MPs are left wide-eyed after Labour MP Jim McMahon appears to tell Commons colleagues that ‘operation ‘S*** A Dog is in full force’ – after they misunderstand him saying ‘shaggy’ in his broad northern accent
- Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon was addressing the Commons on Tuesday when he referred to ‘Operation shaggy dog’ but was misheard by many
- McMahon was referring to Operation Big Dog, the name being used to describe efforts underway to keep Prime Minister Boris Johnson leading the country
- Tory MP Jerome Mayhew intervened after laughter erupted around the chamber
- One Labour MP suggested from the benches that the opposing side should ‘learn to speak northern’ before McMahon rose from the benches to clarify his words
A Labour MP caused some alarm in the Commons yesterday, when he appeared to tell his colleagues: ‘Operation S*** A Dog is in full force’ at Number 10.
In an impassioned speech, Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon told gathered colleagues he thought Operation Big Dog, the name rumoured to be being used to describe efforts to keep Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his job, was ‘absolutely outrageous’.
However, he renamed the phrase ‘Operation Shaggy Dog’…and a combination of the echoing Commons and Mr McMahon’s strong northern accent saw it very much lost in translation.
Titters broke out on the opposing side of the chamber, with many MPs clearly thinking Mr McMahon had said ‘s*** a dog’ instead.
Shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon was addressing the Commons on Tuesday when he referred to ‘Operation shaggy dog’ but was misheard by many
Tory MP Jerome Mayhew intervened after laughter erupted around the chamber asking McMahon to clarify whether he’d said ‘S*** a dog’
The sparsely-filled Commons was momentarily filled with giggling before the Labour MP jumper at the chance to clarify what he’d actually said
The Labour MP told the Commons: ‘Operation Shaggy Dog in full force. I think it is absolutely outrageous.’
Conservative MP Jerome Mayhew then asked if could interject during Mr McMahon’s speech to ask him to clarify, saying: ‘I think the operation wasn’t called Operation S*** a Dog, but perhaps he would care to correct that.’
A bemused-looking Deputy Commons speaker, Nigel Evans, agreed he would let the clarification take place, but said: ‘I heard shaggy dog. I am sure everybody heard shaggy dog.’
As Mr McMahon rose again from the benches, a voice seated nearby defended him, saying those who misheard should: ‘Learn to speak northern!’
The Shadow environment secretary then revealed he had indeed said ‘shaggy’ and had been referring to the Dulux paint dogs, known for their long hair.
Operation Big Dog, also known as Operation Save Big Dog, refers to the re-shuffle that has happened in the last week at No 10 as Mr Johnson fights to stay Prime Minister.
Que? A bemused-looking Deputy Commons speaker, Nigel Evans, agreed he would let the clarification take place
A new-look team is now in place after a turbulent week in Downing Street that saw senior aides take the blame for Partygate.
The Prime Minister made key changes over the weekend, appointing Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay as his new chief of staff and journalist and long-time ally Guto Harri as his head of communications.
And The Times reported No 10 was hoping to announce the return of Dame Emily Lawson as the new permanent secretary this week.
A billionaire Tory today refused to give any more donations while Boris Johnson is in charge saying the Prime Minister has ‘passed the point of no return’ and his ‘moral authority’ to lead the country has gone because of Partygate.
Operation Big Dog refers to the re-shuffle that happened at No 10 over the weekend as PM Boris Johnson hangs on following ‘Partygate’
Hedge fund boss John Armitage had given the Tories more than £500,000 since Mr Johnson entered No 10 – but has given them nothing since the end of 2020 and even donated £12,500 to Labour in March 2021.
Piling more pressure on the beleaguered PM, Mr Armitage has said he believes Mr Johnson ‘should leave’ because the challenges currently facing the country demands ‘serious, engaged’ politicians.
The BBC said Mr Armitage has told the Conservative Party he will not be giving it any more money as things stand, but he plans to remain a member.
Questioning Mr Johnson’s motives he said: ‘I feel politicians should go into politics to do good for their country. And that is the overwhelming reason to be in politics. I don’t think it’s about your own personal sense of getting to the top of a snakes and ladders game’,
And he told BBC Newsnight that leaders ‘should leave’ if they lose their ‘moral authority’, adding: ‘I find the lack of honour inherent in modern politics incredibly distressing’.
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