UK & World News
- 17 January 2013, 20:48
Tory MP Chope Calls Commons Staff 'Servants'
Tory MP Christopher Chope has caused a stir by calling catering workers in the House of Commons "servants".
The MP made the comment during a questions session to the House of Commons Commission, the body which looks after administration and services for MPs.
It came after Lib Dem John Thurso responded to a question about the expense of eating in the special parliamentary dining rooms.
Mr Chope, the MP for Christchurch in Dorset, told how he had eaten for three nights in the Commons dining rooms "and almost nobody else was present".
"The service was absolutely fantastic because there was three-to-one service - three servants for each person sitting down," he said.
MPs around him reacted, shouting out "servants", but Mr Chope said "exactly" and carried on with his point.
Labour MPs were quick to leap on the comment, highlighting it as evidence of the Tories still being the "nasty party".
Former Labour minister Angela Eagle wrote on Twitter: "Tory MP Christopher Chope let's the cat out of the bag by referring to HoC waiters and waitresses as 'servants'!"
Jonathan Ashworth MP added: "Good grief - a Tory MP in the commons has just described the catering staff who work in the Commons dining rooms as 'servants'."
Kevan Jones added: "A Tory MP just referred to the House of Commons catering staff as 'servants'. The mask has slipped again..."
It was noted by other commentators that it came after Mr Chope had said businesses should not be forced to pay the minimum wage.
Grandmother Heather Smart wrote: "Oh dear Tory MP Christopher Chope calls staff at HoC servants! this after says businesses should be allowed to opt out of the minimum wage."
Mr Chope, 65, a former minister in both the transport and environment departments, has one of the safest Tory seats - securing a majority of 15,410 in 2010.
Update:
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what do you think?
john byrne
A simple slip of the tongue, he really wanted to call them slaves.
Glynne Powell
He's biding his chance at the whip
shirley sutton
That's highlighted the difference between the Tories and the rest if us doesn't it? Goes to show how they consider us mere mortals
Raymond Castle
I betcha Cameron won't do diddley squat about it!
shirley sutton
He probably agrees with the pompous fool
stephen
what do you expect from them Victorian fascist people
stephen
come on t bulgin defend it
Louisa Gieldon
I think he must be on holiday Stephen, or he's have been in like a shot!
Kerry Carline
I get why people are reacting like they are and what it says about people in power thinking every1 is benieth them but we already knew it.a froidian slip but is it really news
sunshine
That's exactly what they are - servents of the state. I assume Milliband and his pathetic band of supporters will be changing the name of civil servants when and if he ever gets into government. No chance - he doesn't have asingle policy in his vacuous head!!
john
Why working people vote for the over privileged self-serving gobsmiths in the Con/Lib/Lab party is beyond me. Do yourself a favour and vote for an independent candidate next time, sack the lot of them. Their latest sickening cry for a 32% wage increase when the majority of normal people's wages have remained stagnant for years disgusts me.
James R McCulloch
Greedy is as greedy does. The MPs don't give a monkeys what we think. Consider this, why do these MP's do what they do? Ans, There is no honour in their actions.
Emma Allum
It's an outdated expression, certainly, but correct: Servant n. person employed to do domestic work in a household or as an attendant; employee. Is there nothing else to talk about? And no, I'm not a Tory follower, and yes, i have had a few jobs that could come under that heading. And ' thumbs down' me
Emma Allum
should have said ' thumbs down' me all you like. I am entitled to my opinions.
Lorgar Aurelian
Not me. I'm no Tory either but you grasp the English language well. The thumbs down i wouldn't worry about - they can't spell and are bandwagon jumpers.
Louisa Gieldon
It's so outdated that it's insulting though Emma. as it has class division underlying it. Do you really call the waiters who serve you a meal in a restaurant "servants"?
Emma Allum
No, not all, but i didn't read that as him insulting the staff. He does seem to be a contender for 'Upper Class Twit of the Year', but it just comes across as him not being able to adjust his language to suit modern standards. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm just saying it as I read it, you know? Certainly not approving the use of the word.
Lorgar Aurelian
I agree, it's what they would say in Downton Abbey and outdated but technically correct. My aunt still asks if i'm courting!
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Paul Dyer
Plebs and servants funny that considering tories and fit to clean the xxxx of my shoes
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bjnk
And he wants to have cheaper meals to encourage mp's to dine there. They have a cheek calling this jolly a job.Next time he go's in I hope they tip it in his lap,followed by the scalding coffee. And he also wants his rich friends to be able to pay their employee's less than minimum,while wanting a 20k rise for himself and his cronies.What nice people our mp's are,i'm sure you'll vote them in again next time. I'd rather see them burn.
Louisa Gieldon
The mask has indeed slipped again! I know what i'd put in his dinner the next time i was "servant" to him!
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Jasmin Louise
Hope they spit in his caviar :)
pjbeckett
A member of the lower social orders, down on his luck went to the home of a Tory MP and asked for a drink of water. He was given one in a Jam Jar ! He drank up and returned it. He then went to the home of a Labour MP and asked the same. He was given one in one of their best Cut Crystal glasses ! He drank up and returned it. After he left, the glass was smashed and thrown in the dustbin. No ? don`t fool yourselves.
Robinson56Chris
Another example how our political class (and I refer to all the main parties) are so far removed from the lives of ordinary people they are supposed to represent. Far from a 32% rise most of them think they should get, they should be only receiving the average wage of a skilled worker, THEN we'll see how many of them stand for parliament.
Glynne Powell
1:51pm on 17/1/2013
He's forgetting where he is. It is he meant to be serving us.
Glynne Powell
2:01pm on 17/1/2013
..and is this meant to be one of the things so important that all e-petitions have to get at least 10,000 signatures so we can get a response from them (and then a whopping 100,000 for them to debate it in parliament because they're so busy talking about stuff like this).
shirley sutton
4:53pm on 17/1/2013
At the end of the days they're there to serve themselves and rob the country blind with their expense accounts etc - just leeches not serving anyone but their own greed time things were reformed there
Louisa Gieldon
10:08pm on 17/1/2013
A very good point Glynne