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| Women in Parliament Call Out Boris Johnson for His Incendiary Language on Brexit | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — One after another, women rose in Britain’s House of Commons and pleaded with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stop calling his opponents traitors, lest a madman take his words to heart. | LONDON — One after another, women rose in Britain’s House of Commons and pleaded with Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stop calling his opponents traitors, lest a madman take his words to heart. |
| But time and again on Wednesday night, Mr. Johnson pulled new slurs from his lexicon, accusing those who disagree with him of humiliating Britain, surrendering to Brussels and betraying their own constituents in phrases that evoked war with the European Union, not a wonky three-year negotiation. | But time and again on Wednesday night, Mr. Johnson pulled new slurs from his lexicon, accusing those who disagree with him of humiliating Britain, surrendering to Brussels and betraying their own constituents in phrases that evoked war with the European Union, not a wonky three-year negotiation. |
| As rowdy as Britain’s Parliament has been in recent months, Mr. Johnson’s eruptions marked a new front in the culture war over Brexit. Especially for the roster of female lawmakers who begged Mr. Johnson to calm his incendiary language, the outbursts were chilling, exposing the vitriol within parts of the Brexit project and the nastiness that lawmakers say Mr. Johnson has often reserved for women who stood up to him. | |
| The prime minister’s remarks dampened hope of opposition lawmakers voting for a revamped Brexit deal and stirred alarm across Europe, where diplomats despaired over the prime minister’s bellicose tone and warned of his words’ fueling political violence. | |
| In the run-up to the 2016 referendum, Jo Cox, an anti-Brexit lawmaker, was murdered by a man shouting “Britain first!” and “death to traitors.” Since then, women say they have gotten an avalanche of threats for standing in the way of Britain leaving the European Union without a deal governing future relations — and all the dire repercussions that could cause. | In the run-up to the 2016 referendum, Jo Cox, an anti-Brexit lawmaker, was murdered by a man shouting “Britain first!” and “death to traitors.” Since then, women say they have gotten an avalanche of threats for standing in the way of Britain leaving the European Union without a deal governing future relations — and all the dire repercussions that could cause. |
| Mr. Johnson has only stoked the flames, lawmakers said. | Mr. Johnson has only stoked the flames, lawmakers said. |
| One threat sent to Jess Phillips, a Labour lawmaker, quoted a line of Mr. Johnson’s about preferring being “dead in a ditch” to delaying Brexit. “That is what will happen to those who do not deliver Brexit,” the threat to Ms. Phillips read. | One threat sent to Jess Phillips, a Labour lawmaker, quoted a line of Mr. Johnson’s about preferring being “dead in a ditch” to delaying Brexit. “That is what will happen to those who do not deliver Brexit,” the threat to Ms. Phillips read. |
| On Wednesday night, looking weary after the Supreme Court forced him to end the parliamentary shutdown he imposed to push through his Brexit plans, Mr. Johnson dismissed concerns about death threats mirroring his language as “humbug.” He said lawmakers had only themselves to blame for the hostile political climate, suggesting that they were inviting the threats by not acceding to his hard-line Brexit tactics. | On Wednesday night, looking weary after the Supreme Court forced him to end the parliamentary shutdown he imposed to push through his Brexit plans, Mr. Johnson dismissed concerns about death threats mirroring his language as “humbug.” He said lawmakers had only themselves to blame for the hostile political climate, suggesting that they were inviting the threats by not acceding to his hard-line Brexit tactics. |
| “The best way to honor the memory of Jo Cox and indeed the best way to bring this country together would be, I think, to get Brexit done,” Mr. Johnson said, eliciting no small measure of disbelief. | “The best way to honor the memory of Jo Cox and indeed the best way to bring this country together would be, I think, to get Brexit done,” Mr. Johnson said, eliciting no small measure of disbelief. |
| Bridget Phillipson, a Labour lawmaker, said in an interview that women in Parliament routinely received vile messages calling them, among other things, witches. She said that while Theresa May, the former prime minister, had kindled some anger at lawmakers during her leadership, the mood darkened when Mr. Johnson took office. | Bridget Phillipson, a Labour lawmaker, said in an interview that women in Parliament routinely received vile messages calling them, among other things, witches. She said that while Theresa May, the former prime minister, had kindled some anger at lawmakers during her leadership, the mood darkened when Mr. Johnson took office. |
| “It’s treachery, treason, betrayal and, added to it, a healthy dose of misogyny,” Ms. Phillipson said, describing the threats. “It’s a deliberate strategy of Boris Johnson to fuel these divisions, to pit the public against Parliament and their politicians.” | “It’s treachery, treason, betrayal and, added to it, a healthy dose of misogyny,” Ms. Phillipson said, describing the threats. “It’s a deliberate strategy of Boris Johnson to fuel these divisions, to pit the public against Parliament and their politicians.” |
