Extremely Professional Journalists Report On Politician's Boobs

An editor at the Telegraph has drawn criticism for a post on a parliament meeting that focused on an MPs cleavage. But she’s not sorry at all.

Telegraph assistant comment editor Lucy Jones posted the above image, with cleavage helpfully circled, under the headline “PMQs: Whose boobs are these?” (PMQs stands for Prime Minister’s questions). She wrote, “Sorry to lower the tone here but there was an awful lot of cleavage on show behind Ed Miliband at PMQs today. Call me nosey, but who is this busty lass?” That would be Lisa Nandy, Labour MP for the town of Wigan. Nandy is a longtime children’s rights advocate with a master’s degree in public policy, and she’s also one of the first female MPs of Asian descent to be elected in the UK. But by all means, let’s circle her breasts.

The Guardian‘s Jane Martinson takes Jones to task:

It’s as if the whole recession/political mess/recent cold snap has encouraged sexists to come out of their protozaic cupboards to cheer us all up by twirling their nipple tassles and saying, “look at us, we’re a hoot!”

First Winnergate and now boobgate –- does anyone still wonder why politics is still dominated by men?

Winnergate refers to Prime Minister David Cameron’s comment to Labour MP Angela Eagle — “calm down, dear,” apparently a catchphrase in a popular commercial featuring writer/producer Michael Winner. Many have decried the remark as sexist, but cleavage fan Jones seems to think it’s funny. Presumably in response to critics of her boobs post, she writes, “And to the po-faced Twitter brigade: calm down, dears.” Yes, British lady lawmakers, shut up and let us stare at your boobs. That’s what you’re there for, isn’t it?

Telegraph Website Stoops To Sexism Low [Guardian]
PMQs: Whose Boobs Are These? [Telegraph]
Cameron’s “Calm Down Dear” Comment Triggers Sexism Row [Channel 4]