LEWISHAM Deptford MP Joan Ruddock has complained after being accused of having a “champagne lifestyle” during a House of Commons debate.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles made the remark after Ms Ruddock said Lewisham Council was cutting £16m from its budget, putting jobs under threat.
Mr Pickles told the debate the council had almost £60m in reserve.
He said: “It might not be for the right hon. Lady, I know she lives a champagne lifestyle, but £60 million is a lot of money.”
Raising a point of order with Speaker John Bercow, Ms Ruddock said she was used to the “rough and tumble of Parliamentary debate”.
She added: “But the Secretary of State today, in response to an intervention I made, made a remark about 'the hon. Lady's Champagne lifestyle'.
“It appeared to be directed at me. I find that really offensive and rude.”
The former minister for the Department of Energy and Climate Change asked Mr Bercow whether the remark would be withdrawn.
He said: “Good temper and moderation in the use of parliamentary language are always to be encouraged."
Mr Bercow and Ms Ruddock have both served on the International Development Select Committee.
He added:”I travelled to a number of places around the world with you and colleagues and I cannot recall you consuming champagne at any stage”.
Ms Ruddock told News Shopper: "He told me he was actually referring to some other woman MP and denied that he was referring to me and I believe him.
“I said to him ‘I don’t care who you are referring to it is still rude and insulting’.”
“I don’t regret raising it.”
She added: "I think Eric Pickles is a man who doesn’t know how to behave in the House of Commons and certainly I believe has a very unpleasant attitude particularly to women.”
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