Former Tory Minister Accused Of 'Misogyny' Over Tweet Mocking Woman's Skin Colour
A former Tory minister has been criticised after he mocked a woman’s skin colour on Twitter.
Brendan Clarke-Smith accused Lauren Howells of being “orange with rage” over a tweet she did poking fun at Conservative backbencher.
Howells, who is a Labour activist, posted a picture of herself on Christmas Day holding a card from Jill Mortimer MP.
She said: “Just found this on the shelf in boyfriend’s family home. Christmas ruined.”
Clarke-Smith, the MP for Bassetlaw since 2019, retweeted it this morning saying: “Orange with rage.”
His post sparked an angry backlash in which he was accused of “misogyny”.
@ConHome Another one of yours who needs to be removed and learn some humanity? #Conservatives#misogynyhttps://t.co/h0jvezgJKg
— Old Redeyes Is Back (@IsRedeyes) December 26, 2022
Just some casual misogyny from a Tory MP. Boxing Day tradition. https://t.co/K6Wbu6wkpF
— ModSocDem (@mod_soc_dem) December 26, 2022
— ryan john butcher (@ryanjohnbutcher) December 26, 2022
Male Tory MP attacks a young woman he doesn’t know, for her appearance.
— Debra Shakespeare (@debra_shakes) December 26, 2022
How classy.
How very 2019 Tory intake. https://t.co/Y2taL3zilB
Howells replied to the MP by pointing out that he had got the colour of her make up wrong.
Also it’s not orange it’s a ✨Hollywood glow✨???? pic.twitter.com/Cu4gsm03qo
— Lauren (@laurenhowellss) December 26, 2022
Clarke-Smith was briefly a minister earlier this year under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
In September, he was ridiculed on BBC Question Time after defending the government’s position on fracking – but adding he would not support drilling for shale gas in his constituency.
HuffPost UK has approached him for a comment about his tweet.