New Tory minister Lia Nici repeats 'sexist' Angela Rayner allegations and claims Labour wants a 'dictatorship'

Great Grimsby MP Lia Nici, who on Friday was given a junior ministerial position in the Levelling Up Department of Mr Johnson’s caretaker Government, made remarks on BBC Politics North on Sunday that referenced a story earlier this year where anonymous Tory MPs had accused Ms Rayner of crossing and uncrossing her legs in the House of Commons in a bid to distract the Prime Minister.

In April, the Mail on Sunday likened the claims to a scene from the 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct and said she was trying to put the PM “off his stride”.

Ms Rayner called the story “desperate” and “perverted” and it was also condemned by Mr Johnson.

But during a discussion about the Conservative leadership contest, Ms Nici said: “We talk about honesty and integrity - the deputy shadow leader decided it would be amusing to open her legs in the Chamber and then brag to everybody that actually it was male members of the opposite party who had been looking at her. She was drinking on the terrace and laughing about it.”

In an apparent reference to Labour potentially calling a no confidence vote in the Government next week, Ms Nici added: “If you are going to talk about decency and integrity, the Labour party need to look at themselves rather than playing silly little stunts.

“They are so desperate, they don’t know what to do anymore because they thought bringing down Boris Johnson was going to stop a Conservative Government. Actually this is about democracy not about dictatorship - which frankly Labour are looking to have.”

Appearing on the same programme, Labour MP for Bradford West Naz Shah said that it was disappointing to be “listening to a fellow woman talk about another woman ‘opening her legs’ using that kind of misogynistic language”.

She added: “That language is appalling and it needs calling out.”

At The Yorkshire Post, we are committed to speaking truth to power on behalf of the people who call God’s Own County their home. Our political team and Westminster Correspondent are Yorkshire's eyes and ears in the corridors of power.

If you’d like all the latest political news straight to your inbox, you can sign up to our newsletter for free at: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/newsletter