facebook pages making Raoul Moat a folk hero. We've seen Twitter campaigns that would have led you to believe the AV Referendum was a cake-walk for the 'yes' campaign. And the MN mock election was very wide of the mark, if I remember rightly - with lovely old Nick Clegg more popular than free chocolate. The only 'sheer numbers' that I put my faith in are the ones on polling day.