Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Owen Excerpts

Wednesday 17th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

We have the fastest growing economy in the G7, borrowing is down and we have just signed our fifth major trade deal. I must say this to the Tory deputy chairman: yesterday he was on television laughing and joking about the arson attack on the Prime Minister’s home, laughing about a firebomb targeting the Prime Minister and his family. Not only that, he joined with promoting conspiracies about the attack and laughed along to demeaning homophobic remarks. He should be ashamed of himself—absolutely ashamed. My advice to him is to grow up, apologise and do considerably better.

[Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab)]

Q3. The Makerfield candidate for Reform has disgracefully said that the majority of abortions are for “vanity purposes”. He described mums “with their fat bellies…pushing a pram in their PJs”,and failed to apologise to national treasure Carol Vorderman for endorsing sexually explicit comments about her. This exposes the rank hypocrisy of Reform politicians: talking tough on violence against women and girls but in reality having zero respect for women. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that Reform has a problem with women, which is further highlighted by seemingly welcoming a woman-beater into its fold?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. The Prime Minister has rightly put tackling violence against women and girls at the heart of this Labour Government. By contrast, I have been utterly appalled by what we have heard from the Reform candidate in Makerfield—from the vile, sexist comments to saying that Putin was within his rights to invade Ukraine. When the Reform leader was asked about them, his answer was, “So what?” This speaks volumes about Reform. The only way to stop its politics of grievance is to vote Labour.