UK: PM Rishi Sunak creates row with transgender jibe during visit of murdered girl’s mother

During a legislative exchange on Wednesday that the mother of a slain transgender girl had been asked to watch, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made light of the opposition Labour Party leader’s inability to explain what a woman was.

Following Brianna Ghey’s 28 stabbings with a hunting knife last week, two youths were sentenced to life in prison. Ghey’s mother was invited by a Labour politician to attend Sunak’s monthly question-and-answer session in parliament.

During a conversation with Labour leader Keir Starmer, who had earlier claimed that Ghey’s mother was present, Sunak listed Starmer’s unfulfilled promises, saying that “defining a woman” was “only 99% of a U-turn”.

In reply, Starmer said: “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.”

“A man is a man, and a woman is a woman,” declared Sunak, who also criticized Starmer for appearing to “still not know what a woman is.” The jab on Wednesday seems to be directed at Starmer’s statement from last April, when he was asked about his opinions on transgender issues, stating that 99.9% of women “of course haven’t got a penis.”

According to Sunak’s press secretary, it was “totally legitimate” for the prime minister to mention Labour’s U-turns. She stated that she did not believe the comment to be transphobic.

A Labour spokeswoman told reporters: “We think the comments from him are deeply offensive to trans people and he should reflect on his response … and apologise.” Ghey’s mother was due to meet Starmer after the session.

Sunak did not address Starmer’s comment and did not respond to calls from other lawmakers to apologise.

At the end of the session, he did pay tribute to Ghey’s mother, saying: “What happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy.”

“In the face of that, for her mother to demonstrate the compassion and empathy that she did last weekend, I thought demonstrated the very best of humanity in the face of seeing the very worst of humanity, and she deserves all our admiration and praise for that.”

(With agency inputs)