[quote]Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been caught on microphone describing a voter he had just spoken to in Rochdale as a "bigoted woman".
Sixty five-year-old Gillian Duffy had challenged Mr Brown on a number of issues including immigration and crime.
As he got into his car, he was still wearing a broadcast microphone and was heard to say "that was a disaster".
Mr Brown later apologised after the tape was played to him as he was interviewed on BBC Radio 2.
After listening to the recording, with his forehead resting on his hand, he said: "I do apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful."
The comments were made after the conversation with Mrs Duffy which ended with him complimenting her and her family.
Off camera, but not realising he still had a Sky News microphone pinned to his shirt, he was head to tell an aide: "That was a disaster - they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous..."
Gillian Duffy: "I want to know why I was called a bigot"
Asked what she had said, he is heard to reply: "Ugh everything! She's just a sort of bigoted woman that said she used to be Labour. I mean it's just ridiculous. I don't know why Sue brought her up towards me."
Mrs Duffy, a widow, said after hearing of Mr Brown's comments: "I'm very upset. He's an educated person. Why has he come out with words like that?
"He's supposed to be leading the country and he's calling an ordinary woman who's come up and asked questions that most people would ask him...It's going to be tax, tax, tax for another 20 years to get out of this national debt, and he's calling me a bigot."
She had earlier told reporters she was a lifelong Labour voter and described Mr Brown as being "very nice."
BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said this was "the worst moment of the campaign so far" for the Labour Party. Their tactic of putting him in contact with more "ordinary people" had "gone quite horribly wrong".
Brown: 'I apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful'
Speaking on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Brown said: "Of course I apologise if I've said anything that's been offensive and I would never put myself in a position where I would want to say anything like that about a woman I'd met.
"I blame myself for what is done, but you've got to remember that this was me being helpful to the broadcasters, with my microphone on, rushing into the car because I had to get to another appointment and they have chosen to play my private conversation. These things can happen, I apologise profusely to the lady concerned."
Gordon Brown has since telephoned Mrs Duffy to personally apologise for the comments, telling her he was very sorry and said she "is a good woman".
When asked did this in any way make up for the comments she said "no - absolutely not".
A spokesman for the prime minister said: "Mr Brown has apologised to Mrs Duffy personally by phone. He does not think that she is bigoted. He was letting off steam in the car after a difficult conversation.
"But this is exactly the sort of conversation that is important in an election campaign and which he will continue to have with voters."
The Conservatives said Mr Brown's comments spoke for themselves.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "That's the thing about general elections, they do reveal the truth about people." [/quote]
Source- [url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8649012.stm[/url]
Whoops.
What if she IS a bigoted woman?
She was.
And he handled her reasonably well, but still it doesn't look good.
he's a cunt
In an election, if someone tapes you getting into a mild argument with your dog it's all over the news. Thats the nature of the game.
I hate microphone.
he should be allowed to say whatever he wants. in all odds, she probably was bigoted
She looks like a British theworld.jpg
[img]http://imgur.com/Kt822.png[/img]
Aww was the poor women offended? Grow the fuck up and deal with it.
This is all over the news.
[QUOTE=HubmaN;21605830]She looks like a British theworld.jpg
[img]http://imgur.com/Kt822.png[/img][/QUOTE]
She looks like she'd be a bitch anyway.
You can tell in her facial expression she went over there to have a go at him.
That being said, he fucked up big time.
Probably lost the election in that one statement.
This is why we can't have nice things.
[QUOTE=WeekendWarrior;21606564]This is why we can't have nice things.[/QUOTE]
What the fuck
his apology
[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8649200.stm[/url]
hahahaha
[IMG]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs286.snc3/27970_423915452813_511772813_5751211_1957835_n.jpg[/IMG]
It doesn't even sound very harmful. Everybody knows that we talk such stuff about others. Even politicians.
[QUOTE=SwizzChees;21606857]It doesn't even sound very harmful. Everybody knows that we talk such stuff about others. Even politicians.[/QUOTE]
That's not really the point, it's the idea that he was agreeing and friendly to her as a member of the electorate, and then completely dismissed her views in public like she didn't matter.
She was actually asking valid questions about pension taxes and crime.
lol what a question
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;21606680]What the fuck[/QUOTE]
We can't have nice things because Gordon Brown is a wanker.
[quote]Mrs Duffy, a widow, said after hearing of Mr Brown's comments: "I'm very upset. He's an educated person. Why has he come out with words like that?[/quote]
Wow, it's important we must know she's a widow.
[QUOTE=Ori Child;21607144]Wow, it's important we must know she's a widow.[/QUOTE]
We are supposed to emphasise with her. See how the media influences us through language?
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;21607172]We are supposed to emphasise with her. See how the media influences us through language?[/QUOTE]
:geno: but I found it funny they are being so petty.
[QUOTE=Ori Child;21607197]:geno: but I found it funny they are being so petty.[/QUOTE]
you don't understand how the media works son
[QUOTE=marcus;21607015]She was actually asking valid questions about pension taxes and crime.[/QUOTE]
She forgot to meantion that she also talked about immigration and did in fact express reasonably bigotted views within that.
Something like this with this much news coverage could easily run his campaign into the ground
wtf is wrong with called a person a bigot?
if someone is being a bitch, then call her a bitch!!! Gordon Brown is standard ;)
he won't win but he is standard :D
[QUOTE=toxicpiano;21607223]you don't understand how the media works son[/QUOTE]
I studied the media at A-level actually thank you very much :buddy:
and i still think they media and the politicians are being petty over nothing.
[QUOTE=Akayz;21607543]wtf is wrong with called a person a bigot?
if someone is being a bitch, then call her a bitch!!! Gordon Brown is standard ;)
he won't win but he is standard :D[/QUOTE]
Because if you call someone a bigot, you risk losing the bigot vote
[QUOTE=Ori Child;21607563]I studied the media at A-level actually thank you very much :buddy:
and i still think they media and the politicians are being petty over nothing.[/QUOTE]
if you think media studies counts for anything you are wrong
[editline]04:22PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Akayz;21607543]wtf is wrong with called a person a bigot?
if someone is being a bitch, then call her a bitch!!! Gordon Brown is standard ;)
he won't win but he is standard :D[/QUOTE]
are you 12?
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