‘Scum’ Tories use indignation over insult to hide their refusal to support people in Covid-related hardship
If the cap fits: Christopher Clarkson breaks off whizzing through a speech vilifying Labour to wonder why Labour MPs are vilifying him.
What a lot of fuss over such a little word!
Admittedly, I wouldn’t like it if someone called me “scum” while I was making a speech.
But let’s consider the context.
The Labour Party was using its Opposition Day to discuss the criteria under which the government provides funding to jobs and businesses facing its new restrictions, and to demand that the Tories honour their claim that they will ensure workers receive at least 80 per cent of their previous incomes while on the Job Support Scheme extension and facing hardship.
Here’s what prize Tory Christopher Clarkson had to say about it:
"Did the honorable lady just call me scum?"
Conservative MP Chris Clarkson clashes with Labour's Angela Rayner as he accuses the opposition of "opportunism" over Covid restrictionshttps://t.co/TdtTBgBeWn pic.twitter.com/aP9JRXKVZ9
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 21, 2020
You can see why Angela Rayner said what she did, I’m sure!
Clarkson’s complaint cut no ice with members of the public, for whom Rayner’s contribution to the debate had made up for six months of near-silence as Keir Starmer’s sidekick. Here’s part of her speech:
I hesitantly admit to not being a massive fan of Angela Rayner in the past, but then I’m a terrible judge of character.
I’m not, however, hesitant in saying that I am deeply impressed by her now. Her speech here is excellent.
— Miffy (@miffythegamer) October 21, 2020
Responses so far show the public overwhelmingly on her side:
Idk, calling a tory scum is the best thing Angela Rayner has done in 6 months. Here for it.
— Holly (@holski_beat) October 21, 2020
Why all the fuss about Angela Rayner allegedly calling out ‘scum’ at Christopher Clarkson?
Name me one Tory MP that isn’t scum.
— Wolfie. 💙🧡💚 (@Tpopularfront) October 21, 2020
And they were quick to call out Clarkson’s complaint as a tactic, intended to distract from the thrust of the debate:
https://twitter.com/DegsyHatton/status/1318924928524103682
If you're more upset about Angela Rayner calling a Tory MP "scum" than you are about Tory MPs refusing to help feed hungry children while dolling out billions of pounds of taxpayers' money to their rich pals, you are everything wrong with this country.
You're no f*cking patriot.
— Frank Owen's Legendary Paintbrush🥀🇵🇸🇾🇪 (@OwenPaintbrush) October 21, 2020
Last word goes to this commenter, who raises the issue of class:
Working class people are kept away from politics by tone policing.
If Angela Rayner had made her honest, accurate and relatively mild comment in Latin she'd have got a column in the Telegraph.— ClarenceTheCrossEyedLion (@crhealy72) October 21, 2020
“Spumae”, by the way, is the Latin for scum. Expect to hear it in the Commons – a lot – over the next few years.
Have YOU donated to my crowdfunding appeal, raising funds to fight false libel claims by TV celebrities who should know better? These court cases cost a lot of money so every penny will help ensure that wealth doesn’t beat justice.
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