Education minister explains why she knocked down the crowd — RT World News

Britain’s new education minister Explain on Saturday why she gave the middle finger to a crowd outside Downing Street, saying she had to « to defend oneself ».

Andrea Jenkyns, a Tory MP, made the rude gesture on Thursday when a crowd booed her as she entered Downing Street to watch British Prime Minister Boris Johnson deliver his resignation speech.

Reacting to the backlash from the incident, the minister said she had faced « huge amounts of abuse from some of the people who were there over the years », adding that she had also received death threats. “I was at the end of my nerves” she explained.

However, Jenkyns admitted that she « should have shown more composure », adding that she is « only a human. »

His latest apology, however, was deemed insufficient by some representatives of the education sector. “In my 32 years as a teacher, including 15 as a headteacher, I have inevitably had to deal with moments of bad behavior and inappropriate conduct – from young people and staff” , Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said Saturday, adding that « I’m only human » was never a sufficient excuse.

Jenkyns’ comments came after Mark Spencer, the leader of the House of Commons, slammed his move as unacceptable. « I understand the emotions were pretty strong and they were pretty raw that day, » he told the BBC earlier, referring to the day Boris Johnson quit. « But I don’t think that’s the right thing to do at all. »

Andrea Jenkyns had been named as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education on July 8 when Boris Johnson had to reshuffle his government after a wave of ministerial resignations. Britain’s prime minister announced on Thursday that he too would step down, but would stay on as party leader until a successor is chosen, with a number of high-profile British politicians jostling to succeed him .

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