Tory MP Heather Wheeler – who is no stranger to a vocal fake pope – reportedly made the remark in London on Thursday, trying to remember where she had recently visited. According to tech journalist Chris Middleton, the junior minister said: “I was just attending a conference in Blackpool or Birmingham or somewhere spontaneously.” Ms Wheeler has now apologized for the “inappropriate remark” which says it “does not reflect my real view”. The comment provoked somewhat unexpected outrage in the South Derbyshire MP, with Labor deputy leader Angela Reiner saying: “Disrespect is out of scale.” “The mask has slipped,” he added. “This minister has clarified what Boris Johnson Conservatives really believe about our communities behind closed doors. “Heather Wheeler has shown her utter contempt for the electorate.” The Wheeler’s South Derbyshire constituency in South Derbyshire is less than 40 miles from Birmingham. In a tweet on Saturday morning, he said: “While speaking at a conference on Thursday, I made an inappropriate remark that did not reflect my true views. “I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
