Carol Vorderman has slammed Dominic Raab over his accidental misnaming of Paul O’Grady during a tribute to the late comedian and TV personality in Parliament on Wednesday.
The Deputy Prime Minister made the blunder while giving a speech in tribute to O’Grady, after he died suddenly aged 67 on Tuesday evening.
Standing in for Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Raab said: “Paul Grayson was an incredible comic but he also…”.
Mr Raab stopped for a brief moment and grinned as he was alerted in the chambers of his mistake.
He then corrected himself as he continued: “Paul O’Grady. But in terms of Lily Savage, also I think some of that comedy broke glass ceilings and broke boundaries in a way that certainly politicians would struggle to do.
“I also think it shows how we need greater, more rambunctious free speech, and we need to avoid the wokery and the limitations on comedy, which I’m afraid both of them would have had no time for.”
Vorderman, 62, branded Mr Raab a “bully” as she took to Twitter to lay into the MP over his error.
DominDick Ar*e
— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) March 29, 2023
Ooh soz I got his name wrong 😇
Name checking Paul O'Grady as 'Paul Grayson' in the House of Commons today
For many reasons, I think there's a special place in hell for this bullying piece of...... Don't you? https://t.co/d4y6Q2qyY0 via @MetroUK
“DominD*** A***, Ooh soz I got his name wrong,” Vorderman wrote.
“Name checking Paul O’Grady as Paul Grayson in the House of Commons today. For many reasons, I think there’s a special place in hell for this bullying piece of…Don’t you?”
Mr Raab is under investigation over eight formal complaints about his behaviour as foreign secretary, Brexit secretary and during his first stint as justice secretary.
Ahead of PMQs, Mr Raab said he believes “heart and soul” that he is not a bully, but defended his “forthright” approach to his work.
However fans echoed Vorderman’s angry response to Mr Raab over his stumbling speech.
One person commented: “Why is this man so odious? Paul O’Grady died last night – does he have no respect?!!”
“Well done on calling it out Carol,” a second follower wrote, as another said: “I love it when Carol comes with the fighting talk! well said”.
Sir Chris Bryant made a heartfelt speech in tribute to O’Grady, prior to Mr Raab’s comments in the House of Commons, that was considered more poignant in comparison.
Mr Bryant praised O’Grady for his charitable work and his alter ego Lily Savage, and described the late star as someone who “campaigned hilariously for elderly people, for care workers, against oppression of every kind.”
The MP finished his tribute with: “Isn’t it time we in this country celebrated our naughty, hilarious drag queens and comics of every kind who inspire us to be a better and more generous nation?”
