FOOT IN MOUTH
Jeremy Corbyn makes embarrassing PMQs gaffe by offering condolences to family of ‘dead’ policeman – who is still alive
Hapless Labour leader took to the despatch box to pass on the sympathies of 'the whole House' for the officer
JEREMY Corbyn was forced to offer a groveling apology after sending “condolences” for the death a police officer who is still alive.
The “jaw-dropping gaffe” came just seconds after Theresa May had sent a message of support to a Northern Irish officer “shot and injured” in Belfast on Sunday.
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But the hapless Labour leader took to the despatch box to pass on the sympathies of "the whole House" for the "police officer who lost his life" this lunchtime.
The PM opened yesterday’s Prime Minister’s Questions by “sending out thoughts to the police officer who was shot” in the first incident of its kind in the province for more than eight years.
Mr Corbyn said in response: "I join the Prime Minister in expressing condolences, I'm sure of the whole House, to the family of the police officer who lost his life over the weekend in Northern Ireland."
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The DUP’s Nigel Dodds later stood up and corrected the veteran leftie, and wished a full recovery to the policeman.
He described Mr Corbyn's mistake as "one of the worst displays of crass ignorance that could be imagined".
A spokesman for the Labour leader later said: "He meant to say 'nearly died'. Obviously, the last thing that was intended was any offence."
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The Police Federation for Northern Ireland said it was a "jaw-dropping gaffe" and called on Mr Corbyn to apologise.
Chairman Mark Lindsay said: "I'm appalled that the leader of Her Majesty's Opposition should get this so badly wrong on the floor of the House of Commons.
"It was a jaw-dropping gaffe and he should immediately apologise to the officer and his family.
"Mr Corbyn was either poorly briefed by his staff or he's that much out of touch with what is happening.
"Either way, it's a shocking error to make and needs to be corrected."
Northern Irish MP Ian Paisley Jr said it was "not, thankfully, the case" that the policeman had died in the shooting and called for Mr Corbyn's mistake to be formally corrected.
He said: "For the family and for police officers generally, could we have that corrected by the frontbench spokesman as urgently as possible so as the record does not contain the spurious fact that a police officer was murdered in Belfast."
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said there was "no need for any further correction".
"It was an error. I recognise what he said about how upsetting that will have been, but it was a mistake. It has subsequently been corrected,” he added.
Dissident republican group the New IRA claimed responsibility for the attack.
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