David Cameron told Angela Eagle: ‘Calm down dear’
Labour is demanding an apology after David Cameron apparently told a female MP to “calm down dear” in the Commons.
The prime minister borrowed the catchphrase made famous by Michael Winner during a row about NHS reforms.
Labour say he aimed the remark at Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Angela Eagle, and accused him of being a sexist bully.
But a Downing Street aide said it was a popular advert and a humorous remark was being “over-analysed”.
The clash came as Mr Cameron used the words of former Labour MP – and GP – Howard Stoate to defend his plans to introduce GP commissioning in the NHS in England.
Mr Stoate, who stepped down at last year’s general election, wrote in the Guardian that discussions with his colleagues revealed “overwhelming enthusiasm for the chance to help shape services for the patients they see daily”.
But it was Mr Cameron’s suggestion that Mr Stoate had been beaten during the election that riled some on the Labour benches.
“I have to say it’s not the kind of language which sets a good example in the 21st Century”
Ed Balls Shadow Chancellor
Amid shouts of “he stood down”, Mr Cameron paraphrased the famous car insurance advert starring film director Michael Winner: “Calm down dear, calm down, calm down. Listen, listen to the doctor. Calm down and listen to the doctor.”
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls could be seen challenging the remark and pointing to Ms Eagle in the Commons – Mr Cameron replied: “I’m not going to apologise, you do need to calm down.”
Speaker John Bercow had to step in to quieten the Labour benches, telling MPs: “There’s far too much noise in this chamber, which makes a very bad impression on the public as a whole.”
But Labour MP John Woodcock stoked up the row later, telling MPs the prime minister was “losing his rag because he is losing the argument”.
BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said Labour MPs reacted angrily to the remarks, with one saying: “It’s pure Bullingdon Club” – a reference to the exclusive Oxford University society of which Mr Cameron was a member.
Mr Balls told BBC Radio 4’s World at One the remark had been a joke but it was “pretty silly” of Mr Cameron, adding if he had said it to his wife, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, she would have “clocked me one”.
“I thought that David Cameron should have apologised to Angela Eagle,” he said. “I have to say it’s not the kind of language which sets a good example in the 21st Century.”
Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander defended his cabinet colleague Mr Cameron in an interview with the same programme.
He said: “If it has caused offence, obviously that was not right and I hope it hasn’t caused offence… because it was a joke.”
Mr Alexander added that he had thought the remark was directed at Mr Balls, who liked to “chunter from the front bench”.
A Downing Street aide told reporters: “I think you will find it is a popular advert. I think you are maybe over-analysing a humorous remark.
“They [Labour] will do anything to avoid talking about the economy after the good growth figures.”
At the last prime minister’s questions before the Easter break, Mr Cameron sparked a row with Labour after calling Mr Balls “the most annoying person in modern politics” during noisy exchanges.
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