Ed Miliband called on David Cameron to sack Ken Clarke today after the justice secretary's remarks about rape in a BBC radio interview this morning.
Ed Miliband called on David Cameron to sack Ken Clarke today after the justice secretary’s remarks about rape in a BBC radio interview this morning. At Prime Minister’s Questions, Miliband asked Cameron “to take this opportunity to distance himself”, said “the justice secretary should not be in his post by the end of today”, and urged Cameron to “get rid of his justice secretary”.
Clarke made his controversial comments in an interview with Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio Five Live.
To the shock of his interviewer, he spoke about “serious rape… rape in the ordinary conversational sense”, claiming it was different from “date rape”.
Then, when Derbyshire said “rape is rape, with respect”, he replied:
“No it’s not.”
Listen to the key excerpts:
And speaking on Boulton & Co. on Sky News this lunchtime, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said:
“You cannot suggest that there is somehow a category of rape in which somehow the woman is willing. Unless he changes his view very rapidly of course he’s got to go.”
63 Responses to “Interviewer: “Rape is rape, with respect”; Ken Clarke: “No it’s not””
Natasha Finlayson
RT @TheRightArticle: Interviewer: “Rape is rape, with respect”; Ken Clarke: “No it’s not” – http://bit.ly/jloVuo
Robin
In our legal system, date rape is a less serious offense than forcible or violent rape. Clarke is a lawyer, I think he knows what he’s talking about. What’s more, he’s probably the most liberal justice secretary we’re likely to get from the Tories.
Anon E Mouse
Shamik Das – I listened to that interview on Radio 5 Live and have to agree to a degree with Ken Clarke. We need the equivalent of 1st and 2nd degree murder for this terrible crime.
And before all the Labour zombies start shrieking in their shrill tones read my remarks please.
1. Anyone under 16 cannot legally consent to sex and it is classed as rape if a person at that age has consensual intercourse with a partner who may be only one day older. That is not the same as a woman being grabbed and gang raped in the bushes.
2. Date rape is not the same.
3. A wife refusing sex with her husband (obviously not a muslim woman who has no refusal rights and her husband has the right to beat her with a stick if he wishes) is not the same.
Rape is a horrendous crime and what angered me about Ken Clarke’s comments was the fact the sentences for this horrible crime are so low. Ken Clarke forgets that prison works. If a rapist is imprisoned he cannot commit more rapes.
Lock the bastards up and throw away the key I say and ignore Ken Clarke…
Brixtonite
RT @tamsinchan: RT @TheRightArticle Interviewer: “Rape is rape, with respect”; Ken #Clarke: “No, it’s not” http://t.co/dfIohhX
Charlotte Richardson
Rape conviction rates also *still* crazy low. Anyone else get the feeling Clarke has NO IDEA what he's talking about? http://bit.ly/mMphyb