Tory MP calls for Boris Johnson to create ‘minister for men’ post

Bradley told MPs: “I’ve drastically shortened my contributions – our three hours have become one, which is perhaps indicative of a problem of men’s issues being pushed off the end of the agenda.

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“It kind of nicely typifies the problem.”

Bradley criticised the use of language including “male privilege, toxic masculinity and of men as oppressors rather than positive contributors or role models”, adding in the Commons: “Men are talked about all too often as a problem which must be rectified.

“Too often the constant drive for equality and diversity seeks to drag others down rather than lift everyone up.”

And he pressed ministers to look again at equalities legislation and to ensure people in Whitehall hold departments to account, asking: “Why have a minister for women but not one for men? Why single out one characteristic for special mention?

“Can we ensure equality means just that rather than positive discrimination at the expense of certain groups? Male is equally protected as female and we could do worse in this place than to confirm how the Act should be properly used.”

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His call for a new government role was met with little enthusiasm.

“Because sexual discrimination against men has always been such a massive problem,” noted one.

“Why not just have a minister for Ben Bradley?” asked Tom Peck.

“Ben Bradley is the kind of guy that questions why we have a International Women’s Day when men have 365 days a year,” said Nazir Afzal. “His call for a Minister for Men deliberately forgets that since time immemorial, men have had whole governments”.

Joshua King tweeted: “Ben Bradley is what would happen if someone tore out the letters pages from an old copy of Nuts magazine and paper mached it into an MP.”

Nitwin Sawhney wrote: “So sick of idiots like Ben Bradley and talentless Laurence Fox conveniently and publicly failing to grasp what inequity means. Positive discrimination is about addressing historically entrenched social inequalities, where prejudice has created glass ceilings for talent. Get it?”