Philip Davies defends men’s rights speech: ‘I speak with Jeremy Corbyn and I’m not an anti-Semitic Marxist’ The MP said he is ‘appearing alongside myself’ after criticism

Philip Davies has said he “doesn’t see the issue” in speaking at a men’s rights conference featuring a speaker who sent a rape joke to an MP and another who created an annual event titled “bash a violent bitch month”.

The Conservative MP for Shipley confirmed he will be speaking at the conference in Chicago in August, which features the likes of “male supremacist” YouTuber Paul Elam and another self-styled alt-right provocateur, Ukip MEP candidate Carl Benjamin, in its line-up.

‘Never heard of this other bloke’

Mr Elam, who coined the “bash a violent bitch month”and argued it was appropriate to hit women during the month of October because “everyone has the right to defend themselves”.

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“Parents have a right to teach boys and girls to hit back against assaultive people of both sexes and the responsibility to stand behind them when they do,” he wrote.

“No better medicine for a real life, physical bully than a bloody nose. That is not satire or hyperbole,” he added (while claiming that the month itself is “satire”).

Meanwhile Ukip MEP candidate Mr Benjamin once tweeted to Labour MP Jess Philips “I wouldn’t even rape you” using the hashtag “#feminismiscancer,” and has been banned from Twitter and funding website Patreon for inciting hate speech.

But Mr Davies said he is “appearing alongside myself”.

When asked about the decision to speak, the MP told i: “Blimey, I don’t accept the premise in order to speak at a conference you have to agree with the views of everyone else at the conference. I’ve never heard of this other bloke to be honest.”

“I speak in the House of Commons all the time at the same events as Jeremy Corbyn but it doesn’t make me an anti-Semitic Marxist.

The MP also likened the panel attendance to sharing a platform with Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell.

Mr McDonnell was criticised for tweeting comments that former Work and Pensions Secretary and partner of Mr Davies, Esther McVey, should be “lynched” in 2015.

Referring to a campaign in Liverpool to have Ms McVey sacked, he said: “I spoke at a packed public meeting and there was a whole group in the audience that kicked off, quite critical of the whole concept, because they were arguing ‘why are we sacking her, why aren’t we lynching the b*****d’?”

“Would you share a platform with John McDonnell, and he’s never apologised for his comments about lynching a Tory MP? Does that mean you endorse his views?” he asked i.

“There doesn’t seem to be many places that actually provide a platform to discuss those issues. i doesn’t. If i asked me to speak at an event with those issues, it doesn’t mean I only support those issues.

“And it doesn’t mean I agree with everyone else speaking at the event either,” he added.

‘I’m not about men’s rights issues’

Mr Davies has been criticised for blocking bills that support and protect women.

In 2017, Conservative MP Philip Davies was branded a “pantomime villain” in 2016 for attempting to block a “life-saving” women’s rights bill in Parliament.

The Private Members Bill proposed legislated for the UK Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention, a pan-European treaty hailed by the UN as the “gold standard” for combating violence against women.

But Mr Davies temporarily blocked the bill, and spoke for 78 minutes to complain that the bill was “sexist” because it focused on the rights of women and girls.

The politician said he intends to speak at the conference about male suicides, boys’ performance in school, and the treatment of fathers in family break-ups.

He said: “I’m not about men’s rights issues. There are women’s rights issues as well. I tried to change the law on the inheriting titles in the House of Lords and how sharia councils affect women. I’m pro women’s rights too.”