Allies of Home Secretary James Cleverly insist he DIDN’T call Stockton a ‘s**thole’… but did call Labour’s Alex Cunningham a ‘s**t MP’ in bizarre row over Commons hot mic moment
Allies of James Cleverly defended the Home Secretary over claims he called a northern constituency a ‘s**thole’ today – insisting he was actually being rude about its Labour MP.
A Tory mayor joined the furious backlash against Mr Cleverly after he was accused of calling Stockton North a ‘sh**hole’ in the House of Commons.
Mr Cleverly is alleged to have made the extraordinary jibe about the County Durham seat as he heckled its Labour MP Alex Cunningham at PMQs yesterday.
Alex Cunningham had grilled Rishi Sunak by asking: ‘Why are 34 per cent of children in my constituency living in poverty?’
But before the premier responded Mr Cunningham claims that Mr Cleverly said ‘because it’s a s**thole’, arguing that audio from the chamber backs his case.
However, an ally of the Home Secretary today told MailOnline: ‘James made a comment. He called Alex Cunningham a s**t MP. He apologises for unparliamentary language.
Home Secretary has denied making the jibe about Stockton North as he heckled a Labour MP at PMQs yesterday
Alex Cunningham had grilled Rishi Sunak by asking: ‘Why are 34 per cent of children in my constituency living in poverty?’
Tees Valley mayor Lord Houchen added his voice to the condemnation this afternoon, posting on the X social media site that Mr Cleverly should apologise for ‘dragging Stockton’s name through the mud’
‘As was made clear yesterday he would never criticise Stockton. He’s campaigned in Stockton and is clear it’s a great place.’
However, Tees Valley mayor Lord Houchen added his voice to the condemnation this afternoon, posting on the X social media site that Mr Cleverly should apologise for ‘dragging Stockton’s name through the mud’.
Making a point of order in the Commons last night, Mr Cunningham said: ‘Before the Prime Minister answered, the Home Secretary chose to add in his pennyworth.
‘Yes, I have contacted his office advising him I planned to name him, but sadly he has chosen not to be in the chamber.
‘He was seen and heard to say ‘because it’s a shithole’. I know he is denying being the culprit, but the audio is clear and has been checked, and checked, and checked again.
Ex-soldier who swears like a trooper
The row over Stockton is not the first time Mr Cleverly has been in trouble over his words language.
In 2010, when he was a member of the London Assembly, he lashed out at the Lib Dem’s deputy leader, tweeting: ‘We may be coalition partners but it doesn’t stop me thinking Simon Hughes is a d**k.’ He later apologised.
Last year he also faced controversy after telling gay football supporters to be ‘respectful’ of World Cup host Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal. Mr Cleverly said Qatari authorities know they would have to make ‘some compromises’ but he also urged LGBT+ fans to ‘flex and compromise’ in comments that were promptly branded ‘shockingly tone deaf’ by Labour.
Mr Cleverly made headlines soon after becoming an MP in 2015 when he played a game of ‘snog, marry, avoid’ on a radio show. He told BBC Radio 5 Live he would ‘snog’ Theresa May, who was then home secretary. After she became PM in 2016, Mrs May used a drinks reception at the Conservative Party conference to jokingly admonish Mr Cleverly by telling him: ‘I still haven’t had that kiss!’
During the same radio interview, Mr Cleverly had admitted to smoking cannabis while at university and having previously watched online porn. Asked whether he inhaled when he smoked the drug, he replied: ‘Of course, that’s the point, to paraphrase [Barack] Obama. ‘I don’t recommend it, it’s a waste of money, waste of time and just not very good for your future prospects.’
‘There is no doubt that these comments shame the Home Secretary, this rotten Government, and the Tory Party. He is clearly unfit for his high office.’
Mr Cunningham, asked how he could secure an apology from the Home Secretary for ‘his appalling insult and foul language’ about his seat in the North East.
Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing said it was her understanding that Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle ‘didn’t hear any remark of the kind from the chair at the time when the honourable gentleman was asking his question’.
She said: ‘I understand that the alleged words were not actually used, though I appreciate what (Mr Cunningham) says.
‘But I think we all know that it’s very difficult in the noisy atmosphere of Prime Minister’s Questions to discern exactly what someone says. So I can make no judgment here from the chair as to what was or wasn’t said.’
She said she understood Mr Cunningham’s concern, and added: ‘I would remind all honourable members of the need for good temper and moderation in the language they use in this chamber.’
It is not the first time Mr Cleverly has been accused of using colourful language.
Last week shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper claimed he had privately branded the government’s Rwanda policy ‘batsh**’.
He did not fully deny using the term, instead insisting he could not remember such a conversation.
Responding to Mr Cunningham at the despatch box, Mr Sunak said: ‘It’s this Government that has ensured that across our country 1.7million fewer people are living in… poverty as a result of the actions of this Government.’
Mr Cunningham could then be heard calling out ‘it’s not true’ to the Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak went on: ‘Yes that is true. Not only that, hundreds of thousands fewer children are living in poverty, and income inequality is at a lower level than we inherited from the party opposite.
‘But we don’t want any child to grow up in poverty, and the best way to make sure that happens is to ensure they do not grow up in a workless household.
‘And that is why the right strategy is to ensure that we provide as many children with the opportunity to grow up with parents in work.
‘And because of the actions of previous governments, several hundred thousand more families are in that position.’
Mr Sunak was being grilled in the Commons yesterday when the alleged incident happened
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