Labour MP defends bizarre photo op showing her grinning as rescue teams helped an injured climber

A bizarre photo showing Labour MP Ruth George grinning while posing next to emergency services preparing to take an injured climber to hospital has caused backlash online. 

The MP for High Peak, Derbyshire, hit back at social media users who questioned why she had been posing for a photo during the rescue – the climber had fallen from a cliff in Stoney Middleton, Derbyshire.  

Shared by the MP to her Facebook the post read: ‘Wow, just finished a very hectic 14.5 hour shift with these amazing paramedics – Bruce and Jamie At Buxton Ambulance Station.

Labour MP Ruth George, 49,  grinning while posing next to Edale Mountain Rescue Team as they packed up the stretcher while a climber was being treated in the ambulance

‘A chance to see all of our emergency services at work today with call-outs in Chapel, a house fire on Fairfield Road in Buxton and finally a climber who’d fallen from a cliff in Stoney Middleton.

‘Needed Mountain Rescue to stretcher him out and they were there in no time with lots of skilled and experienced people to help. 

‘What a brilliant service from volunteers giving their own time. Thanks for asking for the photo while the Edale Mountain Rescue Team packed up the stretcher.

‘Thank you so much to Bruce and Jamie for having me along for the day, and all the crews I spoke to.

‘You’ve given me several issues to to help improve our health services that I’ll be taking up, but couldn’t improve on the great people who work in them.’

A house fire on Fairfield Road in Buxton which Ms George attended with the emergency services on Thursday

A house fire on Fairfield Road in Buxton which Ms George attended with the emergency services on Thursday

The smiley photo, shared Thursday evening, soon gained comments from confused members of the public wondering why she was grinning.

Oluwato Hutchings commented: ‘Nice one of you smiling whilst the climber is on the stretcher. Hear you have taken a bit of stick for that one.’

To which Ms George replied: ‘That’s because some people can’t tell the difference between an empty stretcher and one with someone on. You don’t seem to have read the post either. Ruth.’ 

While Anne Rafferty commented: ‘Smiling in a pic with an injured climber???’

The MP hit back: ‘I would point out that there was no injured person in this photo, they were having obs taken in the ambulance before travelling to hospital, and Edale Mountain Rescue asked for the photo whilst I was waiting.

Oluwato Hutchings commented: 'Nice one of you smiling whilst the climber is on the stretcher. Hear you have taken a bit of stick for that one'

Oluwato Hutchings commented: ‘Nice one of you smiling whilst the climber is on the stretcher. Hear you have taken a bit of stick for that one’

While Anne Rafferty commented: 'Smiling in a pic with an injured climber???'

While Anne Rafferty commented: ‘Smiling in a pic with an injured climber???’

‘They were pleased to share my post and I’m proud of the excellent work done by all our Mountain Rescue teams.’

Ruth George, 49,  became High Peak’s first ever female MP at the 2017 general election, beating Conservative MP Andrew Bingham by 7 per cent.

In February this year the MP ‘unreservedly and wholeheartedly’ apologised after suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyn’s party may have had Israeli backing.

The seven – including Jewish MP Luciana Berger – blamed Labour’s failure to tackle anti-Semitism as one of their reasons for leaving.

Ms George acknowledged her comment had been ‘ill-thought out’ and ‘poorly worded’.

A Labour Party spokesman said: ‘It’s right that Ruth George has apologised for these offensive remarks.

Labour MP Ruth George apologised for her comments suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyn's party may have had Israeli backing

Labour MP Ruth George apologised for her comments suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyn’s party may have had Israeli backing

‘The Whips Office is reminding Ruth George of the conduct expected of her.’

Tory MP Simon Clarke said Ms George’s comments were ‘staggering’, adding: ‘All the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party (are) on display in full technicolour (sic).’

Ms George’s comment had been made in response to a request to condemn an activist who had labelled the breakaway MPs ‘Israelis’.

The MP said: ‘I would condemn the calling of anyone as an Israeli when it’s not the case.

‘The comment appears not to refer to the independent MPs but to their financial backers.’

In her apology, Ms George said: ‘On my earlier response to a Facebook comment, I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise for my comment.

‘I had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory and I am deeply sorry that my ill-thought out and poorly worded comment did this. I withdraw it completely.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk