The Daily Mail has today published an article which says that the visible upset of the Chancellor of the Exchequer earlier this week looked like:

“a hormonal collapse from another femme failure who can't cope when the going gets tough. A woman who wilts like a stick of damp rhubarb at the first sign of trouble.”

Jacqui Hames, Board Director of Hacked Off, added,

“The MailOnline’s misogynistic attitude to women in public life knows no bounds.

“But let us be clear who is ultimately responsible here: politicians who have catastrophically failed to protect the public from abuse and discrimination in the press.

“Women and others at risk of discrimination are being let down by the Government’s inaction on press reform every day.  The Mail publishes this stuff because it knows that – until the Prime Minister develops sufficient courage to take action – it can get away with anything.”

Commenting, Fawcett Chief Exec, Penny East said

“This is a blatant example of the misogyny that too many women face every single day. When women in public life are targeted by reductive commentary like this it strengthens toxic tropes. This harms all of us.

We need more women in power and in politics and we need to be treated as equal to men once we're there - because we are. I look forward to the day when media misogyny is consigned to the history books and women and girls are equal and free to fulfil their potential creating a stronger, happier, better future for us all."

Notes

Spokespeople for the Fawcett Society & Hacked Off are available for comment (press@fawcettsociety.org.uk, press@hackinginquiry.org).