James Cleverly….

James Cleverly has apologised for being rude about Stockton-on-Tees, though the home secretary says his heckle of “shithole” in PMQs was about its MP.

This is pure Alice in Wonderland thinking. How on god's earth can he simultaneously apologise for being rude about poor Stockton and say it wasn't Stockton at all he was insulting but one of its MPs?

I'm amazed that anyone is prepared to give this Schrodinger's explanation the time of day...

He is know in the Guardian as Jimmy Dimly! 👍

That’s funny . He was at school with my friends son, will have to check

Cleverly’s response was an insult to the people of Stockton and shows that this government couldn’t care less about the high level of deprivation there.

His language demonstrated that the last thing this government cares about is the people of this country.

I'm amazed that anyone is willing to defend him. Should we expect our MPs to be saints? Goodness no, but I do expect them to have manners and basic honesty, not a lot to expect surely?

No one expects saintly MPs. Yes I’ve heard teenagers swearing Oreo, the kids I worked with could curse for England. That doesnt mean I allowed my children or now grandchildren to use obscene language to describe someone they disagreed with, or disliked
JCleverly was at work. My workplace heard all kinds of language but we didn’t use it towards colleagues in a formal meeting place which is what he did

But people do expect saintly behaviour from MP’s in the UK that’s the problem.
Most of them most of the time manage to present themselves in a reasonable way but as said, they are human with human frailties and sometimes will feel angry or frustrated or irritable.
He muttered something that was picked up and is now getting the ‘how very dare he!’treatment.

Looking at the context it seems to me that, when Alex Cunningham asked why so many of the children in his constituency were living in poverty, Cleverly’s response was because the constituency is a shithole. So much for a man chosen to be Home Secretary. So much for levelling up. It’s a word that the BBC wouldn’t allow to be used after the watershed.

Oreo

But people do expect saintly behaviour from MP’s in the UK that’s the problem.
Most of them most of the time manage to present themselves in a reasonable way but as said, they are human with human frailties and sometimes will feel angry or frustrated or irritable.
He muttered something that was picked up and is now getting the ‘how very dare he!’treatment.

Imagine if your doctor muttered under his breath to the nurse as you were going into his consultation room ‘she’s a big old unit’ (example only!) or something similar. Would you think that was acceptable? I don’t, professionals should be constantly aware of their language and what they say when they are at work, it doesn’t matter who they are.

Oreo

But people do expect saintly behaviour from MP’s in the UK that’s the problem.
Most of them most of the time manage to present themselves in a reasonable way but as said, they are human with human frailties and sometimes will feel angry or frustrated or irritable.
He muttered something that was picked up and is now getting the ‘how very dare he!’treatment.

But people do expect saintly behaviour from MP’s in the UK that’s the problem.

No, we don't expect saintly behaviour from them - and that isn't the problem.

It's the arrogant contempt embedded in the comment.

Clearly he was talking about a place not a person. And he's insulting the intelligence of those who heard him to pretend otherwise.

Well, maybe it’s a generational thing, as I know many on here are my Mum’s age.
I just can’t get worked up by a muttered comment in Parliament whether said by a Tory MP or a Labour one.There are much worse things going on in politics.Opinions may vary.

Oreo

Well, maybe it’s a generational thing, as I know many on here are my Mum’s age.
I just can’t get worked up by a muttered comment in Parliament whether said by a Tory MP or a Labour one.There are much worse things going on in politics.Opinions may vary.

I think an audible comment in Parliament, which is supposedly run by gentlemen's' rules, which rudely describes a highly disadvantaged area which his party has had 13 years to do something positive about, displays nothing but contempt for the country his lot are pretending to govern.

I perfectly able to fit worrying about the poor quality of ministers in with all the other things I worry about...

Oreo

Well, maybe it’s a generational thing, as I know many on here are my Mum’s age.
I just can’t get worked up by a muttered comment in Parliament whether said by a Tory MP or a Labour one.There are much worse things going on in politics.Opinions may vary.

Crikey, are you a Millennial Oreo?

Well, I swear like the proverbial trooper. Probably worse. But I know when not to swear. And I expect people like politicians, teachers etc to know that, too. I’m not criticising it because I get flustered by hearing foul language, I’m criticising it because someone in that position should know better. What if, when he was Foreign Secretary, he’d described another country in that way? Would that be acceptable?

MaizieD

Oreo

Well, maybe it’s a generational thing, as I know many on here are my Mum’s age.
I just can’t get worked up by a muttered comment in Parliament whether said by a Tory MP or a Labour one.There are much worse things going on in politics.Opinions may vary.

I think an audible comment in Parliament, which is supposedly run by gentlemen's' rules, which rudely describes a highly disadvantaged area which his party has had 13 years to do something positive about, displays nothing but contempt for the country his lot are pretending to govern.

I perfectly able to fit worrying about the poor quality of ministers in with all the other things I worry about...

Maybe Oreo's right - could be a "generational" thing.

Expecting individuals in high-office, or holding prominent positions in government, etc, to have a certain amount of decency and integrity is rather quaintly old-fashioned!

I'm sure the people of Stockton will quite understand, now that they are benefitting from the Northern Powerhouse and all that Levelling Up... all that investment!

MayBee70

Well, I swear like the proverbial trooper. Probably worse. But I know when not to swear. And I expect people like politicians, teachers etc to know that, too. I’m not criticising it because I get flustered by hearing foul language, I’m criticising it because someone in that position should know better. What if, when he was Foreign Secretary, he’d described another country in that way? Would that be acceptable?

It's not just Stockton. A fair number of MPs could have stood up in Parliament and asked the same question Alex Cunningham did. Does he think all those MPs (or their constituencies, depending on what you believe) are sh*tholes?

A recent report by the Resolution Foundation has shown that inequality has increased over the last 13 years. Far from "levelling up", there's been an increase in the number of people who are struggling. He should start looking at his own constituency, whose wealth has increased over the last couple of decades, partly as a result of London money moving out, but there are still pockets of real poverty. Maybe he thinks those pockets are sh*tholes too (or maybe their MP is responsible).