Stockton MP rejects Cleverly’s claim that insult referred to him, not his town

James Cleverly’s disputed comment followed the Labour MP for Stockton North asking the prime minister a question about child poverty. Photograph: DW Images/Shutterstock

James Cleverly is coming under pressure over abusive comments he made in the Commons after his explanation that he was insulting the local MP, not calling a Labour-held constituency a “shit-hole”, was met with scepticism.

After Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor for Tees Valley, condemned what he called Cleverly’s “childish and unprofessional language”, the Labour MP concerned, Alex Cunningham, said he simply did not believe the home secretary.