Keir Starmer faced questions regarding Donald Trump’s offensive “piggy” remark towards a female journalist on Air Force One last month during an appearance on ITV’s show, Loose Women. The Prime Minister expressed his disapproval of Trump’s language, stating he would not tolerate such behavior towards his daughter or colleague. Trump had directed the derogatory term at Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey when she inquired about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein in emails disclosed by Congress.
During the show, Myleene Klass asked Starmer if he would permit someone to speak to his daughter, wife, or colleagues in a similar manner to Trump’s treatment of the journalist. Starmer affirmed that he would not allow it, denouncing such behavior as misogyny and emphasizing the importance of addressing problematic behaviors, especially among teenagers.
Starmer’s appearance coincided with the government’s launch of a significant strategy to combat violence against women and girls. When questioned about misogyny in Westminster, Starmer acknowledged its presence not only in politics but also across society, highlighting the prevalence of abuse experienced by many.
Home Office minister Jess Phillips, who spearheaded the strategy, outlined various measures to combat harmful online content and misogynistic influences. These measures include banning “nudification” tools and collaborating with tech companies to implement nudity detection filters to prevent children from accessing or sharing inappropriate images online.