A Conservative MP has sparked fury after claiming Kemi Badenoch of being “preoccupied with her children”, arguing it is impossible to be an opposition leader while spending “all your time” with your family.
Alex Brewer, a Lib Dem MP, said the comments made by Sir Christopher Chope about the Tory leadership hopeful were “astonishing”, and that views of this kind ultimately “damage women’s prospects”.
Speaking on ITV News, Sir Christopher said: “Much as I like Kemi, I think she is preoccupied with her own children – quite understandably – but I think Robert [Jenrick]’s children are a bit older.
“I think it is important that whoever leads the opposition has an immense amount of time and energy.”
He added: “I understand from talking to colleagues that Kemi spends a lot of time with her family, which I don’t resent at all, but the consequence of it is you can’t spend all your time with your family at the same time as being leader of the opposition.”
Ms Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, are currently battling it out for the support of the party membership in a vote which closes at the end of October, with a new Conservative Party leader set to be announced early next month.
Ms Brewer, Lib Dem MP for North East Hampshire, hit out at the Christchurch MP’s comments on Twitter as she explained she has long been striving for equal representation in politics.
You can’t spend all your time with your family at the same time as being leader of the opposition
Sir Christopher Chope
“Astonishing comments from a Conservative MP about his party’s leadership contest,” she added. “I have long fought for equal representation in public life. Unfortunately, views like this are still held by some and only serve to damage women’s prospects.”
Labour MP Dawn Butler told The Independent she thought Sir Christopher’s comments were akin to something which misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate would say.
Ms Butler, MP for Brent Central, said: “They are extremely sexist, misogynistic and outdated comments and sound like something Andrew Tate would be proud of. It would be interesting to know what Kemi thinks about her colleague’s comments.”
Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of leading gender equality charity, Fawcett Society, said: “These attitudes should have died out with the dinosaurs.
“Ability to do a job, any job, should not be judged one whether you have young children but whether you have the skills, attributes, and experience for the role. Women up and down the country will be familiar with comments like these. We recognise them for the unreconstructed nonsense they are.”
