Andrea Jenkyns, a Tory MP, defended sticking her middle finger at a ‘baying mob’ of anti-Boris Johnson protesters, claiming, ‘I had reached the end of my tether.’
The Tory MP and newly appointed junior education minister, who made the gesture when she entered Downing Street on Thursday afternoon before being named, has acknowledged she ‘should have shown more composure’ after striking out at ‘Bye Boris’ demonstrators.
She said she was standing up for herself after years of ‘huge amounts of abuse,’ including two death threats in recent weeks.
Conservatives slammed the minister today after she was caught on camera making the impolite gesture as she entered Downing Street.
‘I should have shown more composure but am only human,’ Ms Jenkyns added.
Commons Leader Mark Spencer has said it is up to Ms Jenkyns to ‘justify’ her actions, whilst former science minister George Freeman slammed her conduct as ‘appalling’.
Mr Spencer, a former chief whip, added that he does not believe the gesture was ‘the right thing to do at all’.
After leaving Downing Street, Ms Jenkyns again confronted protesters, shouting: ‘He who laughs last, laughs the loudest…wait and see.’
However, her taunt was largely drowned out by a sea of boos and the Benny Hill theme tune, which had been ringing out from the speaker of notorious anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, 53, for most of the day.
Mr Bray had earlier interrupted a live TV broadcast with the song, and was once again heard blaring out ‘Bye Bye Boris’, his modified rendition of Bay City Rollers classic, ‘Bye Bye Baby’.
‘I should have shown more composure but am only human,’ Ms Jenkyns added.
Commons Leader Mark Spencer has said it is up to Ms Jenkyns to ‘justify’ her actions, whilst former science minister George Freeman slammed her conduct as ‘appalling’.
Mr Spencer, a former chief whip, added that he does not believe the gesture was ‘the right thing to do at all’.
After leaving Downing Street, Ms Jenkyns again confronted protesters, shouting: ‘He who laughs last, laughs the loudest…wait and see.’
However, her taunt was largely drowned out by a sea of boos and the Benny Hill theme tune, which had been ringing out from the speaker of notorious anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, 53, for most of the day.
Mr Bray had earlier interrupted a live TV broadcast with the song, and was once again heard blaring out ‘Bye Bye Boris’, his modified rendition of Bay City Rollers classic, ‘Bye Bye Baby’.
In her statement shared on Twitter, Ms Jenkyns said: ‘On Thursday afternoon I went to Downing Street to watch the Prime Minister’s resignation speech.
‘A baying mob outside the gates were insulting MPs on their way in, as is sadly all too common.
‘After receiving huge amounts of abuse from some of the people who were there over the years, and I have also had seven death threats in the last four years.
‘Two of which have been in recent weeks and are currently being investigated by the police, I had reached the end of my tether.
‘I responded and stood up for myself.
‘Just why should anyone have to put up with this sort of treatment.
‘I should have shown more composure but am only human.’
In response to the video, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson tweeted: ‘Ministers aren’t expected to be perfect. But is it really too much to ask that they don’t treat the public like this?’
Ms Jenkyns was appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Education on Friday as part of outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s reshuffle.
The education minister was among those who gathered outside No. 10 on Thursday to express their support for Mr Johnson as he announced his resignation.
The video, which was released on social media on Thursday evening, appears to have been shot soon before Mr Johnson announced his resignation as Conservative Party leader.
We have reached out to the Department of Education for comment.
Following the election of the executive of the backbench 1922 Committee, a timeline for the Conservative Party leadership battle is anticipated to be drafted out next week.
Protesters outside Downing Street looked to be mostly against Mr Johnson.
One of the demonstrators waiting outside Downing Street was holding a placard reading: ‘Get your Johnson out of our democracy’.