Did a minister call Cameron a 'f***ing toff' in the Commons?
A woman minister was accused last night of using an obscenity at David Cameron during the controversial vote on MPs' expenses. Accounts of extraordinary scenes of class envy in the Chamber, which would take British politics to a new low, emerged yesterday. The Tory leader's aides claimed Anne McGuire called him a 'f***ing toff ' in response to a taunt to Labour MPs. It is said she used the insult in the crowded division lobby on Thursday night. The confrontation echoed a blistering exchange between Shadow Chancellor George Osborne and one of Gordon Brown's lieutenants moments earlier. According to the Tory version of events, Mr Cameron told Labour MPs around him 'you have voted for the John Lewis list' - a reference to the taxpayer-funded scheme for furnishing second homes used by MPs. Mrs McGuire, a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions, is said to have responded to the provocation by muttering 'f****** toff' under her breath but loud enough to be heard, the Tories say. Mrs McGuire, 59, is the MP for Stirling in Scotland. She was considered a Blairite with a sharp sense of humour. Last night she said she was being deliberately misquoted. 'I utterly deny that I said that to him. It is untrue,' she said. 'He was behind me and he made some crack about the John Lewis list and I said "we didn't vote for the John Lewis list David". I don't know how he managed to manufacture an altercation when it didn't happen. And that is not how I address people.' Her alleged barb followed a similar incident when Ian Austin, Mr Brown's parliamentary aide, is said to have told the Shadow Chancellor to 'f*** off, you toff' after Mr Osborne said 'what you are doing is a complete disgrace'. According to the Tories, Mr Austin and Labour whip Tommy McAvoy called to colleagues: 'Come this way, comrades'. Mr Austin is alleged to have said to Mr Osborne: 'You should come and join us'. Mr Osborne replied: 'What you are doing is a complete disgrace.' Mr Austin apparently responded: 'f*** off, you toff.' The MP for Dudley and a veteran political bruiser, has denied the insult. snip http://tinyurl.com/6lv7u3
A woman minister was accused last night of using an obscenity at David Cameron during the controversial vote on MPs' expenses. Accounts of extraordinary scenes of class envy in the Chamber, which would take British politics to a new low, emerged yesterday. The Tory leader's aides claimed Anne McGuire called him a 'f***ing toff ' in response to a taunt to Labour MPs. It is said she used the insult in the crowded division lobby on Thursday night. The confrontation echoed a blistering exchange between Shadow Chancellor George Osborne and one of Gordon Brown's lieutenants moments earlier. According to the Tory version of events, Mr Cameron told Labour MPs around him 'you have voted for the John Lewis list' - a reference to the taxpayer-funded scheme for furnishing second homes used by MPs. Mrs McGuire, a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions, is said to have responded to the provocation by muttering 'f****** toff' under her breath but loud enough to be heard, the Tories say. Mrs McGuire, 59, is the MP for Stirling in Scotland. She was considered a Blairite with a sharp sense of humour. Last night she said she was being deliberately misquoted. 'I utterly deny that I said that to him. It is untrue,' she said. 'He was behind me and he made some crack about the John Lewis list and I said "we didn't vote for the John Lewis list David". I don't know how he managed to manufacture an altercation when it didn't happen. And that is not how I address people.' Her alleged barb followed a similar incident when Ian Austin, Mr Brown's parliamentary aide, is said to have told the Shadow Chancellor to 'f*** off, you toff' after Mr Osborne said 'what you are doing is a complete disgrace'. According to the Tories, Mr Austin and Labour whip Tommy McAvoy called to colleagues: 'Come this way, comrades'. Mr Austin is alleged to have said to Mr Osborne: 'You should come and join us'. Mr Osborne replied: 'What you are doing is a complete disgrace.' Mr Austin apparently responded: 'f*** off, you toff.' The MP for Dudley and a veteran political bruiser, has denied the insult. snip http://tinyurl.com/6lv7u3