Brexit news - LIVE: Jeremy Corbyn denies calling Theresa May 'stupid woman' after uproar in parliament
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Your support makes all the difference.Jeremy Corbyn today came under pressure to apologise after MPs accused him of calling the prime minister a “stupid woman” during a heated exchange in the Commons.
The Labour leader firmly denied he had made a misogynistic remark, claiming during a point of order later on Wednesday that he muttered “stupid people” under his breath to refer to all MPs.
It came as television cameras picked up Mr Corbyn during prime minister’s questions saying something to those next to him after Theresa May likened his attempt to force a vote of no confidence in her leadership to a pantomime.
The footage went viral on social media, but Mr Corbyn later flatly denied using the phrase, telling MPs gathered in the chamber: “I referred to those who I believe were seeking to turn a debate about the national crisis facing our country into a pantomime as “stupid people”.
“I did not use the words “stupid woman” about the Prime Minister or anyone else, and am completely opposed to the use of sexist or misogynist language in absolutely any form at all.”
Ms May had suggested Mr Corbyn apologise if he had indeed used “inappropriate language” as the row overshadowed a heated PMQs that focused on the ongoing Brexit impasse.
The row comes as Sajid Javid, the home secretary, conceded that a Conservative manifesto pledge to keep net migration to the “tens of thousands” has been left out of post-Brexit plans released on Wednesday afternoon.
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Tories are now piling in over Jeremy Corbyn's apparent 'stupid women remarks', with calls for an apology from Conservative chairman Brandon Lewis.
Tory MP Paul Scully raises this in the Commons, asking May if she thinks it is appropriate.
May says it is important to encourage women to come into the House and that includes using appropriate language.
Sir Patrick McCloughlin raises a point of order on the matter. He says Corbyn accused her of being a stupid woman.
"Would it not be appropriate for him to come back in the chamber and apologise?"
Speaker John Bercow says he did not see anything and his advisers did not witness it either. What he says is that it is incumbent on all MPs' to follow the rules and anyone who breaks those rules should apologise.
Mr Corbyn has now left the chamber.
Andrea Leadsom, Commons leader, delivers an absolutely withering zinger on the 'stupid woman remarks'.
She asks Mr Bercow: "Why did you not apologise when you called me a stupid woman?"
Bercow goes red in the face and says this matter was dealt with months ago.
Tory MP Anna Soubry says Bercow would have intervened if it had been a Conservative MP rather than a Labour MP. Bercow denies this. He says he 'deprecates' any unacceptable language but he did not see it.
Conservative MP Vicky Ford joins in and says she has also been called a stupid woman.
James Cleverly, another Tory, says he saw Mr Corbyn say it.
However Labour's Dame Margaret Beckett says it is an 'orchestrated riot' against the Speaker and members of the public will be dismayed.
Former minister Tory Sir Oliver Heald asks if Bercow can ask Corbyn to return to the House to apologise.
That's it for PMQs for the day! The Commons has now moved onto the immigration statement.
Key details of the UK’s post-Brexit immigration policy – including the salary threshold for migrants – will not be known until 2020 after cabinet infighting, it has been revealed.
Ministers will publish a long-awaited immigration bill tomorrow, to end free movement of EU citizens, but rows have delayed decisions until long after the UK leaves the EU.
It means businesses, the NHS and other employers will be in the dark about the minimum salary requirement for workers to obtain a long-term visa – which had been expected to be set at £30,000.
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