Adam Boulton summarises Ann Widdecombe as ‘a spinster, an old maid and a virgin’

[PeachOctopus]

Lots of comments about this news report from Andrew Boulton regarding Anne Widdicombe -he called her a “spinster,” an “old maid” and a “virgin” while speculating about her private life.
I couldn’t believe that as a mainstream broadcaster on Sky he chose language like this to remember her life, regardless of her politics.

Anne Widdicombe- Sky news Andrew Boulton’s misogyny

Why does a woman ALWAYS have to be seen in context of a man????

Have they said it was a man, I thought they released the first person arrested?

Indeed. I have a vague memory of AW saying that as a) a devout Christian on the conservative end of the theological spectrum, and b) single, she would be appalled should anyone insinuate that she wasn't a virgin.

I think fundamentally we can all agree that she wouldn't give a shit what Adam Boulton thought about her.

Exactly.

I watched C4 news tonight, and the talked about first suspect having been released, but that still looking for a white male. (Unless I imagined that.)**

But they did also report that the police are asking people not to speculate, and then added that Farage turned up at her house, and gave a speech doing exactly that, speculating.

** If C4 didn't actually say that, apologies. This is what happens when I try to do two things at once.

Feeling a bit uncertain in case I misheard so have checked my "facts".

From the BBC website:

The search for a suspect - who is believed to be a white male - continues, the police said earlier after confirming that a 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering Widdecombe has been released and is no longer part of its investigation.

Whilst his comments are reprehensible, please think carefully about amplifying Nicholas Lissack’s signals. And also ask why he is doing this.

Nothing enrages a certain type of man more than a woman who doesn’t need a man.

So with a whole generation of young women now who say they actively dislike men he is going to pick AW?

This really annoyed me. So sexist. He’s on a radio station with good female presenters. I’ve emailed to say why keep him

Mediocre men on the left resort to this so often. Kemi shows them up and they lash out and insult. It’s all they have.

Have no idea who Nicholas Lissack is, and no interest in finding out.

I think whoever this person is, must be about an issue you have.

If you think the BBC and C4 news are influenced by this non entity, please do feel free to contact them and let them know!

So back in the real world, police issue statement, Farage ignores it.

The virgin mocking is particularly horrible. By what sort of flawed assumption could he imply she was she missing out, or something was wrong with her? If she just had not met the right person for her, then she wasn’t missing out, and nothing was wrong with her. Sex for the sake of it with someone like him would not have somehow made her a better, or a happier, person.

Can only wonder that he didn't make some inappropriate remark about her being a closet lesbian, because in the male brain, many if not all are "virgins".

Just another man talking through his penis.

I was thinking this too.

How is it in any way necessary or appropriate

I really don’t get it, I think he should be ousted.

It makes me think automatically of the Germaine Greer quote “Women have very little idea how much men hate them”.

So she knows what loads of other women think and know better than they do themselves?

I don't believe in heaven and hell any more but I would love to be wrong purely for this. Adam dies and his soul presents itself to a tribunal chaired by Anne. He thinks "Oh fuck" but she shows chistian forgiveness.

It is late and DH is wedded to the footy.

Fabulous. Back in the 80s afriend of mine wore a badge that simply declared "spinster" and I always wanted one..I also wished I could use "Mrs" in its original sense of "property owner in charge of her own destiny"

(Which would describe Anne Widdecombe I think.

She was politically poles apart from me, and some of the vile comments from people who I might have thought I agreed with has been extremely dispiriting.

I don't watch sky so have no idea about boultons politics but that was utterly disgusting and despicable.from.him. To think that people who have just lost a beloved relative, friend, neighbour or colleague, will have heard that remark...The self absorption to not consider them.for a nanosecond is repulsive.

He looks like a man who is poisoning his own body with his bile - he hardly looks healthy. Pompous odious man.

The free speech police would have you believe incivility aka down right hate speech is a necessary tradeoff for liberty & certainly gender critical supporters are no strangers to subscribing to this new 'cultural more'. So why you would come here of all places to cry about it seems a tad 'out of context'.

Live by the sword…………

The dead can't answer back, so cowards insult them.

@suburberphobe
How dare you deny my own account of my experience?

It is not ‘bullshit’. I have genuinely not been served, been given a shit table or been turned away when alone in places where I have previously been treated very well when with my DH.

And who the fuck are you to tell me that I need to get out more by myself? I commuted into London for years, have travelled all over England solo for work purposes, gone on solo trips in Europe and travelled to NYC solo.

Ju because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean that it won’t happen to other women. Have you ever considered that different people might have different experiences?

Oh and the reactions on my post suggest that others didn’t share your view.