Nick Clegg has been forced to defend his views on domestic violence after being criticised for a vague response when asked whether he would have intervened if he had witnessed Charles Saatchi’s assault on his wife Nigella Lawson.
The Liberal Democrat leader and deputy prime minister said he ‘completely condemn[s]‘ all forms of domestic violence’.
Art collector and advertising executive Saatchi was cautioned by police after photos emerged showing him with his hands around the celebrity cook’s throat and her crying.
The deputy prime minister was asked during his Call Clegg programme on LBC Radio, with Nick Ferrari, what he would have done and whether he would have intervened.
He replied: ‘What a difficult question. I find it so difficult to imagine…so you see a couple…I mean, I don’t know what happened. I’m like you, I don’t know what happened.
‘When you see a couple having an argument…most people, you know, just assume that the couple will resolve it themselves.’
He continued: ‘If of course something descends into outright violence then that’s something different.
‘I just don’t know, there was this one photograph, I don’t whether that was just a fleeting thing…or…I’m at a loss to be able to put myself in to that position without knowing exactly…’
Mr Clegg said he had not seen all the images of the assault but then appear hesitant about condemning what Saatchi had done.
He said: ‘It’s just I find trying to re-imagine how you might react to very specific events which still are not entirely clear – that’s the bit I find is very difficult’.
Later the End Violence Against Woman Coalition tweeted: ‘Reported response of Nick Clegg about whether he’d have intervened in Saatchi violence is terrible – need leadership from politicians.
‘Clegg missed an opportunity to promote a positive bystander approach to violence against women to call it out. Coalition Govt has pledged to prevent violence against women – its leaders need to champion it, not undermine it.’
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: ‘Nick Clegg revealed how little he understands violence against women this morning. Far too often violence against women is dismissed as fleeting or unimportant.
‘Too often public institutions don’t take it seriously enough. Domestic violence is still a hidden crime – and victims suffer or are ignored as a result.
‘Mr Saatchi has accepted a police caution for assault and the images from the restaurant are disturbing.
‘Ministers should show they are prepared to condemn this kind of violence against women and that they recognise the seriousness of domestic abuse.’
Sarah Wollaston, the Tory MP for Totnes, said: ‘So just don’t “call Clegg” if your partner likes to grab you by the throat to emphasise a point.’
Labour MP Diana Johnson said on Twitter: ‘Nick Clegg has said on radio that Nigella Lawson was the victim of “fleeting” domestic violence. The attacker accepted caution for assault.’
The criticism prompted Mr Clegg to later releasing a statement clarifying his comments.
‘I completely condemn all forms of domestic violence,’ he said.
‘As I said on the radio, my instinct would always be to try and protect the weaker person, to try and protect the person who otherwise would be hurt.’
He continued: ‘But I was asked a very specific question about how I would have reacted to a specific incident which I did not see.
‘I said I did not know how I would have reacted to that specific incident because I do not know what happened.
‘The point I was making is that I don’t know what other people in the restaurant saw and I don’t want to make a judgement on their reaction.’
