0 British PM Cameron in hot water over dwarf joke

Speaker John Bercow

LONDON (AP) -- British Prime Minister David Cameron was under fire Thursday after repeating a joke likening the speaker of Parliament to one of Snow White's Seven Dwarfs.

Britain's Press Association news agency said Cameron told journalists at a press lunch about the time Health Minister Simon Burns backed into Speaker John Bercow's car. When Bercow said he was not happy, Cameron said Burns retorted: "So which one are you?"

Bercow stands about 5 foot 6 (1.68 meters).

Happy from Snow White

The Walking with Giants Foundation charity, which helps people with restricted growth, said Cameron's gibe was "downright appalling." Its co-founder, John Connerty, said it was "totally unacceptable" to have "the most influential person in the country making distasteful references about a person's lack of height."

Cameron's office said his "lighthearted comments" were not meant to offend.

The speaker's wife, Sally Bercow, hit back on Twitter, writing: "If Mr. B.'s a dwarf then I'm Snow White. And David Cameron is definitely Dopey."