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| Brown 'mortified' by bigot jibe | Brown 'mortified' by bigot jibe |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has said he is "mortified" after being caught on microphone describing a voter he had just spoken to in Rochdale as a "bigoted woman". | Gordon Brown has said he is "mortified" after being caught on microphone describing a voter he had just spoken to in Rochdale as a "bigoted woman". |
| Gillian Duffy, 65, had challenged him on issues including immigration. | Gillian Duffy, 65, had challenged him on issues including immigration. |
| As he got into his car, he was still wearing a broadcast microphone and was heard to say "that was a disaster". | As he got into his car, he was still wearing a broadcast microphone and was heard to say "that was a disaster". |
| Mr Brown later spent more than half an hour at Mrs Duffy's house, apologising to her before telling waiting reporters he had misunderstood what she had said. | Mr Brown later spent more than half an hour at Mrs Duffy's house, apologising to her before telling waiting reporters he had misunderstood what she had said. |
| He said: "If you like, I'm a penitent sinner. Sometimes you say things you don't mean to say, sometimes you say things by mistake and sometimes when you say things you'll want to correct them very quickly. | He said: "If you like, I'm a penitent sinner. Sometimes you say things you don't mean to say, sometimes you say things by mistake and sometimes when you say things you'll want to correct them very quickly. |
| "I wanted to come here and say to Gillian that I was sorry, I had made a mistake, but also to say I understood the concerns she was bringing to me and I had simply misunderstood some of the words she had used." | "I wanted to come here and say to Gillian that I was sorry, I had made a mistake, but also to say I understood the concerns she was bringing to me and I had simply misunderstood some of the words she had used." |
| He had already phoned Mrs Duffy to apologise after the tape was played to him during a BBC Radio 2 interview. | He had already phoned Mrs Duffy to apologise after the tape was played to him during a BBC Radio 2 interview. |
| BIGOTED' JIBE COVERAGE Nick Robinson: 'That was a disaster' Profile of the woman behind row Transcripts: All the exchanges Analysis: Why it matters Classic gaffes caught on tape Reaction to 'bigoted' comment Your views on Brown's comment | BIGOTED' JIBE COVERAGE Nick Robinson: 'That was a disaster' Profile of the woman behind row Transcripts: All the exchanges Analysis: Why it matters Classic gaffes caught on tape Reaction to 'bigoted' comment Your views on Brown's comment |
| After listening to the recording, with his forehead resting on his hand, he said: "I do apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful." | After listening to the recording, with his forehead resting on his hand, he said: "I do apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful." |
| The comments were made after the conversation with Mrs Duffy which ended with him complimenting her and her family. | The comments were made after the conversation with Mrs Duffy which ended with him complimenting her and her family. |
| As he went to get into his car, Mr Brown told her: "Very nice to meet you, very nice to meet you." | As he went to get into his car, Mr Brown told her: "Very nice to meet you, very nice to meet you." |
| But off camera, and not realising he still had a Sky News microphone pinned to his shirt, he was heard to tell an aide: "That was a disaster - they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous..." | But off camera, and not realising he still had a Sky News microphone pinned to his shirt, he was heard to tell an aide: "That was a disaster - they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous..." |
| 'It's going to be tax, tax, tax' | 'It's going to be tax, tax, tax' |
| Asked what she had said, he is heard to reply: "Ugh everything! She's just a sort of bigoted woman that said she used to be Labour. I mean it's just ridiculous. I don't know why Sue brought her up towards me." | Asked what she had said, he is heard to reply: "Ugh everything! She's just a sort of bigoted woman that said she used to be Labour. I mean it's just ridiculous. I don't know why Sue brought her up towards me." |
| Mrs Duffy said after hearing of Mr Brown's comments: "I'm very upset. He's an educated person. Why has he come out with words like that? | Mrs Duffy said after hearing of Mr Brown's comments: "I'm very upset. He's an educated person. Why has he come out with words like that? |
| "He's supposed to be leading the country and he's calling an ordinary woman who's come up and asked questions that most people would ask him... It's going to be tax, tax, tax for another 20 years to get out of this national debt, and he's calling me a bigot." | "He's supposed to be leading the country and he's calling an ordinary woman who's come up and asked questions that most people would ask him... It's going to be tax, tax, tax for another 20 years to get out of this national debt, and he's calling me a bigot." |
| Mrs Duffy, a widow who has a daughter and two grandchildren, said she used to work with disabled children for Rochdale council before she retired. | Mrs Duffy, a widow who has a daughter and two grandchildren, said she used to work with disabled children for Rochdale council before she retired. |
| Gillian Duffy: "I want to know why I was called a bigot" | Gillian Duffy: "I want to know why I was called a bigot" |
| She had earlier told reporters she was a lifelong Labour voter and described Mr Brown as being "very nice". | She had earlier told reporters she was a lifelong Labour voter and described Mr Brown as being "very nice". |
| BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the Labour Party's new tactic of putting him in contact with more "ordinary people" had "gone quite horribly wrong". | |