| Responding in a television interview on Thursday, Mr. Johnson said, “I totally deplore any threats to anybody, particularly female M.P.s.” But he defended comparing his opponents’ strategy to an act of surrender, saying a Brexit delay gave Brussels too much power to decide Britain’s status in the bloc. | Responding in a television interview on Thursday, Mr. Johnson said, “I totally deplore any threats to anybody, particularly female M.P.s.” But he defended comparing his opponents’ strategy to an act of surrender, saying a Brexit delay gave Brussels too much power to decide Britain’s status in the bloc. |
| Mr. Johnson has long courted a fan base in Britain with what critics called crude, chauvinistic language, but supporters saw as nothing more than airy banter. | Mr. Johnson has long courted a fan base in Britain with what critics called crude, chauvinistic language, but supporters saw as nothing more than airy banter. |
| His columns in the right-wing Daily Telegraph were full of intemperate language generally, but some were particularly aimed at women. | His columns in the right-wing Daily Telegraph were full of intemperate language generally, but some were particularly aimed at women. |
| For example, he took issue with the flood of grief that followed Princess Diana’s death, ascribing it to her status as “a symbol for every woman who has ever felt wronged by a man.” | For example, he took issue with the flood of grief that followed Princess Diana’s death, ascribing it to her status as “a symbol for every woman who has ever felt wronged by a man.” |
| He also packed a column on cars in GQ magazine with sexual innuendo. In one review of a Ferrari, he said the English countryside “was lying back and opening her well-bred legs to be ravished by the Italian stallion.” In another, he wrote of the female voice on his navigation system: “so cool, so low, so scrotum-tighteningly thoughtful.” | He also packed a column on cars in GQ magazine with sexual innuendo. In one review of a Ferrari, he said the English countryside “was lying back and opening her well-bred legs to be ravished by the Italian stallion.” In another, he wrote of the female voice on his navigation system: “so cool, so low, so scrotum-tighteningly thoughtful.” |
| As London mayor, Mr. Johnson was particularly disdainful of elected women officials in hearings, they said, so much so that the officials formally complained, attaching a seven-page document with examples from 2008 until 2011. | As London mayor, Mr. Johnson was particularly disdainful of elected women officials in hearings, they said, so much so that the officials formally complained, attaching a seven-page document with examples from 2008 until 2011. |
| He often called women “dear.” He described their questions variously as “blah blah blah blah fishcakes,” “absolute drivel” and “rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb.” | He often called women “dear.” He described their questions variously as “blah blah blah blah fishcakes,” “absolute drivel” and “rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb.” |
| “He doesn’t take criticism well, particularly from women,” Caroline Pidgeon, a London assembly member for the Liberal Democrats, said. “His default position is to mock and try to discredit you, rather than take down the arguments. It was just mock, mock, mock, and patronizing things as well.” | “He doesn’t take criticism well, particularly from women,” Caroline Pidgeon, a London assembly member for the Liberal Democrats, said. “His default position is to mock and try to discredit you, rather than take down the arguments. It was just mock, mock, mock, and patronizing things as well.” |
| Ms. Pidgeon said that was years before social media seeded the political landscape with vicious attacks on women lawmakers. But even then, she said: “It has an impact on you. I think, ‘Am I actually O.K. at my job, is there something I’m not doing right?’” | Ms. Pidgeon said that was years before social media seeded the political landscape with vicious attacks on women lawmakers. But even then, she said: “It has an impact on you. I think, ‘Am I actually O.K. at my job, is there something I’m not doing right?’” |
| Mr. Johnson’s caustic remarks sometimes got him in hot water, as when he used a Telegraph column in 2007 to compare Hillary Clinton to “a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital.” | Mr. Johnson’s caustic remarks sometimes got him in hot water, as when he used a Telegraph column in 2007 to compare Hillary Clinton to “a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital.” |
| But he climbed Britain’s political ladder as a leading enemy of overweening political correctness, with his air of disheveled charm and posh obliviousness helping him skate past serious accusations of racism and sexism. | But he climbed Britain’s political ladder as a leading enemy of overweening political correctness, with his air of disheveled charm and posh obliviousness helping him skate past serious accusations of racism and sexism. |
| “He can’t deal with women unless he wants to get them into bed,” said Sonia Purnell, who wrote the biography “Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition.” “He cannot abide the idea of women being his equal, even his superior.” | “He can’t deal with women unless he wants to get them into bed,” said Sonia Purnell, who wrote the biography “Just Boris: A Tale of Blond Ambition.” “He cannot abide the idea of women being his equal, even his superior.” |
| After Ms. Purnell wrote her book, packed with unflattering anecdotes about the future prime minister, she said false charges started spreading that she had written it only because she was a scorned ex-lover, a trope pulled from an “old-fashioned, Neanderthal way of attacking women,” she said. | After Ms. Purnell wrote her book, packed with unflattering anecdotes about the future prime minister, she said false charges started spreading that she had written it only because she was a scorned ex-lover, a trope pulled from an “old-fashioned, Neanderthal way of attacking women,” she said. |
