Memo to Michael Gove: Next time you are thinking of making a joke about rape… just don’t!
The Conservative Cabinet Secretary provoked a furious backlash led by female politicians from all parties after cracking a clearly premeditated gag in a live interview on the BBC’s Today programme about the alleged sexual abuse and rapes of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Gove, a former Justice Secretary, was asked by interviewer John Humphreys during a 60th anniversary broadcast of Today how he generally felt about appearing on the programme.
“Sometimes, I think coming into the studio with you John is a bit like going into Harvey Weinstein’s bedroom,” he said. Former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock, a fellow guest, interjected: “John goes way past groping.” Gove then delivered his punch line. “You just hope you emerge with your dignity intact,” he said.
There was some laughter in the live audience of about 500 people but many audience members sat grim-faced or angry. Gove added: “The broader point is that you can make a fool of yourself.”
Anger
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (left) was one of many politicians, mostly female, who tweeted angry responses to the attempt to get laughs out of the Weinstein scandal at a time when Westminster MPs have faced their own allegations of abusing female members of staff. “Women being abused and raped is not a laughing matter. And it doesn’t make us ‘humourless’ to say so,” she said.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson accused the Environment Secretary of trivialising sexual abuse. “No, @michaelgove it’s not like that,” she said. “I have never once feared for my personal safety in a media studio. Don’t trivialise sexual assault.”
Gove’s fellow Conservative MP Anna Soubry (left) said the joke had “insulted victims of rape & other sexual assaults & perpetuated pathetic notion that these crimes are not to be taken seriously.”
Labour MP Jess Phillips said “Michael Gove just left the studio without his dignity.”
Green Party peer Lady Jones said Mr Gove’s comments were “ridiculous”, but noted: “A lot of people were laughing. Now, some of that might have been shocked laughter […] but there is absolutely nothing funny about it.”
Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said Gove was “not funny (and) given current sensitivities (it) is beyond poor judgement – it’s crass.”
Actor Stephen Mangan (left) tweeted a link to the radio segment with the comment: “Morning. Here’s a rape joke from Michael Gove to start your day.” Singer Lily Allan offered a one-word verdict: “Bonehead.”
Presenter Lucy Siegle, who appears on the BBC and other networks, expressed her own contempt. “Your ‘joke’ suggests your instinct is to undermine victims & to minimise impact of sexual assault. Plus you ruined @BBCr4today birthday,” she said.
Paul Bernal, a law lecturer at the University of East Anglia, slammed Gove saying: “There are no words for how appalling he is.”
Guardian journalist Hannah Jane Parkinson said it was “just a joke aimed at the victims of rape and sexual abuse by our former secretary of both justice and education.”
Lord Andrew Adonis, a former Labour Cabinet Secretary combined an attack on Gove for his “”Seriously inappropriate ‘joke,” with criticism of Today for what he called “a discreditable episode of self-congratulation”. “Frankly a great embarrassment. @BBCr4today boasting how brilliant it is; rape jokes from a minister. Get back to reporting & questioning.”
Gove later apologised on Twitter, posting: “Apologies for my clumsy attempt at humour on R4 Today this morning – it wasn’t appropriate. I’m sorry and apologise unreservedly.”
There were also calls for Kinnock to apologise, with Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine tweeting: “Neil Kinnock’s reaction to the Harvey Weinstein joke by Michael Gove is the strangest thing about it.”
Kinnock later released a statement saying: “In an off-the-cuff comment I made light of Mr Gove’s remark on a live programme. Apologies if that caused offence – I certainly do not treat the recent allegations as anything but grave and repellent.”
by Peter Wilson
The post Politics: Rape Joke Misfires for Gove appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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