Theresa May dismisses Daily Mail 'legs' front page as 'a bit of fun'

The Prime Minister said her clothing had faced added scrutiny over the years

(PA)

Theresa May has dismissed the row over a newspaper front page focusing on her legs, describing the coverage of her appearance as “a bit of fun”.

Tuesday’s Daily Mail front page was dominated by a large picture of Ms May and Nicola Sturgeon wearing tights, with the caption “Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!”

The photograph was from a meeting between the two top politicians regarding Scotland’s role in Brexit and trailed an article by columnist Sarah Vine.

The front page triggered formal complaints to the press regulator Ipso and outrage on social media, with some critics likening the commentary to something out of the 1950s.

However a visit to the West Midlands today, Ms May told the Wolverhampton Express and Star newspaper that the coverage was “a bit of fun”.

“You will notice that I am wearing trousers today!” she said.

“As a woman in politics throughout my whole career I have found that very often, what I wear - particularly my shoes - has been an issue that has been looked at rather closely by people.

“Obviously what we do as politicians is what makes a difference to people's lives. I think that most people concentrate on what we do as politicians.

“But if people want to have a bit of fun about how we dress, then so be it.”

Downing Street had this morning declined to criticise the newspaper front page, while a spokesperson for the newspaper itself told critics to “get a life”.

Green Party deputy leader Amelia Womack wrote to Ipso this morning arguing that the front page broke Clause 12 of the Editors' Code because of its treatment of women.

A spokesperson for the Daily Mail said: “For goodness stake, get a life! Sarah Vine’s piece, which was flagged as light-hearted, was a side-bar alongside a serious political story. It appeared in an 84-page paper packed with important news and analysis, a front page exclusive on cost-cutting in the NHS and a health supplement devoted to women’s health issues.

“For the record, the Mail was the paper which, more than any other, backed Theresa May for the top job. Again for the record, we often comment on the appearance of male politicians including Cameron’s waistline, Osborne’s hair, Corbyn’s close - and even Boris’s legs.

“Is there a rule that says political coverage must be dull or has a po-faced BBC and left-wing commentariat, so obsessed by the Daily Mail, lost all sense of humour… and proportion?”