Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
"Don't trifle with me " says LibDem Councillor
From the Daily Telegraph:
" Councillor forced to apologise after calling woman colleague a trifle."
Cllr Brian Haley, Labour cabinet member for the environment on Haringey, north London, was told to apologise to Liberal Democrat Laura Edge after throwing the insult at her during a debate over bus tickets. Cllr Edge, Lib Dem ward member for Stroud Green, is the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green.
During the debate, Cllr Haley said: "This is another example of a not thought-through policy by the Lib Dems. "I'm concerned that you put things up without proper costings attached to them. "I do have to say, Cllr Edge, you're a bit like a trifle, very sweet and very lightweight."
Moments later he was forced to apologise after outraged Lib Dem councillor Monica Whyte said his attack was sexist. Cllr Edge, a housing solicitor, said: "I thought it was a sexist remark. "It wasn't the comment about him likening me to a trifle which angered me, it was all the sniggering and innuendo that followed. "It was like being in a school playground." She added: "It's unacceptable in this day and age for someone who is a member of a party which espouses equality to take such an attitude to women."
But Cllr Haley insisted after the incident: "You could equate a trifle with men and women. "I thought it was a fair comment for the political arena. I was shocked she ran out."
Did Haley get his just desserts, or was it a sense of humour failure over a mere ... well yes you guessed it :-)
" Councillor forced to apologise after calling woman colleague a trifle."
Cllr Brian Haley, Labour cabinet member for the environment on Haringey, north London, was told to apologise to Liberal Democrat Laura Edge after throwing the insult at her during a debate over bus tickets. Cllr Edge, Lib Dem ward member for Stroud Green, is the party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Finchley and Golders Green.
During the debate, Cllr Haley said: "This is another example of a not thought-through policy by the Lib Dems. "I'm concerned that you put things up without proper costings attached to them. "I do have to say, Cllr Edge, you're a bit like a trifle, very sweet and very lightweight."
Moments later he was forced to apologise after outraged Lib Dem councillor Monica Whyte said his attack was sexist. Cllr Edge, a housing solicitor, said: "I thought it was a sexist remark. "It wasn't the comment about him likening me to a trifle which angered me, it was all the sniggering and innuendo that followed. "It was like being in a school playground." She added: "It's unacceptable in this day and age for someone who is a member of a party which espouses equality to take such an attitude to women."
But Cllr Haley insisted after the incident: "You could equate a trifle with men and women. "I thought it was a fair comment for the political arena. I was shocked she ran out."
Did Haley get his just desserts, or was it a sense of humour failure over a mere ... well yes you guessed it :-)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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I can't believe this got into the Telegraph. I saw it in the local rag but a national newspaper. Maybe, as some HoL members have suggested in other threads recently, national news orgs are out for any silly story from Labour councils leading up to the elections. Piffle!
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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The Daily Telegraph seems to have done no more than reprint the story from the Hornsey Journal,
Was it a "sense of humour failure" not to appreciate my Labour colleague's rollicking wit? Judge for yourselves on the video of the Council meeting. (You can use the 'index points' to jump to 01:02:31 )
Personally I found nothing remotely funny. And was pleased Cllr Haley had the grace to apologise soon after, when LibDem Chief Whip Monica Whyte objected. (Index Point 01:07:05)
Though he later shed doubt on his contrition by telling the Hornsey Journal it was part of the "cut and thrust" of political debate; and neither sexist nor derogatory. He also said his remark was a quotation from Winston Churchill. I'm intrigued by this, and have written to Cllr Haley asking for the source.
All this has obscured the important fact that on 21 October London Assembly members of all parties voted unanimously for this motion. (Item 4.3 in the minutes)
“The London Assembly believes in affordable public transport and in the need to ensure that passengers who use “Pay As You Go” Oyster cards have a fair deal.
The Assembly notes that in other European capital cities bus passengers have the benefit of a time-limited bus ticket which enables them to use two or three buses within a set time without having to pay again.
The Assembly notes that almost a million car journeys every day in London are less than one mile in length, and supports effective ways of encouraging modal shift to public transport so the London Assembly views with concern at this time of economic recession that even short journeys in London may involve using two or three buses and can cost up to £3.00 if more than one bus is needed.
The Assembly commends the proposal for a One Hour Bus Ticket to be available on “Pay As You Go” Oyster card, enabling passengers to use more than one bus during a 60-minute period without paying more than £1.00 and calls on the Mayor of London to instruct Transport for London to investigate the feasibility and the cost implications of this proposal".
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Oops! Item 7.6. Apologies. (Source: Winston Q. Churchill)
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Having watched it - a lot of fuss about nothing. Not the funniest remark I've ever heard but hardly sexist unless you feel that men cannot be sweet. And he did apologise immediately.
On the other hand, it maybe wasn't a good idea to call for support on Churchill. It's related that when Bessie Braddock said " Winston, you're drunk ! " he replied " And you madam are ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober. " Now THAT is sexist :-)
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Permalink Reply by james walsh on
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Churchill calling someone else ugly ?
That's pure irony.
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Thankyou Alan Stanton for the link to video of council meeting. Unfortunately, your link took me to a well known television program by David Attenborough about group hierarchy in primates.
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I've now been told this is not from Winston Churchill, but perhaps 'borrowed' from Armando Iannucci's "The Thick of It". Seems unlikely. Can anyone remember such a line in the script?
I was also reminded of the ancient Scots tradition of flyting - a sort of verbal public jousting with elegant insults. (Norse and Anglo-Saxon traditions as well.) Although these contests were usually in poetry with elaborate, clever put-downs.
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Alan.
I can confirm it's a (very famous) Churchill quote. Sorry to disappoint you but Iannucci was not born yet.
The very best Churchill put-down was when he was challenged by the admiralty during WW11 over tactics. "What does the navy know except rum sodomy and the lash ?".
Meanwhile, as you've mentioned 'The thick of it' here is a clip of a government minister experiencing meltdown on Newsnight with Paxo.
http://bit.ly/5lPFzn
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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The only Winston 'trifle' quote I can find via google is one that I fully appreciate :
Champagne: I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it
James, when and about whom did he say it?
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Speaking of political insults, the 17th century has some corkers.
This has to be one of my faves:
"Egad sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox."
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
(John Wilkes to the Earl of Sandwich
Although I understand why the councillor in question was upset, it was condescending and would probably not have been addressed to a man, I can't help thinking that in her position I would have been trying desperately for a dessert related riposte to throw back.
Of course, the best ones never occur to you until later.
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