Brianna Ghey’s mother breaks silence over Rishi Sunak trans row - latest
Sunak branded ‘an absolute disgrace’ after making jibe at ill-tempered session of Prime Minister’s Questions
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Brianna Ghey’s mother has said she wants to create a lasting legacy for her daughter by creating a more “understanding, peaceful, and stronger society” in her first comments since Rishi Sunak’s trans jibe at Prime Minister’s Questions.
In a message posted on her Peace and Mind Facebook page, Esther Ghey said: “I don’t wish to comment on reports of wording or comments recently made. My focus is on creating a positive change and a lasting legacy for Brianna.
“Through Peace & Mind, we want to improve lives by empowering people, giving them the tools they need to build mental resilience, empathy, and self-compassion through mindfulness.
“In developing these skills, I hope that we can create a more understanding, peaceful, and stronger society for everyone.”
Earlier, the prime minister refused to apologise to the parents of a murdered teenager after making a transgender joke in the commons.
He insisted his comments on Wednesday, made while Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther was visiting parliament, were “absolutely legitimate” because he was pointing out Sir Keir Starmer’s U-turns.
ICYMI: Starmer ‘weaponising’ trans issues - Badenonch
Business secretary Kemi Badenoch has accussed Keir Starmer of “weaponising” trans issues and linking “his own inability to be clear on the matter of sex and gender directly” to Brianna’s mother’s grief, Kate Devlin reports.
Ms Badenoch has inflamed the row over Rishi Sunak’s crass trans joke by blaming Keir Starmer, accusing him of “political point-scoring”.
In a post on Twitter, formerly known as X, she wrote: “Every murder is a tragedy. None should be trivialised by political point-scoring. As a mother, I can imagine the trauma that Esther Ghey has endured.
“It was shameful of Starmer to link his own inability to be clear on the matter of sex and gender directly to her grief.”
She added: “As Minister for Women and Equalities I’ve done all I can to ensure we have take the heat out of the debate on LGBT issues while being clear about our beliefs and principles.
“Keir Starmer’s behaviour today shows Labour are happy to weaponise this issue when it suits them.”
Recap: Uproar over Sunak’s crass trans jibe as Brianna Ghey’s mother visits Commons
Rishi Sunak provoked outrage by joking about the “definition of a woman” in the Commons as the mother of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey visited parliament.
The prime minister clashed with Keir Starmer over the continuing trans debate at PMQs as Esther Ghey was due to appear in the public gallery just four days after her 16-year-old daughter’s killers were jailed for life.
Full report:
Uproar over Rishi Sunak’s crass trans jibe as Brianna Ghey’s mother visits Commons
Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, said the PM’s remarks were ‘degrading’ and ‘absolutely dehumanising’
ICYMI: Stonewall slams Sunak over trans comments
LGBT+ charity Stonewall called Mr Sunak’s words “cheap, callous and crass”.
A spokesperson said: “We call on the prime minister to apologise unreservedly for his comments, and for him to reflect on how careless words from those in power can and do result in harm.”
ICYMI: Not the first time Sunak has attacked Labour on trans issues
This is not the first time the prime minister has attacked Labour over the issue of gender identity policies, which have been a frequent subject of debate in Westminster in recent years.
LGBT+ campaigners have condemned some of the language used by politicians to discuss trans people, with the issue often drawn into the so-called “culture war” by right-wingers.
In his Tory conference speech last year, Mr Sunak told Conservative delegates in Manchester: “We shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be.
“They can’t – a man is a man and a woman is a woman.”
Minister rows in behind Sunak over trans jibe
Government minister Laura Trott denied Sunak’s remarks were a “joke” and insisted they had “absolutely nothing to do with this appalling tragedy”.
The chief secretary to the Treasury told LBC: “I want to be really, really clear that this wasn’t a joke…it has absolutely nothing to do with this appalling tragedy.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt insisted that the PM “could not have been clearer about the enormous respect he has for Brianna Ghey’s mother” and that his point had been about Labour “flip-flopping on important issues”.
Brianna’s father demands apology
The father of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has demanded an apology from Rishi Sunak after he made a “dehumanising” transgender joke in the Commons while the victim’s mother visited parliament.
Peter Spooner said he was “shocked” by the jibe made during Prime Minister’s Questions, in which the PM accused Sir Keir Starmer of having difficulty in “defining a woman”.
The remarks have prompted an immediate backlash but Mr Sunak has so far refused to apologise, with Downing Street later insisting the comments were “totally legitimate” and not transphobic.
Mr Spooner told Sky News: “As the prime minister for our country to come out with degrading comments like he did, regardless of them being in relation to discussions in parliament, they are absolutely dehumanising.
“Identities of people should not be used in that manner and I personally feel shocked by his comments and feel he should apologise for his remarks.”
Crass, tactless – could Rishi Sunak’s trans blunder lose him the election?
The prime minister’s mockery of Keir Starmer on trans rights – when the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey was in the Commons gallery – exposed his lack of a sixth political sense, writes John Rentoul.
Read John’s piece in full here:
Crass, tactless – could Sunak’s trans blunder lose him the election? | John Rentoul
The prime minister’s mockery of Keir Starmer on trans rights – when the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey was in the Commons gallery – exposed his lack of a sixth political sense, writes John Rentoul
Recap: Rishi Sunak makes trans jibe in front of Brianna Ghey’s mother
Rishi Sunak provoked outrage by joking about the “definition of a woman” in the Commons as the mother of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey visited parliament.
The prime minister clashed with Keir Starmer over the continuing trans debate at PMQs as Esther Ghey was due to appear in the public gallery and just four days after her 16-year-old daughter’s killers were jailed for life.
Full report:
Rishi Sunak makes trans jibe in front of Brianna Ghey’s mother
Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, said the PM’s remarks were “degrading” and “absolutely dehumanising”
Sunak faces more calls to apologise
The prime minister faced further calls to apologise for his joke in the Commons, which was described as transphobic by an SNP MP.
Raising a point of order, Hannah Bardell (Livingston) said: “Thank you very much madame deputy speaker… for granting me the opportunity to raise concerns and say how horrified I was during Prime Minister’s Questions to hear the prime minister on his feet during LGBT history month, and on a day when Brianna Ghey’s mother was in parliament, to make a transphobic joke across the chamber.
“We come to this place as elected representatives to improve the condition of others, do we not? And at a time when the trans community are facing unprecedented attacks from people in this place, from people in the other place, and from the media, it is incumbent upon as all to reflect on our language, on how we approach these issues and how we talk about the trans and non-binary community.
“I think and I hope she will guide me in how we can make sure the prime minister apologises.”
‘Disappointing’ to hear ‘jokes’ at expense of trans community - Tory MP
Tory MP Dehenna Davison has said it is “disappointing” to “hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense”.
In what would appear to be an implicit criticism of Rishi Sunak over his remarks in the Commons earlier, the Bishop Auckland MP said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Wasn’t in parliament today thanks to a migraine attack so have just caught up on PMQs.
“The debate around trans issues often gets inflamed at the fringes. As politicians, it’s our job to take the heat out of such debates and focus on finding sensible ways forward, whilst ensuring those involved are treated with respect.
“Given some of the terrible incidences of transphobia we have seen lately, this need for respect feels more crucial than ever.
“That’s why it was disappointing to hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense. Our words in the house resonate right across our society, and we all need to remember that.”
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