Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Bryony Gordon ‘slut’ claims: new defence secretary Fallon ‘named’ by paper

Mail on Sunday alleges Michael Fallon is offending minister who insulted writer

Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith
Monday 28 July 2014 06:54 BST
Comments
(Rex)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

David Cameron’s new defence secretary Michael Fallon has been shrouded in controversy after the Mail on Sunday alleged he is the minister who called author Bryony Gordon a 'slut'.

Ms Gordon, an author and columnist for the Daily Telegraph, alleged last week that a member of the Prime Minister’s new "female-friendly" Cabinet approached her at a party near Westminster four years ago and insulted her.

She wrote that while attending a party for a departing colleague, where "people were speed-drinking to keep cool" in the heat, she was approached by a Tory MP who asked what she was doing in the bar.

Ms Gordon explained why she was attending a leaving party for a colleague, adding, "And then he said: 'If you work at the Telegraph, do you know that slut who writes that Single Girl About Town column at the back of the magazine? What’s her name? Bryony Gordon?'

"The room seemed to fall silent. 'Yes,' I managed to respond. 'I know her very well, because that slut is me'." The MP "blushed crimson" and spent the evening "apologising profusely" to Ms Gordon.

However, the Mail on Sunday claims a source close to Mr Fallon said: "There was a jokey conversation with [Bryony Gordon]. She was upset at something he said, which is why he apologised to her. They were talking about her column, which was about her escapades, to put it mildly.

"He referred to them in the wrong way, which went down badly and he apologised for that, but he did not use the word 'slut'. He does not go around calling women sluts. Like all these stories, there’s a bit on each side. It was a remark made at 11pm after two parties."

The paper claims that friends of Mr Fallon defended the minister last night and challenged Ms Gordon’s claims, stating that when she had first covered the incident in 2010, she had said the unnamed minister had called her a "slattern".

The Prime Minister called Mr Fallon a "first-class minister" yesterday while Downing Street refused to comment on the allegations to the paper. Mr Fallon’s office has not yet responded to requests from the Independent.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in