Alanya Smith
Unison and The National Education Union have written to the government criticising new education minister Andrea Jenkyns’ decision to swear at protesters outside Downing Street.
Andrea Jenkyns, Conservative MP for Morely and Outwood in West Yorkshire, was filmed raising her middle finger towards protesters outside Downing Street on Thursday 7th July. Ms Jenkyns was travelling to watch Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation speech when the incident occurred.
Upon leaving Downing Street, Ms Jenkyns was recorded telling crowds “He who laughs last, laughs loudest. Wait and see.”
Public Criticism
Dame Alison Peacock, the chief executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, wrote to the Department of Education that ministers should “treat others with respect”.
Andrea Jenkyns, the new education minister, giving the finger to the public outside Downing Street on Thursday pic.twitter.com/LhnoPoodV3
— Marina Hyde (@MarinaHyde) July 9, 2022
“I understand that these are tense uncertain times in politics. But to proceed with a ministerial appointment of someone who is unable to abide by the principles of public life is sinking to a new low”.
“Ministers aren’t expected to be perfect. But is it really too much to ask that they don’t treat the public like this?”
George Freeman, fellow Conservative MP, criticised Ms Jenkyns and stated that ministers “should set the highest standards in office”.
Shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, tweeted: “Ministers aren’t expected to be perfect. But is it really too much to ask that they don’t treat the public like this?”
Andrea Jenkyns’ Response
Ms Jenkyns defended her actions, claiming that they were instigated by a “huge amount of abuse” throughout her time in Downing Street and two death threats received recently. She said; “I responded and stood up for myself. Just why should anyone have to put up with this sort of treatment.”
— Andrea Jenkyns MP 🇬🇧 (@andreajenkyns) July 9, 2022
However, it is unclear how the “obscene gesture” will impact Ms Jenkyns’ position as new education minister, or if her actions will be reprimanded.
Ms Jenkyns was appointed parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department for Education on Friday 8th July following Johnson’s cabinet reshuffling following mass resignations within the Conservative party.
Featured image courtesy of Howard Lake via Flickr. Image licence found here. No changes were made to this image.
alanya
Alanya is a Journalism student at Cardiff University and Spotlight section editor at Quench Magazine.
Disappointing that people we should respect and look towards to set an example behave in this unacceptable way.