Angela Rayner has said a Tory MP should be “ashamed of herself” after repeating claims the deputy leader of the Opposition tried to distract Boris Johnson with her legs in the House of Commons.
In April, a newspaper quoted claims that Ms Rayner had tried to distract Mr Johnson. Following the report at the time, Mr Johnson said he “deplored the misogyny” directed at Ms Rayner.
Speaking on the BBC’s Politics North, newly appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Lia Nici, repeated the claims during her appearance alongisde Labour’s Naz Shah.
Ms Nici said: “Let’s just be honest here. We talk about honesty and integrity.
“The deputy shadow leader decided it would be amusing to open her legs in the chamber and then brag to everybody that actually it was male members of the opposite party who had been looking at her and she was drinking on the terrace and laughing about it.”
After her colleague hit back at the Tory MP, Ms Rayner released a statement regarding the smear.
She said: “Boris Johnson promised to unleash ‘the terrors of the earth’ on the Tory MPs spreading these vile smears.
“Instead he promoted them to ministerial office. They really are unfit to govern. Thank you Naz Shah for calling Lia Nici out on this. She should be ashamed of herself. “
Boris Johnson promised to unleash “the terrors of the earth” on the Tory MPs spreading these vile smears. Instead he promoted them to ministerial office.
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) July 10, 2022
They really are unfit to govern.
Thank you @NazShahBfd for calling @lia_nici out on this. She should be ashamed of herself. https://t.co/YfUbpmgIFH
In her own response, Ms Shah described the Tory minister’s comments as “disgraceful”.
“I don’t know what’s more disappointing Lia,” Ms Shah said.
“Listening to a fellow woman talk about another woman opening her legs in Parliament using that kind of misogynistic language, or the whataboutery to actually try and take it away from the failure of this government not just now, but for the last 12 years of austerity.”
The @Conservatives are mired in cover-ups of sexual misconduct.
— Naz Shah MP 💙 (@NazShahBfd) July 10, 2022
So this newly appointed Tory Minister @lia_nici spreads smears that @AngelaRayner “opened her legs in Parliament” to distract @BorisJohnson.
She’s not fit to hold her ministerial office. pic.twitter.com/idmhZaHjyI
“Let’s not forget you’re talking about whataboutery,” she added.
“It’s a Conservative MP who gave the Lib Dems Tiverton, after watching pornography in the chamber, and that was tractorgate.
“Let’s not talk about Angela Reyner and that language is appalling and needs calling out.”
Downing Street and Ms Nici have been approached for comment.
