THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Harriet Harman has been rebuked for calling a senior member of the government "a ginger rodent".As a former Equalities Minister who was dedicated to helping minority groups, Harriet Harman perhaps should have known better.
But in an outspoken attack, the Labour Deputy Leader yesterday called Danny Alexander a "ginger rodent".
Delegates at Labour's Scottish conference could barely conceal their shock as Ms Harman, who is known for her strict adherence to politically correct views, turned her fire on the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the least correct way imaginable, mocking his red hair and comparing him to a squirrel.Speaking to the conference in Oban, she also said the Lib Dems in Scotland had become "political mutants" after joining a coalition with Conservatives.
Ms Harman began her attack saying people had been dismayed after the election to wake up and see "Nick Clegg with David Cameron in the rose garden of Number 10".
She said there was then "incredulity" at seeing Mr Alexander, an MP from the north of Scotland, becoming "the frontman for the Tory cuts".
"Now, many of us in the Labour Party are conservationists and we all love the red squirrel," Ms Harman said. "But there is one ginger rodent which we never want to see again in the Highlands – Danny Alexander." >>> Melissa Kite | Saturday, October 30, 2010
THE GUARDIAN: Harman says sorry for 'ginger rodent' jibe: Deputy Labour leader's joke about Danny Alexander backfires as she is accused of insulting all of Scotland's redheads >>> Press Association | Saturday, October 30, 2010
