MPs cried “what!?” in the House of Commons today about a comment a colleague made that may not have been what it sounded like.
It was during the ceremony to present the newest MP - Caroline Johnson who won the Sleaford by-election on Thursday.
As she approached the speaker on Monday after flanked by two colleagues, a man said what sounded like: “Very smart woman”.
Thinking that a male MP was greeting a new female colleague with a comment about her appearance, several MPs let their feelings be known.
But someone else suggested the comment was actually “Very smart Warman,” referring to MP Matt Warman who walked to Johnson’s left.
Warman himself tweeted to say he was the target of the comment, made off-camera by MP Mark Spencer, and it was about his “ageing suit”.
When Spencer made his comment, Warman looked down to his suit.
Spencer has not commented on what happened.