PA Media
Boris Johnson is dealing with criticism from a former Tory minister, Caroline Nokes
Boris Johnson’s controversial feedback on Muslim ladies had been “actually sick judged”, says a former Tory minister.
The PM got here below fireplace in 2018 after he wrote an article comparing women in burkas to letterboxes and bank robbers.
Caroline Nokes – who chairs the Commons Ladies and Equalities Committee – mentioned the PM ought to “assume very fastidiously” about his phrases and their influence.
She additionally in contrast Parliament to a “boys’ prep college”, and mentioned working there may be “turning me right into a feminist”.
In an interview with The House Magazine, the previous immigration minister below Theresa Could, mentioned the article on Muslim ladies was the incident that “stands out”.
She added: “I’ve at all times held the view that it isn’t for any man to inform any girl what she ought to put on – recommendation that I’d generally shout at my very own father when he feedback on what I am sporting.
“However I feel the prime minister’s alternative of phrases when grabbing headlines and being a newspaper columnist had been unlucky.”
Mr Johnson repeatedly refused to apologise for the article, claiming his feedback had been taken out of context.
However throughout the 2019 election marketing campaign, he mentioned he was “sorry for any offence I’ve triggered”.
‘Outdated attitudes’
Through the interview, Ms Nokes additionally criticised the Parliament for being like a public college “the place the inmates have not fairly bought to 13”.
She mentioned coming into Westminster was a “actual shock to the system”, including: “If Parliament needs to take credit score for one factor that it has performed for me over the course of the final 10 years, it’s turning me right into a feminist.
“Perhaps I had simply been fortunate earlier than coming right here, however out of the blue you form of turn into confronted with some actually outdated attitudes, and a few actually difficult behaviours.”
However Ms Nokes additionally mentioned the UK as a complete had turn into much less tolerant.
“I feel it is incumbent upon authorities, it is incumbent upon the schooling system, it is incumbent upon all of us to be extra tolerant, and to be extra understanding,” she added.
“We’re actually good as a rustic at having some nationwide outpourings of grief and upset over excessive profile issues, however truly that large enhance in hate crimes in direction of individuals from LGBTQ views, from disabled individuals, from totally different ethnicities is simply horrific.”