Alan Jones to Ardern: ‘I did not intend to suggest any violence towards you’

Breakfast radio star Alan Jones has written to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to unconditionally apologise for saying she should have a sock shoved down her throat.

Breakfast radio star Alan Jones has written to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to unconditionally apologise for saying she should have a sock shoved down her throat.

“Prime Minister, I would like to assure you that I did not intend to suggest any violence towards you,” he wrote in an email sent to the Kiwi PM this afternoon.

Jones had fired up on his 2GB breakfast show to say Ms Ardern was “preaching on global warming” at a Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu.

Radio announcer Alan Jones

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

“She is a joke, this woman, an absolute and utter lightweight … I just wonder whether Scott Morrison is going to be fully briefed to shove a sock down her throat,” he said.

The comment sparked a social media storm with Jones forced to explain that there had been a “wilful misunderstanding” of his comments.

“Of course what I meant to say was that Scott Morrison should tell Ms Ardern to "put a sock in it,” he said yesterday.

Today he went further in personally apologising to Ms Ardern.

“I clarified this online yesterday afternoon, and again this morning on my radio program, stating that while I may disagree with your stance on climate change, I would never wish any harm to you,” he wrote.
“Please accept my sincere apology for the words spoken, and I hope that my intentions are, at least now, clear.”

The comments attracted ferocious comment with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Tweeting: “Jones should also apologise to @jacindaardern for his latest misogynistic rant.”

Jones went on 2GB on Friday afternoon to also apologise for any offence the comments had caused.

“What I have said has given offence and I have written to the Prime Minister to apologise,” Jones said. “My comments were careless... I was wrong”

“If anything I say gives offence I am always happy to apologise.

“We don’t want that kind of offence to be given in 2019. It’s unacceptable and I accept it is unacceptable.

“When that happens you have just got to man up and apologise for it.”