| The Brexit debate laid the ground for an even more belligerent — and male-dominated — style of politics. | The Brexit debate laid the ground for an even more belligerent — and male-dominated — style of politics. |
| A 2016 study found that 83 percent of the people featured in news coverage of the Brexit referendum that year were men. Many of the leading Brexit backers were men, too, and some of them flouted an agreement to suspend campaigning after Ms. Cox’s killing, instead urging their team to “press it harder.” | A 2016 study found that 83 percent of the people featured in news coverage of the Brexit referendum that year were men. Many of the leading Brexit backers were men, too, and some of them flouted an agreement to suspend campaigning after Ms. Cox’s killing, instead urging their team to “press it harder.” |
| In the aftermath, some surveys found that as many as 9 in 10 women lawmakers reported being the targets of online abuse. A man with far-right ties was jailed this year for plotting to murder a Labour lawmaker, Rosie Cooper. | In the aftermath, some surveys found that as many as 9 in 10 women lawmakers reported being the targets of online abuse. A man with far-right ties was jailed this year for plotting to murder a Labour lawmaker, Rosie Cooper. |
| But with Mr. Johnson now lashing out at the Supreme Court, vowing to break the law and trashing lawmakers in his campaign to pull Britain out of the European Union by Oct. 31, “do or die,” tensions have only risen. | But with Mr. Johnson now lashing out at the Supreme Court, vowing to break the law and trashing lawmakers in his campaign to pull Britain out of the European Union by Oct. 31, “do or die,” tensions have only risen. |
| Ms. Phillips, the Labour lawmaker, told reporters on Thursday that a man had been arrested outside her constituency office after slamming on the doors and windows, and that her London office temporarily disconnected the phones to stop a torrent of abuse. | Ms. Phillips, the Labour lawmaker, told reporters on Thursday that a man had been arrested outside her constituency office after slamming on the doors and windows, and that her London office temporarily disconnected the phones to stop a torrent of abuse. |
| John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons, said the atmosphere on Wednesday night had been “worse than any I’ve known in my 22 years in the House.” Kim Leadbeater, the sister of Ms. Cox, said she was “mesmerized and dumbstruck.” Even Rachel Johnson, Mr. Johnson’s sister, called his comments “tasteless.” | John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons, said the atmosphere on Wednesday night had been “worse than any I’ve known in my 22 years in the House.” Kim Leadbeater, the sister of Ms. Cox, said she was “mesmerized and dumbstruck.” Even Rachel Johnson, Mr. Johnson’s sister, called his comments “tasteless.” |
| Mr. Johnson’s allies were unbowed. Bob Seely, a Conservative lawmaker, said he had received threats, too, but “I’m never a diva about it.” James Cleverly, the Conservative chairman, chalked up the hostility to “a huge amount of temper on both sides,” and repeated that the best salve was to complete Brexit. | Mr. Johnson’s allies were unbowed. Bob Seely, a Conservative lawmaker, said he had received threats, too, but “I’m never a diva about it.” James Cleverly, the Conservative chairman, chalked up the hostility to “a huge amount of temper on both sides,” and repeated that the best salve was to complete Brexit. |
| For now, though, there were no signs of that happening anytime soon. And analysts said Mr. Johnson, much like President Trump in the United States, seemed focused solely on motivating his pro-Brexit base for a looming election. | For now, though, there were no signs of that happening anytime soon. And analysts said Mr. Johnson, much like President Trump in the United States, seemed focused solely on motivating his pro-Brexit base for a looming election. |
| “His strategy now is to try to force a polarization that I’m not sure is there, wholesale, in the population,” said Paula Surridge, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol. “It isn’t a straightforward win, because he could potentially lose those softer, more traditional Conservatives who might be quite turned off by it.” | “His strategy now is to try to force a polarization that I’m not sure is there, wholesale, in the population,” said Paula Surridge, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol. “It isn’t a straightforward win, because he could potentially lose those softer, more traditional Conservatives who might be quite turned off by it.” |
| The riotous scenes in Parliament exposed a kind of venom that lawmakers’ families said they had been living with for years. Ellie Cooper, the daughter of Yvette Cooper, a Labour lawmaker, wrote on Twitter on Thursday that the threats had left her terrified. | The riotous scenes in Parliament exposed a kind of venom that lawmakers’ families said they had been living with for years. Ellie Cooper, the daughter of Yvette Cooper, a Labour lawmaker, wrote on Twitter on Thursday that the threats had left her terrified. |
| “I am scared,” she wrote. “I am scared when I scroll through the replies to her tweets calling her a liar and a traitor. I am scared when our house gets fitted with panic buttons, industrial-locking doors and explosive bags to catch the mail.” | “I am scared,” she wrote. “I am scared when I scroll through the replies to her tweets calling her a liar and a traitor. I am scared when our house gets fitted with panic buttons, industrial-locking doors and explosive bags to catch the mail.” |