PMQs: Boris Johnson’s record on women comes under scrutiny

Prime Minister’s Questions today came at an interesting time, to say the least. Not only is this the day we see the first Budget since the PM won his 80-seat majority, and since the UK left the EU, but the country also now finds itself dealing with the spread of coronavirus. As the session followed International Women’s Day on Sunday, Jeremy Corbyn devoted nearly all of the time to challenging Boris Johnson on his record on misogyny. He asked the PM to apologise for the comments he’s made in the past and reverse the policies that discriminate against women across the country.

The Labour leader produced some damning figures: 86% of the cuts made by the successive Tory governments have fallen “disproportionately on women”; women are still paid 17% less than men. Why has life expectancy fallen for the poorest women in our society? His line of questioning saw Johnson bizarrely point to the proportion of pregnant women who smoke. Does the PM think it’s right that women have to prove their child was conceived as a result of rape to keep their child tax credits? Will he end the two-child tax credit policy that creates this situation? This produced a surprising response: “He draws attention to an injustice, and we’ll do everything that we can to rectify it.” Did he really mean that? It would be very significant if so.

Corbyn asked Johnson to apologise for past comments, including calling Muslim women “bank robbers” or suggesting that you should “pat” female colleagues “on the bottom and send them on their way”. A defensive retort followed – he wouldn’t take lessons from a party that hasn’t had a female leader. This was a consistent theme today. A sexist policy or comment referenced, an example of structural misogyny evidenced, only to be followed by an answer that completely failed to address the question.

Johnson did mention the domestic abuse bill being brought forward – but, as Corbyn pointed out, the government has failed to commit to the necessary funding to make it more than just a “piece of paper”. Not only was Johnson’s personal poor record on women under scrutiny; his inability to engage with the questions of structural misogyny was also exposed. It was both sad and revealing to see that the answers the PM today gave no indication that this government would make any positive, tangible steps to protect or further the rights of women in our society.