Boris Johnson battles to stave off sexism row
April 26, 2022, 6:33 am

Boris Johnson battles to stave off sexism row

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Photo: Official Facebook page)

The We For News reported, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s “basic instinct” is under a scanner as a new, full-blown sexism controversy enveloped the United Kingdoms parliament.

A sensational piece in the right-wing Mail on Sunday newspaper headlined: “Tories (Conservative party members) accuse Angela Rayner (Deputy Leader of the Opposition Labour party) of Basic Instinct ploy to distract Boris Johnson” – a reference to the steamy 1992 film starring Sharon Stone. It further captioned: “MPs claim Labour deputy leader likes to put PM ‘off his stride’ by crossing and uncrossing her legs at PMQs (prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons)”.

The paper quoted a spokesman for Rayner, 41, as saying the suggestion was “categorically untrue”. She does wear short skirts while sitting on the front bench next to the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs, but this is generally considered in the western world today as smart rather than sexy dressing.

Boris Johnson‘s “basic instinct” is under a scanner as a new, full-blown sexism controversy enveloped the United Kingdoms parliament (Photo: UK PM Boris Jonhson official Facebook page)

Boris Johnson contacted Rayner on Sunday (Apr 24) to convey that he considered claims about her misogynistic. Referring to the newspaper article, he tweeted: “As much as I disagree with Angela Rayner on almost every political issue, I respect her as a parliamentarian and deplore the misogyny directed at her anonymously today.”

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On Monday (Apr 25), The Guardian daily reported: “Boris Johnson is also understood to have written directly to Rayner. The contents of the letter have not been shared, except for one quote reported by the Telegraph (a pro-Johnson broadsheet) that stated: ‘The comments were not in my name’.”

On BBC Radio, the shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “I am sick and tired of the way that female MPs and women are treated in parliament.” She described the incident as an “outrageous slur on Angela”.

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Thereafter appearing on the TV programme BBC Breakfast, she added: “She (Rayner) doesn’t need to use her sex to win an argument or put the Prime Minister off, or whatever was suggested in that article. She does it by the strength of her argument.”

Chris Philip, Technology Minister in Boris Johnson’s government, told Sky News he expected government whips would investigate who had made the comments, and if their identity emerged he would “imagine they would be subject to discipline”.

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Glen Owen, political editor of Mail on Sunday, who wrote the story is facing questions over whether his Lobby pass should be withdrawn, the Press Gazette claimed. The UK’s Independent Press Standards Organisation is said to have received 5,500 complaints within 24 hours about the article, which penned: “All is fair in love, war and Commons duels with Boris Johnson, if the claims of Tory MPs are to be believed.”

Source: wefornews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.