Doncaster MP compared to Alan Partridge after 'female Doctor Who makes men commit crime' speech

A Doncaster Conservative MP has been compared to hapless TV host Alan Partridge after a speech in which he said that young men were committing crime because of too many female role models.
Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher has been compared to Alan Partridge.Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher has been compared to Alan Partridge.
Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher has been compared to Alan Partridge.

In a debate on International Men’s Day, he said: "In recent years we have seen Doctor Who, Ghostbusters, Luke Skywalker, the Equalizer all replaced by women, and men are left with the Krays and Tommy Shelby (from crime drama Peaky Blinders).”

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"Is there any wonder we are seeing so many young men committing crime?”

And his comments have led him to be compared to cringeworthy comedy creation Alan Partridge, with TV comedian and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar nominating the Don Valley as ‘Accidental Partridge’ – a Twitter account which collates video clips of people behaving like Steve Coogan’s comedy character.

The Goodness Gracious Me and Kumars star tweeted: “The thorough research leading to the conclusive rhetorical on display here is staggering. Tory spokespersons and popular culture seems an ill fit atm. Is this an Accidental Partridge?”

The clip later made it into the Accidental Partridge hall of fame, being shared to the account’s 396,000 followers.

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After his comments went viral, Mr Fletcher, who became an MP in 2019, later released a statement saying his "nuanced point" had been "misconstrued".

"My point was, in fact, a straightforward one and in no way linked Dr Who being a female to crime being committed by men," he said.

"As has been alleged rather lazily by several individuals, I did not link a Dr Who being female to crime being committed by men.

"In fact, I was making a statement that boys and young men also need positive role models within the media, just as women do.

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"Boys need positive male role models, and that is a point that I will continue to reiterate and never apologise for making."

It is the second time the Don Valley MP has been at the centre of an embarrassing gaffe in a matter of weeks after he was accused of faking constituency visits after reuising the same selfie photo three times.