| Meanwhile, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it was a disaster for the prime minister because it showed the gap between his public face and private face. | |
| "For those of us who have known Gordon Brown for many years, what we have seen is no huge surprise. He has got better and better at handling himself in public, but quite often he flares up in private, expresses frustration," he said. | "For those of us who have known Gordon Brown for many years, what we have seen is no huge surprise. He has got better and better at handling himself in public, but quite often he flares up in private, expresses frustration," he said. |
| Nick Robinson added that the irony was that if his comments had not been picked up, it would have been a lively election exchange which would have been seen to do him credit. | Nick Robinson added that the irony was that if his comments had not been picked up, it would have been a lively election exchange which would have been seen to do him credit. |
| Speaking on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Brown said: "Of course I apologise if I've said anything that's been offensive and I would never put myself in a position where I would want to say anything like that about a woman I'd met. | Speaking on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Brown said: "Of course I apologise if I've said anything that's been offensive and I would never put myself in a position where I would want to say anything like that about a woman I'd met. |
| "I blame myself for what is done, but you've got to remember that this was me being helpful to the broadcasters, with my microphone on, rushing into the car because I had to get to another appointment and they have chosen to play my private conversation. These things can happen, I apologise profusely to the lady concerned." | "I blame myself for what is done, but you've got to remember that this was me being helpful to the broadcasters, with my microphone on, rushing into the car because I had to get to another appointment and they have chosen to play my private conversation. These things can happen, I apologise profusely to the lady concerned." |
| Mr Brown later telephoned Mrs Duffy to personally apologise for the comments, telling her he was very sorry and said she "is a good woman". | Mr Brown later telephoned Mrs Duffy to personally apologise for the comments, telling her he was very sorry and said she "is a good woman". |
| When asked did this in any way make up for the comments she said "no - absolutely not". | When asked did this in any way make up for the comments she said "no - absolutely not". |
| 'Resilience' | 'Resilience' |
| A spokesman for the prime minister said: "Mr Brown has apologised to Mrs Duffy personally by phone. He does not think that she is bigoted. He was letting off steam in the car after a difficult conversation. | A spokesman for the prime minister said: "Mr Brown has apologised to Mrs Duffy personally by phone. He does not think that she is bigoted. He was letting off steam in the car after a difficult conversation. |
| "But this is exactly the sort of conversation that is important in an election campaign and which he will continue to have with voters." | "But this is exactly the sort of conversation that is important in an election campaign and which he will continue to have with voters." |
| The Conservatives said Mr Brown's comments spoke for themselves. | The Conservatives said Mr Brown's comments spoke for themselves. |
| Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "That's the thing about general elections, they do reveal the truth about people." | Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "That's the thing about general elections, they do reveal the truth about people." |
| Brown: "I apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful" | Brown: "I apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful" |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the incident was "just wrong", when someone had asked him a "perfectly reasonable question". | |
| "Of course we have differences of opinion, that's what a democracy is about, but just because someone disagrees with you it doesn't mean you should insult them. Whatever people say you try to treat them with the respect they deserve," he said. | |
| Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said Mr Brown was "mortified" over the hurt he had caused Mrs Duffy. | Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said Mr Brown was "mortified" over the hurt he had caused Mrs Duffy. |
| He told the BBC: "I'm afraid that sometimes you get picked up by a microphone in this way, saying something that yes you don't believe, but you say in the heat of a moment. | |
| "We all do it, we all regret it and, how people I think should judge him is by how he's responded, by 'phoning her immediately and giving her an unqualified apology." | |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling said Mr Brown's apology was profuse and he was well aware he should not have made the comments. | Chancellor Alistair Darling said Mr Brown's apology was profuse and he was well aware he should not have made the comments. |
| "The election campaign will be decided not just on individuals but what the party stands for. There are big issues at stake. Gordon is a man of considerable strength, considerable resilience and considerable substance," he said. | "The election campaign will be decided not just on individuals but what the party stands for. There are big issues at stake. Gordon is a man of considerable strength, considerable resilience and considerable substance," he said. |
| "I hope people will judge him in the round. The fact we are coming out of this recession is down to him in no small part." | "I hope people will judge him in the round. The fact we are coming out of this recession is down to him in no small part." |