A Labour MP has claimed that his constituency was described as a “shit-hole” by the home secretary, James Cleverly, during prime minister’s questions.
Alex Cunningham said Cleverly had uttered the phrase when the Labour MP for Stockton North asked: “Why are 34% of children in my constituency living in poverty?”
After standing up later in parliament to raise a point of order with the deputy speaker Eleanor Laing, Cunningham said of Cleverly: “He was seen and heard to say, ‘Because it’s a shit-hole’,” Cunningham said, to gasps from fellow Labour MPs.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
A Labour MP has claimed that his constituency was described as a “shit-hole” by the home secretary, James Cleverly, during prime minister’s questions.
Alex Cunningham said Cleverly had uttered the phrase when the Labour MP for Stockton North asked: “Why are 34% of children in my constituency living in poverty?”
Cunningham said he had contacted Cleverly’s office and told them that he was planning to name him but the minister had “sadly” chosen not to be in the chamber.
Cunningham asked how an apology could be secured from the home secretary, who was appointed last month, for the “insult and foul language”.
Laing said her understanding was that the Commons speaker did not hear any remark of the kind earlier and that the alleged words were not actually used “although I appreciate what the honourable gentleman says”.
“I think we all know it’s very difficult in the noisy atmosphere of prime minister’s questions to discern exactly what someone says so I can make no judgment here from the chair as to what was said or wasn’t said, but I can understand the honourable gentleman’s concern,” she said.
The original article contains 377 words, the summary contains 187 words. Saved 50%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
I’ve never been there so can someone tell me if Stockton-on-Tees IS a shithole?
Shithole is political gymnastics for not well funded. Yes, it is not well funded.
It is indeed a shit hole
Yes. It’s surrounded by pit villages, Hartlepool, Darlington and Middlesbrough - all arguable shitholes in their own right - and it is easily the worst of the lot.
It’s a shit-hole for a reason, James.
♫ “…and the reason is yooooou.” ♬
