The Prime Minister was urged to apologise
Rishi Sunak has been labelled “shameful” and an “utter disgrace” for a trans jibe he used in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Prime Minister caused outrage early on in the chamber after he accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of not being able to “define a woman.”
This was on the day that Esther Ghey – the mother of murdered trans teen Brianna Ghey – had been invited to watch PMQs on Wednesday from the public gallery, just days after
Brianna was murdered by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a horrific attack in February 2023, with her killers having been sentenced to life on Friday.
In response, Starmer condemned Sunak’s comments, saying: “Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber, shame.
“Parading as a man of integrity, when he’s got absolutely no responsibility. Absolutely shameful.”
The PM’s comments prompted fury from other MPs, with many calling for him to apologise.
In the chamber, Labour’s Liz Twist urged Sunak to apologise for his “insensitive comments.”
Green MP Caroline Lucas posted on X: “Even with Brianna Ghey’s mother in the public gallery, the PM can’t resist blowing the culture war dogwhistle. Is there no depth to which he will not sink?”
Labour’s Justin Madders said Sunak had demonstrated an “appalling lack of judgement,” whilst Kate Osborne MP said he should be “ashamed.”
And Nadia Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, said his comments were “absolutely sickening,” and accused Sunak of only seeing trans people as “an opportunity for cheap point-scoring.”
At the end of PMQs, the Prime Minister did take the opportunity to speak directly to Brianna’s mother, and said her response to her daughter’s murder was “the best of humanity in the face of the worst of humanity.”
He still did not apologise for saying Starmer “cannot define a woman” though.
According to the BBC, Esther Ghey actually missed the early exchange, arriving in the gallery “15 minutes into PMQs.”
