Jeremy Corbyn insists he did not call Theresa May a 'stupid woman' at PMQs

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Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for failing to apologise after he was accused of calling Theresa May a "stupid woman" at Prime Minister's Questions.

The Labour leader insisted he said the words "stupid people" when he returned to the Commons as he faced accusations of "misogyny" over his remark.

Mr Corbyn was immediately criticised for not issuing an apology.

Andrea Leadsom told the Commons: "the country and this house will have drawn their own conclusions"

His remark during PMQs earlier today sparked a furious backlash from MPs who called for Mr Corbyn to apologise.

He returned to the chamber this afternoon and said: "I did not use the words stupid woman about the prime minister and I'm completely opposed to the use of sexist and misogynist language in any form at all."

Cries of "rubbish" could be heard after his response.

The Labour leader came under fire from Tory, Labour and SNP MPs after he appeared to mouth “stupid woman” during exchanges with Mrs May at PMQs.

The Labour party earlier issued a response saying Mr Corbyn used the words "stupid people."

Video showed the Opposition leader saying something under his breath after the Prime Minister likened Labour’s attempt to table a no confidence motion in her to a pantomime.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrote on Twitter: “The mask slips. Jeremy Corbyn’s abuse of the Prime Minister shows what a reactionary misogynist he is”

Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis added: “Will @jeremycorbyn apologise or clarify exactly what he was saying? Looks shocking on the film, unacceptable in any environment.”

Tory former minister Sir Patrick McLoughlin used a point of order in the Commons to accuse Mr Corbyn of having “muttered” that Theresa May was a “stupid woman”.

Cries of “shame” and “disgraceful” were heard from the Tory benches at this point.

Sir Patrick added: “Would it not be appropriate for him to come back into this chamber and apologise?”

Amid the row, Jeremy Corbyn posted on Twitter: "The Prime Minister is recklessly running down the clock, in a shameful attempt to make her bad deal look like the lesser of two evils."

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “He did not call her a stupid woman so I don’t think there’s any basis for an apology.

"He said stupid people. He was clearly responding to what was going on in the chamber.”

However even some Labour MPs thought he said "stupid woman."

Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has talked publicly about misogynist abuse she has faced on social media, wrote on Twitter: “This is not ok.

“PMQs is a hotbed of emotions but I hope that Jeremy will accept this kind of behaviour isn’t his normal good nature or what we expect of progressive men #21stcenturycalling”

SNP MP Stewart McDonald tweeted: “If Corbyn did say the PM was a ‘stupid woman’ then yes, its a disgrace and he should apologise.”

Britain’s best known lip-reader, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie, is “very certain” Mr Corbyn said “stupid woman”, a BBC producer revealed.

Tim Johns, who produces the Jeremy Vine show on BBC radio, tweeted: “I just showed Evelyn Glennie, the famous percussionist, the footage of Jeremy Corbyn in the Commons.

"She's deaf and can lip read. She wasn't aware of the story and her interpretation of what he said was "stupid woman". She says she's very certain.”

Labour-supporting singer Mick Hucknall tweeted: “He clearly said Woman. Digging a hole that didn’t need to be dug. Stupid Man.”

Actor Rob Lowe tweeted: “FYI- I have to say, I saw Jeremy Corbin call the Prime Minister a ‘stupid woman’ with my own eyes watching on [Sky News].”

The row escalated further when Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom accused Speaker John Bercow of calling her a “stupid woman”; he said he had dealt with the matter previously.

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