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| Labour MP Jess Phillips told Diane Abbott to 'f*** off' in Jeremy Corbyn sexism row | Labour MP Jess Phillips told Diane Abbott to 'f*** off' in Jeremy Corbyn sexism row |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Labour MP told one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies and shadow minister to “fuck off” during a row over the lack of women in important positions in his front bench team. | A Labour MP told one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies and shadow minister to “fuck off” during a row over the lack of women in important positions in his front bench team. |
| Jess Phillps, the newly-elected MP for Birmingham Yardley, clashed with shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott at the first meeting of Labour MPs since Mr Corbyn won the leadership last Saturday. | Jess Phillps, the newly-elected MP for Birmingham Yardley, clashed with shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott at the first meeting of Labour MPs since Mr Corbyn won the leadership last Saturday. |
| Asked why he had failed to appoint a woman to shadow the four great offices of state, Ms Abbott scolded Ms Phillips for asking a “sanctimonious” question, adding: “you’re not the only feminist in the PLP (Parliamentary Labour party)”. | Asked why he had failed to appoint a woman to shadow the four great offices of state, Ms Abbott scolded Ms Phillips for asking a “sanctimonious” question, adding: “you’re not the only feminist in the PLP (Parliamentary Labour party)”. |
| Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley | Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley |
| Mr Corbyn was criticised for refusing to intervene in the row, with witnesses explaining how he sat on in silence. | Mr Corbyn was criticised for refusing to intervene in the row, with witnesses explaining how he sat on in silence. |
| Explaining the spat in more detail to the Huffington Post, Ms Phillips said: “I roundly told her to f*** off.” Asked what Ms Abbott did in response, Ms Phillips said: “She f***** off." | Explaining the spat in more detail to the Huffington Post, Ms Phillips said: “I roundly told her to f*** off.” Asked what Ms Abbott did in response, Ms Phillips said: “She f***** off." |
| She added: “People said to me they had always wanted to say that to her, and I don’t know why they don’t as the opportunity presents itself every other minute. | She added: “People said to me they had always wanted to say that to her, and I don’t know why they don’t as the opportunity presents itself every other minute. |
| “I said: ‘Who the f*** do you think you are?’” | “I said: ‘Who the f*** do you think you are?’” |
| Ms Phillips said she decided to speak out at the PLP meeting on Monday because she felt “alienated from the party” at the Labour leadership conference on Saturday when “not a single woman stood up and spoke” on the stage during the event. | Ms Phillips said she decided to speak out at the PLP meeting on Monday because she felt “alienated from the party” at the Labour leadership conference on Saturday when “not a single woman stood up and spoke” on the stage during the event. |
| Details of the row came as The Times revealed that Mr Corbyn and Ms Abbott are former lovers, having had a brief relationship in the 1970s. | |
| Mr Corbyn was widely criticised for failing to appoint a woman to shadow the to four offices of state. John McDonnell was appointed shadow chancellor, Andy Burnham shadow home secretary and Hilary Benn was appointed shadow foreign secretary. | Mr Corbyn was widely criticised for failing to appoint a woman to shadow the to four offices of state. John McDonnell was appointed shadow chancellor, Andy Burnham shadow home secretary and Hilary Benn was appointed shadow foreign secretary. |
| However Mr Corbyn has dismissed accusations of sexism, insisting those roles were "defined in the 19th century to reflect an era before women or workers even had the vote". | However Mr Corbyn has dismissed accusations of sexism, insisting those roles were "defined in the 19th century to reflect an era before women or workers even had the vote". |
| The real 'top jobs', according to Mr Corbyn and his new leadership team, are those overseeing key public services such as health, education and employment rights. | The real 'top jobs', according to Mr Corbyn and his new leadership team, are those overseeing key public services such as health, education and employment rights. |
| Heidi Alexander, MP for Lewisham East, was appointed shadow health secretary and Ed Miliband's former chief of staff Lucy Powell was appointed as Mr Corbyn's shadow education secretary. | Heidi Alexander, MP for Lewisham East, was appointed shadow health secretary and Ed Miliband's former chief of staff Lucy Powell was appointed as Mr Corbyn's shadow education secretary. |
| It has been a rocky start for Mr Corbyn, but an assured performance at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday managed to steady the ship. | It has been a rocky start for Mr Corbyn, but an assured performance at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday managed to steady the ship. |
| It gave him some breathing space after being widely condemned - even from figures in his own front bench - for refusing to sing the national anthem at a memorial event on Tuesday. | It gave him some breathing space after being widely condemned - even from figures in his own front bench - for refusing to sing the national anthem at a memorial event on Tuesday. |
| He has now said he will sing God Save the Queen at future events. | He has now said he will sing God Save the Queen at future events. |