Browne ‘surprised’ by sexism and bullying claims

TV3 PRESENTER Vincent Browne has said he is “surprised” at comments attributed to Labour’s Joan Burton labelling him a sexist bully.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner yesterday, Mr Browne said he was simply “surprised” both at the Labour finance spokesperson’s remarks, and at the level of coverage her appearance on his show Tonight with Vincent Browne had received.

For her part, Ms Burton said she respected Mr Browne as a journalist but criticised his interview style when she appeared on the show.

“All I want to say is that I’m me and Vincent Browne is Vincent Browne. I respect Vincent both as a broadcaster and a journalist. However, when he is asking the hard questions, I think he should give people the time and space to answer them,” she said.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore also firmly backed his finance spokeswoman after comments made in the Irish Mail on Sunday that Mr Browne was sexist and a bully.

“To be honest, I think with that programme, there’s confrontation and style, a macho style of interviewing that characterises that programme.

“I’m not sure I think that’s what we need right now. What we need right now is reasoned discussion, reasoned debate about the issues in the election, what the policies are the different parties are putting forward.

“I think the less we have of machismo in the debate in an interview, perhaps the better,” the Labour Party leader said.

Asked specifically again if he agreed with her comments about the controversial presenter, Mr Gilmore said that he backed the judgment of his finance spokesperson.

“Joan Burton’s judgment has been spot on over a period of time in relation to banks, in relation to public finances, she was the finance spokesperson that identified a lot of the tax scams [and] the tax avoidance measures.

“Joan Burton has got it right repeatedly and I value her judgment.”

In the article published yesterday, Ms Burton described Mr Browne’s attitude, during her appearance on the show, as “moody,” “bullying”, and “hectoring” towards her.

“The tone of the interviewing was very derogatory,” she said.

“The whole attitude was derogatory towards me and I felt that he would not have spoken to a man in that fashion,” she added.

Asked if Mr Browne’s tone was sexist, the Labour finance spokesperson said she thought it was.

“I think so, I think it was really verging on it.

“Vincent and the other guest Joe Higgins were sneering and the whole tone was extremely derogatory.

“At one point Joe Higgins said: ‘Oh, she’s off again’. And Vincent enjoyed that,” Ms Burton said.

“He was verging on sexism towards a woman who has contributed hugely to the national debate and it was unfair.

“His job is to ask the tough questions and get answers but I also feel his attitude to particular guests is often based on his mood on a particular night.

“He is very moody,” she said.

Ms Burton’s appearance on the show sparked a maelstrom of comment on Twitter, with over 1,200 comments posted on the site in the 24 hours following the broadcast.