Education Secretary Andrea Jenkins made the obscene gesture to crowds outside Downing Street on Thursday but has not apologised. In a defiant statement released Saturday, she said she was simply “standing up for herself.” He wrote: “A mob outside the gates was cursing MPs on the way, as is unfortunately all too common. “Having received a huge amount of abuse from some of the people who have been there over the years – and I’ve also had seven threats against my life in the last four years, two of which have been made in the last few weeks and are currently being investigated by the police – I had reached the end of my tether. I answered and stood up to myself. “Why should anyone put up with this kind of treatment? I should have shown more composure, but I’m only human.” The member of the European Investigation Team was an MP when she made the gesture on Thursday but, a long-time Johnson loyalist, has since been promoted to the cabinet. After her date, one tweeted snaps of her actions on Thursday: “Can’t wait for you to teach our kids good manners,” they said. Her statement came after senior Tory MP Mark Spencer, the leader of the Commons and a former leader, said he did not think the gesture was “at all right”. Ms Jenkyns asked “why should anyone put up with such treatment” after making an obscene gesture at protesters (PA File) Asked if it was acceptable, he told BBC Breakfast: “No, I don’t think it is, to be honest. I don’t seek to condone it at all.” Mr Spencer added: ‘Andrea will have to… justify it to herself. But I understand that emotions were very high and it was quite raw that day. But I don’t think that was the right thing at all.” Pressed on whether Mr Jenkins should keep her new role amid the ministerial asshat of recent days, the Commons leader said: “That’s not my decision.”
