Always check that your microphone is muted. This is the lesson that Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, learned the hard way on Tuesday, after insulting an opposition MP.
Summoned by David Seymour MP, during a government question and answer session, to “give an example” to Parliament of “a time when you made a mistake, apologized and fixed it”, Jacinda Ardern told him she gave an answer formal oral.
The sequel is more unusual. Sitting back down, visibly believing her microphone had been cut off, the Prime Minister declared, “what an arrogant asshole.” The sentence was captured and broadcast live by Parliament’s video service. It is barely audible as it overlaps with a speech from the president of the chamber.
No hard feelings for the MP
In front of reporters, David Seymour said that Ardern had sent him a text message apologizing.
“She said, ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,’ and she said, ‘as my mom would say, ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it,'” he said. Seymour.
“I share that spirit and all is well as far as I’m concerned. I just said, ‘thank you and I hope you have a very merry Christmas.’ It’s not the end of the world,” he added.
That didn’t stop him from throwing a shovel in the prime minister’s direction: “The apologies we’re really looking for are from New Zealanders worried about price hikes and car ramming,” which have increased this year, according to the country’s police.
Source: BFM TV
