Nicola Sturgeon hits back at Daily Mail’s controversial 'Legs-it' front page after sexism row

Controversy: The front page of the Daily Mail
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Nicola Sturgeon has criticised the Daily Mail’s controversial “Legs-it” front page, saying "it’s not something we should just laugh off”.

The paper sparked a sexism row by publishing an image of the Scottish First Minister with Prime Minister Theresa May, with the headline: “Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!”

Ms Sturgeon spoke out about the front page on Thursday while appearing on stage at the Women in the World conference in New York.

She said: "I tried not to overreact.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, left, speaks to Tina Brown during the Women in the World Summit
AP

"No matter how much progress women have made and are making, it's a vivid illustration of how much more we still have to achieve.”

She referred to a photo taken last year from a meeting with Mrs May in Edinburgh that was cut off at the knees, focusing on their shoes.

Ms Sturgeon added: "This tendency to reduce women to body parts or to what they wear or what their hair looks like is not innocent and it's not something we should just laugh off."

The “Legs-it” front page referred to an article by journalist Sarah Vine, the wife of Michael Gove, in which she wrote: “There is no doubt that both women consider their pins to be the finest weapon in their physical arsenal.

“Consequently, both have been unsheathed.”

It prompted a fierce online backlash, with many MPs condemning the headline.

​Yvette Cooper was among those who spoke out, tweeting: "It's 2017. Two women's decisions will determine if United Kingdom continues to exist. And front page news is their lower limbs. Obviously.”

Jeremy Corbyn fumed: "It's 2017. This sexism must be consigned to history. Shame on the Daily Mail."

In a response, the Daily Mail suggested critics were being “po-faced” and had lost their sense of humour.

A spokesman for the paper hit back, saying: “For goodness sake, get a life!

“Sarah Vine’s piece, which was flagged as light-hearted, was a side-bar alongside a serious political story.”

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