Rishi Sunak has been criticised for aiming a political jibe about transgender people at Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – while murder victim Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther attended PMQs.
In Prime Minister’s Questions, his weekly showdown with MPs and the leader of the opposition, Mr Sunak said the Labour leader had broken promises on “defining a woman”.
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Mr Sunak said: “We are bringing the waiting lists down for the longest waiters and making progress, but it is a bit rich to hear about promises from someone who has broken every single promise he was elected on.
“I think I have counted almost 30 in the last year. Pensions, planning, peerages, public sector pay, tuition fees, childcare, second referendums, defining a woman – although in fairness that was only 99% of a U-turn.”
Sir Keir has previously said that 99.9% of women “haven’t got a penis”.
Responding to the prime minister, Sir Keir said: “Of all the weeks to say that – when Brianna [Ghey]’s mother is in this chamber.
“Shame.”
Sir Keir added: “Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.
“I think the role of the prime minister is to ensure that every single citizen in this country feels safe and respected, it’s a shame that the prime minister doesn’t share that.”
Mr Sunak’s press secretary later denied the remark was transphobic.
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Sir Keir had already mentioned that Ms Ghey was attending PMQs in the Commons – although it is unclear if she was present in the chamber at the time the jibe was made.
The Labour leader started the session by saying: “This week the unwavering bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother Esther has touched us all. As a father, I can’t even imagine the pain that she is going through and I am glad that she is with us in the gallery here today.”
During the sentencing of Brianna Ghey’s killers, the judge said she had taken into account the “sadistic” and “transphobic hostility” of her killers.
Mr Sunak was later asked to apologise by Labour MP Liz Twist – but did not do so.
Sir Keir later met Ms Ghey later at her request.
And then Kemi Badenoch – who is equalities minister as well as trade secretary – then labelled Sir Keir “shameful” for his response, posting on X: “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.
“As minister for women and rqualities 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.”
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It is not the first time the prime minister has sought to make a similar political point.
He ended the session in the Commons by reiterating his sympathy for Esther Ghey.
Mr Sunak said: “I could just say also to Brianna Ghey’s mum, who is here, as I’ve said earlier this week, what happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy, Mr Speaker, and as I said earlier this week in the face of that, for her mother to demonstrate the compassion and empathy that she did, 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.”
Numerous opposition politicians have criticised the prime minister for his words.
Liberal Democrat Wendy Chamberlain said: “The jibe was horrendous, and the failure to recognise it and apologise by the PM speaks volumes.”
Backlash to attack line shows we’re getting closer to election
What you were seeing is some of the sharper, uglier elements of Prime Minister’s Questions that you get as we tiptoe closer to a general election.
Rishi Sunak was really quite focused on his attack lines against Keir Starmer.
I think in the face of real-life cases it can sound quite glib, and I think that there will be questions over the tone that he adopted, and the way he wants to – bluntly – weaponise culture war issues for his own political ends.
And you had perhaps quite a stark example of how that then comes up against the reality of the kinds of people that he’s talking about.
Labour’s Ben Bradshaw said: “Disgusting man, Rishi Sunak, making transphobic slurs at PMQs with Brianna Ghey’s mother in the gallery and dodging the chance to apologise.
“Brilliant and genuinely furious response from Keir Starmer.”
A spokesperson for the charity Stonewall said: “For the prime minister to use trans people as a punchline, in front of the grieving mother of a murdered trans child, was cheap, callous and crass.
“The disrespect and dehumanisation of trans people that we see played out daily in the media and in our political discourse has real life consequences and it has to stop.
“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.”
