London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Boris Johnson allowing ‘wild west’ of misogyny in parliament, Tracy Brabin says

Boris Johnson allowing ‘wild west’ of misogyny in parliament, Tracy Brabin says

West Yorkshire mayor’s comments came amid renewed focus on sexual misconduct in parliament
Boris Johnson is allowing a “wild west” culture of misogyny to grow in Westminster by failing to tackle “the arrogance of privately educated men,” England’s only female metro mayor has said.

Tracy Brabin, the Labour mayor for West Yorkshire, said: “The idea that somebody who was elected by the public is watching pornography on his phone whilst being at work – I think it’s an aggressive act in the first instance, because women and others will see you doing that. And it’s an arrogance that they are above the law.

“I think unfortunately it comes from the top. This behaviour will only get worse because of the dereliction of duty of the leader. If you don’t lead with principles, dignity, inclusivity and equality then it’s a wild west. It’s a free for all.”

Her comments came amid renewed focus on misogyny and sexual misconduct in parliament as a string of female MPs came forward with examples of sexism and harassment.

Labour and some senior Conservatives have demanded to know why the whip has not been withdrawn from the pornography watching MP, who has been identified by two party colleagues. The Conservative chief whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, has said the unnamed MP should be referred to an independent complaints process.

Brabin, the former Labour MP for Batley and Spen, is the only woman among the 10 metro mayors in England. She heads the M10 group of mayors, which include the Conservative Andy Street and Labour’s Sadiq Khan, and represents 2.3 million people in West Yorkshire – meaning she is Labour’s most powerful woman outside Westminster.

In an interview to mark her first year in office, Brabin said she felt more pressure to deliver as the only woman and that political parties, including Labour, must do more to get women into leadership roles.

Brabin, a former Coronation Street actor, said she had not directly been subject to misogyny during her five years in parliament because, she said, there was cross-party affection for her after the murder of her friend and predecessor, Jo Cox.

The former shadow culture secretary received a slew of online abuse after wearing an outfit that showed part of her shoulder as she spoke at the dispatch box in February 2020. She responded to her abusers at the time by tweeting that she was “not a slag, hungover, a tart, about to breastfeed, a slapper, drunk [or] just been banged over a wheelie bin”.

She said: “It was really shocking. Not frightening, it was just shocking. Men interpreted what happened in a sexual way. People say about Boris Johnson, or other people who come to the dispatch box: ‘They look tired, or dishevelled,’ but it’s not sexualised. Women are always sexualised.”

Brabin compared sexualised online abuse with the comments by Tory MPs who accused Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, of using a “Basic Instinct” ploy to distract the prime minister by crossing and uncrossing her legs in parliament.

“That’s what happened to Angie,” she said. “It doesn’t say much about Boris Johnson that his colleagues think he’s so easily distracted he’s like some teenager that just can’t keep it in his pants, but maybe they know him better than we do.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×