This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The BBC broadcaster Steph McGovern has apologised after making what she called a light-hearted remark after a speech by the prime minister.

The BBC Breakfast presenter, who is on maternity leave, was hosting the Convention of the North in Rotherham where Boris Johnson was speaking. After encouraging the crowd to applaud Johnson, she said: “I’d just like to point out I am a girly swot and I’m proud of it. Let’s see who’s in the job the longest.”

It emerged last week that Johnson wrote that David Cameron was a “girly swot” on a private Cabinet paper. Johnson used similar language in the Commons, calling Jeremy Corbyn a “big girl’s blouse” over the Labour leader’s decision not to back his bid for an election while the risk of a no-deal Brexit remained.

McGovern wrote on Twitter on Friday afternoon: “At a non BBC event I was hosting today, I made a light-hearted remark after the prime minister’s speech. Sorry that this caused offence to some. That was absolutely not my intention.”

Last week, Labour’s Yvette Cooper criticised Johnson for his use of language. “Good grief. The prime minister of Great Britain thinks he’s still back at Eton – ‘girly swot’, ‘big girl’s blouse’ – what century is he in if the word ‘girl’ is one of his staple insults?” she tweeted.

Dawn Butler, the shadow women and equalities minister, said: “Whether it’s references to a ‘big girl’s blouse’ or a ‘girly swot’, these comments expose Boris Johnson’s problem with women.”

The BBC declined to comment on the remarks made by McGovern, but said she was allowed to carry out external engagements while on maternity leave.