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Watch: Lady Nugee’s ‘all male’ Foreign Office jibe fails to add up

Spare a thought for the ladies of Labour. After years spent campaigning for gender equality, they are yet to have a leader who is a woman while the Tories are onto their second female Prime Minister. So, it was an interesting move by Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, today to take a pop at the government’s foreign office team over the lack of women in top roles:

ET: We do wish the all-male ministerial team well at this crucial time

Alas there was a problem with Lady Nugee’s accusation — as Alan Duncan was on hand to point out:

AD: May I thank the honourable lady for her warm welcome to me at least, but I would respectfully point out to her that her noble Baroness Anelay, who is also a minister of state at the Foreign Office, was a woman when I last spoke to her.

Mr S suspects it’s for the best if Labour MPs restrain themselves from taking potshots at the Conservatives on this issue for the time-being.

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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