The Tory MP at the centre of a sexism storm has been defended by a female member of staff - saying she likes to be referred to as a 'girl.'
Sir Roger Gale provoked outrage by referring to his female staff as "girls" on the Radio 4 Today programme on Thursday (March 16). Today his staffer Debi Hill appeared on the same show, saying she is shocked that people are criticising Gale.
She said: "[As I am] in my late 40's I like to be referred to as one of the girls.
"Sir Roger certainly isn't sexist and it shocks me to see how much attention this has received."
The woman added: "I quite enjoy [working], it's nice, we're just a very happy team. It's very familiar and we are just one happy family."
But feminist BJ Epstein argued with Hill, claiming the term 'girl' can only mean a young woman up to the age of 11 or 12, according to The Telegraph.
Epstein believes "it's diminishing and demeaning to refer to women who are older than 12 as a child."
Hill then hit back and said: "We feel very valued and appreciated for what we do, and there's nothing wrong with how we're treated.
"We very often get a bun from Roger and we like that."
Gale also appeared on talkRADIO yesterday, saying he and his fellow Tory MPs aren't to blame for the party's expenses problem.
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