Basic Instinct

Women politicians have condemned a suggestion made in a newspaper that Labour's Angela Rayner tries to distract Boris Johnson in The Commons by crossing and uncrossing her Legs .

Claimed some unnamed Conservative MPs have said she tried to put the PM " off his stride".

Ms Rayner dismissed this as a " perverted smear" that showed women in politics faced misogyny Every Day .

A raft of women politicians, including Tory MPs, spoke out in support of her.

Conservative Caroline Nokes said too many female MPs of all parties had been " on receiving end of vile articles" while former minister Andrea Leadsom tweeted: " Really sorry Angela. Totally unacceptable comments and reporting. "

Both Mr Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also criticised the comments, with the PM tweeting: " As much as I disagree with Angela Rayner on almost every political issue, I respect her as a parliamentarian and deplore the misogyny directed at her anonymously today. "

Sir Keir added: " The sexism and misogyny peddled by the Tories is a disgraceful New Low from a party mired in scandal and chaos. "

The Mail on Sunday is not commenting.

The Article - which has now been changed to headline on deputy Labour leader Ms Rayner's response on Twitter - quoted unnamed Conservative MPs claiming she would cross and uncross her Legs when opposite the PM at the dispatch box in The Commons to distract him.

A host of MPs have since come out to not only condemn the suggestion made but also the tone of the newspaper's reporting.

The newspaper Article said: " Tory MPs have mischievously suggested that Ms Rayner likes to distract the PM when he is in the dispatch box by deploying a fully-clothed Parliamentary equivalent of Sharon Stone 's infamous scene in the 1992 film Basic Instinct . "

The Paper said: " It is also suggested she employs the tactic when sitting next to Sir Keir when he faces Mr Johnson at PMQs".

The newspaper quotes one MP as saying: " She knows she can't compete with Boris's Oxford Union debating training, but she has other skills which he lacks.

" She has admitted as much when enjoying drinks With Us on the [Commons] terrace. "

The piece also described the Labour MP's background as " a grandmother who left school at 16 while pregnant and with no qualifications before becoming a care worker".

Ms Rayner condemned the Article as " gutter journalism" and accused the sources of " spreading desperate, perverted smears in their doomed attempts to save [Mr Johnson's] skin" amid the partygate scandal.

She added: " I won't be letting their vile lies deter me. Their attempts to harass and intimidate me will fail.

" I hope this experience doesn't put off a single person Like Me , with a background like mine from aspiring to participate in public life. That would break my heart. "

The report led to a huge backlash on Social Media and support for the Labour deputy.

Scotland's First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: " Solidarity from across the political divide to Angela Rayner on this.

" It's a reminder of The Deep misogyny women face Every Day . "

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson described it as a " disgraceful story" saying: " I can't even believe it made it into print. "

And Labour's shadow leader of The Commons , Thangam Debbonaire , added: " This all shows we need more women in politics and that when we work together, We Are mighty and fearsome and some pathetic men feel threatened by it. "

Source of news: bbc.com