Mary Portas has apologised for her “ugly bunch” remark about women cabinet members saying she meant no harm.
The retail expert blamed her “naughty” sense of humour for the comments in which she noted the women needed a makeover, the Daily Telegraph reports.
She admitted to the paper she didn’t even know who the four women in the cabinet were!
For the record they are: Home Secretary Theresa May, Tory party chairman Baroness Warsi, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan.
Each of them will be receiving a letter of apology from Portas who was appointed as Prime Minister David Cameron’s retail guru earlier this year.
Portas made the comments to Heat Magazine earlier this week.
Particularly unimpressed was Baroness Warsi who complained in The Sun about the double standards applied to women in politics saying:
“No-one would have dreamt of giving fashion advice to any of the great men who led our country. Just imagine if someone had told Churchill what suits to wear.”
Good point, well made.
Now that Portas has had a proper look at the cabinet women she’s decided they’re not such a dowdy bunch after all. Asked about Theresa May she said:
“She’s a good-looking woman. Lovely face.”
Explaining she was not out to “bash” women Portas said: “What I genuinely feel is that they [female politicians] work in a deeply established male place, and I do think a lot of women find it very difficult to know how to come across as professional – and equal in some ways – because it’s a phenomenally difficult job.”
“When it comes down to it, with women and their intellect, furthering their careers is much more sexy than how they dress.”
Portas’ appears in TV show, Mary Queen of Frocks.
