Theresa May criticises Jared O'Mara’s sexist comments, demanding that all MPs show women 'respect'

Theresa May has criticised Labour MP Jared O'Mara’s misogynistic comments, demanding that all MPs show “respect” for women.

The Prime Minister stepped into the row over the Sheffield Hallam MP, just minutes after Jeremy Corbyn bowed to pressure to suspend him from the party.

The Labour leader acted after allegations – denied by Mr O’Mara – that he called a constituent an “ugly b****” just months before he was elected.

Earlier this week, he resigned from the Commons Women and Equalities Committee because of racist, homophobic and sexist comments he made on online message boards more than a decade ago.

In the Commons, Ms May was asked how such comments could give “encouragement to the women and girls in his constituency to take part in public life”.

In reply, she said: “All of us in this House should have due care and attention to the way in which we refer to other people and should show women in public life the respect that they deserve.”

The criticism came as the Prime Minister urged the country to “mark the centenary next year” of the first female MP.

“I want to see young women actually able to see this House as a place that they actively want to come to,” she said.

“That they want to contribute to their society, that they want to respond to the needs of local constituents and make a real difference to people’s lives

“That’s what I’m in it for. That’s why I’d encourage more women to come into this House.”

A Labour spokesman said Jeremy Corbyn asked for the MP to be suspended because new material allegedly written by Mr O'Mara had come to light dating from 2009, when he was "significantly older" than the earlier mesages.

Describing social media posts as "heinous, he said: "The original information related either to things that were written and said around 13, 14 years ago, or to things that were contested. The latest information is more recent and so Jeremy took the decision to ask for his suspension."

The spokesman said: "This kind of abusive, misogynistic, sexist language is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the Labour Party."

He added that if the investigation decided to strip Mr O'Mara of his party membership he could not remain a Labour MP.

Senior MPs condemned Mr O'Mara - who won former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg's seat in the election - after constituent Sophie Evans claimed he called her an “"ugly b****” and made transphobic slurs to her earlier this year.

He also wrote a series on online posts featuring gay slurs as well as racist and sexist abuse.

Speaking earlier this week, Mr O’Mara said he had made a “full and unreserved” apology to Labour MPs about the online remarks, and felt “deeply ashamed” of his past comments.

“Overwhelmingly, people accepted my apology, accepted my sincerity and remorse; they accepted I have been through a journey of education,” he said in an interview.

“I’ve stood down from the Women and Equalities Select Committee too – I think it’s the right thing to do. I don’t think I can continue on that committee when I feel so deeply ashamed of the man I was 15 years ago.”