The “some bad apples” defence deployed by Kwasi Kwarteng in response to concerns about sexism and harassment in Westminster is a tried and tested retort to accusations of an institutional problem – but one that history tells us does not always end well.
In some ways it is the most obvious response, one that seeks both to defend the institution under attack and reassure people the problem is not systemic. However, as the business secretary quickly discovered this weekend, it also runs the risk of being perceived as tone deaf and rooted in denial.
