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Emily Thornberry accuses Sky's Murnaghan of 'sexism' | Emily Thornberry accuses Sky's Murnaghan of 'sexism' |
(35 minutes later) | |
The shadow foreign secretary has accused a TV interviewer of "sexism" after he asked her to name the French foreign minister. | The shadow foreign secretary has accused a TV interviewer of "sexism" after he asked her to name the French foreign minister. |
Emily Thornberry criticised Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan for "pub-quizzing" her as they discussed Brexit talks, saying it was "patronising". | Emily Thornberry criticised Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan for "pub-quizzing" her as they discussed Brexit talks, saying it was "patronising". |
The Labour MP declined to name French minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, adding: "Can we talk about some serious stuff?" | The Labour MP declined to name French minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, adding: "Can we talk about some serious stuff?" |
Mr Murnaghan said he had asked male politicians similar questions. | Mr Murnaghan said he had asked male politicians similar questions. |
He went on to refer to the time in 2011 when he asked the then shadow chancellor Alan Johnson about national insurance rates - a question the Labour MP was unable to answer. | He went on to refer to the time in 2011 when he asked the then shadow chancellor Alan Johnson about national insurance rates - a question the Labour MP was unable to answer. |
'Serious stuff' | 'Serious stuff' |
Ms Thornberry was asked if she had taken part in any Brexit talks with her would-be counterparts in Germany and France, and then if she knew the name of the French foreign minister. | Ms Thornberry was asked if she had taken part in any Brexit talks with her would-be counterparts in Germany and France, and then if she knew the name of the French foreign minister. |
"Don't start pub quizzing me, Dermot," she said. | "Don't start pub quizzing me, Dermot," she said. |
"Don't start pub quizzing me." | "Don't start pub quizzing me." |
She was then asked again if she was able to name the minister. | She was then asked again if she was able to name the minister. |
Ms Thornberry said: "No and I'm not going to start answering your questions on this." | Ms Thornberry said: "No and I'm not going to start answering your questions on this." |
She added: "Do you know what, what really upsets me about your attitude to me is that you do this with me. I don't remember you doing it with anybody else you know. | She added: "Do you know what, what really upsets me about your attitude to me is that you do this with me. I don't remember you doing it with anybody else you know. |
"Have you done it to David Davis? Have you asked these questions? Do Sky journalists have a go at Boris Johnson on this basis? How about Liam Fox? Do you do pub quizzes with them? | "Have you done it to David Davis? Have you asked these questions? Do Sky journalists have a go at Boris Johnson on this basis? How about Liam Fox? Do you do pub quizzes with them? |
"I mean honestly. Can we talk about some serious stuff?" | "I mean honestly. Can we talk about some serious stuff?" |
Ms Thornberry suggested that Mr Murnaghan should ask her questions about the situation in Syria or North Korea. | Ms Thornberry suggested that Mr Murnaghan should ask her questions about the situation in Syria or North Korea. |
'Patronising' | 'Patronising' |
Mr Murnaghan then asked her if she knew who the South Korean president was in relation to the recent news that North Korea had carried out a fifth nuclear blast. | Mr Murnaghan then asked her if she knew who the South Korean president was in relation to the recent news that North Korea had carried out a fifth nuclear blast. |
"If you want me to go with you to a pub tonight and we can do a pub quiz tonight, let's do it." | "If you want me to go with you to a pub tonight and we can do a pub quiz tonight, let's do it." |
She was then asked if knew the president's gender, she said: "I'm not getting drawn by you into this nonsense." | She was then asked if knew the president's gender, she said: "I'm not getting drawn by you into this nonsense." |
Mr Murnaghan went on to ask Ms Thornberry about anti-Semitism within the Labour Party. | Mr Murnaghan went on to ask Ms Thornberry about anti-Semitism within the Labour Party. |
She said Labour is committed to tackling the issue, as well as racism and sexism, whenever it occurs. | She said Labour is committed to tackling the issue, as well as racism and sexism, whenever it occurs. |
She said: "There is always more to be done and do you know what, there is certainly a lot more to be done by the Tories and I certainly think sometimes when it comes to sexism, some Sky presenters need to look at themselves too. | She said: "There is always more to be done and do you know what, there is certainly a lot more to be done by the Tories and I certainly think sometimes when it comes to sexism, some Sky presenters need to look at themselves too. |
"I really do. It really upsets me that every time I come on here, you do another pub quiz with me because you do not do it with anybody else and I do think that it's patronising." | "I really do. It really upsets me that every time I come on here, you do another pub quiz with me because you do not do it with anybody else and I do think that it's patronising." |
Mr Murnaghan replied: "It's not, because you are the shadow foreign secretary and this was about the French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who Boris Johnson has met now several times." | Mr Murnaghan replied: "It's not, because you are the shadow foreign secretary and this was about the French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who Boris Johnson has met now several times." |
Twitter reacts | |
Ms Thornberry said she wanted to "take this offline because I have got a lot to say to you and I don't think a lot of it ought to be broadcast". | Ms Thornberry said she wanted to "take this offline because I have got a lot to say to you and I don't think a lot of it ought to be broadcast". |
The interview has sparked a wave of debate online. | |
Isabel Hardman, the assistant editor of The Spectator, tweeted: "Hum. Never realised I could just use "sexism" as a cover-all excuse for not doing my homework." | Isabel Hardman, the assistant editor of The Spectator, tweeted: "Hum. Never realised I could just use "sexism" as a cover-all excuse for not doing my homework." |
She later tweeted: "Seriously, though, sexism is still so rife and serious. This kind of thing trivialises it and makes it harder to fight." | She later tweeted: "Seriously, though, sexism is still so rife and serious. This kind of thing trivialises it and makes it harder to fight." |
Matt Chorley of the Times newspaper tweeted: "It would have been sexist if Murnaghan had asked Thornberry about Bake Off. Or her hairdresser. Not who she might talk to in government." | Matt Chorley of the Times newspaper tweeted: "It would have been sexist if Murnaghan had asked Thornberry about Bake Off. Or her hairdresser. Not who she might talk to in government." |
Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson tweeted: "Plenty of genuine sexism & misogyny in politics. Don't need prominent women debasing the term to cover their own poor performance. Jeez." | Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson tweeted: "Plenty of genuine sexism & misogyny in politics. Don't need prominent women debasing the term to cover their own poor performance. Jeez." |
But the Labour MP Paul Flynn came to Ms Thornberry's defence and tweeted: "Possibility of nuclear war is a issue of vital importance that should not be trivialised by Murnaghan's cheap smart-aleck pub-quiz question." | But the Labour MP Paul Flynn came to Ms Thornberry's defence and tweeted: "Possibility of nuclear war is a issue of vital importance that should not be trivialised by Murnaghan's cheap smart-aleck pub-quiz question." |
He later added: "Murnaghan repeats cheap trick to grab a headline for himself and his failing show by diverting attention from issue of mega-importance." | He later added: "Murnaghan repeats cheap trick to grab a headline for himself and his failing show by diverting attention from issue of mega-importance." |