Bercow admits calling Andrea Leadsom ‘stupid’

John Bercow has finally spoken out over reports alleging that he called Andrea Leadsom a ‘stupid woman’ in the Chamber on Wednesday. In a statement to the House, the Speaker admitted using the word ‘stupid’ but refrained from saying whether he had also used the accompanying words ‘woman’ or ‘f—— useless’. Bercow insisted that he had used the word ‘stupid’ only in relation to the government’s management of business – rather than towards Leadsom personally.

‘Last Wednesday the government chose to schedule a major transport statement on an opposition day, thereby substantially reducing the time available for opposition business.

I thought then, as I think now, that this was very badly handled. It was in particular disrespectful both to the House and to the 23 backbenchers who were hoping to participate in the opposition day debate on the Grenfell Tower disaster.

It was in that context, and that context alone, that, having expressed my displeasure about the matter quite forcefully from the chair, I used the word “stupid” in a muttered aside.