Labour MP Angela Rayner reveals unconscious gender bias means she is often ‘ignored’ in her male-dominated work environment and becoming a grandmother at 41 turned her into ‘more of a feminist’
- Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has revealed she is often ignored in favour of her male advisors when she enters a room
- Said she believes ‘women face some level of misogyny on a daily basis’
- Slammed allegations that Stanley Johnson smacked Tory MP Caroline Nokes’ bottom in 2003, branding it ‘unacceptable’
- Revealing that she was once called ‘frigid’ for refusing a colleague’s advances
- Says as a ’41-year-old grandmother she wouldn’t stand for it now’, calling herself ‘more of a feminist’
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has revealed she is often ignored in favour of her male advisors when she enters a room and believes ‘women face some level of misogyny on a daily basis’.
The Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also slammed allegations that Stanley Johnson smacked Tory MP Caroline Nokes’ bottom in 2003, branding it ‘unacceptable’.
Revealing that she was once called ‘frigid’ for refusing a colleague’s advances, she says as a ’41-year-old grandmother she wouldn’t stand for it now’, calling herself ‘more of a feminist’.
Last month Mr Johnson declined to comment other than to say he has ‘no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all’.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has revealed she is often ignored in favour of her male advisors when she enters a room and believes ‘women face some level of misogyny on a daily basis’
Speaking to Grazia, she said: ‘Sometimes, you go into a room and [people] will talk to my special advisers because they’re male, and I’m like, “Er, I’m here!”. They don’t do it deliberately, it’s just like unconscious bias.
She continued: ‘What Caroline Nokes said about what happened with Stanley is on a different level – every man should know that it’s completely unacceptable. But I’d say that on a daily basis women face some level of misogyny or discrimination and I think there has to be a cultural shift.’
Recalling her own experiences of sexism, Angela added of a former colleague: ‘One said “You’re frigid.” I was like, “What? Because I don’t want you to hit on me? No mate, I’m at work and I’m trying to do my job.”’
‘Now I wouldn’t accept it. I’m a 41-year-old grandma and I wouldn’t have it. I am a bit more of a feminist now’, she concluded, adding that she hoped her grandaughter wouldn’t have to go through the same things she did as a young woman.
Revealing that she was once called ‘frigid’ for refusing a colleague’s advances, she says as a ’41-year-old grandmother she wouldn’t stand for it now’, calling herself ‘more of a feminist’
Angela also revealed that there is a ‘no Christmas presents’ rule in the commons, and joked that she is working on ‘bringing Labour leader Keir Starmer out of his shell’ – adding that she is a bit more ‘spicy’.
Brushing aside rumours of a rift, she added: ‘Keir is just such a genuine, decent guy. Boris Johnson wings it. Keir Starmer would never wing it.’
The politician also revealed she had a tough time this year after losing her aunt and uncle to Covid and grieving the passing of her adoptive mother.
Angela also revealed that there is a ‘no Christmas presents’ rule in the commons
She admitted not wanting to show her emotions at first in case she was seen as ‘weak’, before admitting it was a ‘strong thing to do’.
The relationship between Labour leader Sir Keir and his deputy has hit headlines since the pair were locked in a stand-off during Sir Keir’s last reshuffle in May.
At the time Mrs Rayner felt she was being scapegoated for the party’s disastrous Hartlepool by-election result.
Angela joked that she is working on ‘bringing Labour leader Keir Starmer (seen right in November) out of his shell’ – adding that she is a bit more ‘spicy’
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