Trump’s ‘piggy’ insult to reporter ‘belongs in history books’, says UK minister

UK cabinet minister Wes Streeting has criticised Donald Trump for calling a reporter “piggy”.

Footage has emerged of the US president uttering the insult at reporter Catherine Lucey as he took questions on his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein on Air Force One last week.

Health Secretary Mr Streeting said such behaviour towards women “belongs in the history books” and that he would not want his sisters spoken to in that way.

Speaking on ITV’s This Morning on Wednesday to unveil the Government strategy for men’s health, he said: “It’s not right.

“One of the things about the work we’re actually putting out today on men’s health is changing the culture of what it means to be a man, what it means to be strong, and that there are lots of people on the internet at the moment that are trying to sort of radicalise, particularly young men, with stuff that’s quite sexist and misogynistic.

“They’re trying to send an image to people that says in order to be a man, that’s about earning loads of money, having massive cars and basically being extremely misogynistic to women.

“I don’t think that’s what makes for being a good man. We need better role models. I wouldn’t want my sisters to be spoken to like that. I don’t think that’s appropriate in any context, let alone a professional one.”

Mr Streeting continued: “For all the faults in British politics, I would be surprised if any leading politician in our country ever spoke to a woman in our press lobby like that.”

He acknowledged female journalists in the UK do face sexism and misogyny and there is a “constant battle to tackle” it.

“We need to move on from that kind of language and behaviour towards women,” he added. “It belongs in the history books.”