Rishi Sunak accuses Keir Starmer of putting women and girls at risk with a U-turn on trans self-identification
Rishi Sunak yesterday accused Sir Keir Starmer of putting women and girls at risk with yet another U-turn over self-identification for trans people.
It came after the Labour leader used an event near Glasgow to say that he would not have blocked the SNP’s proposed gender recognition reforms.
Brought forward under former First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, they would have allowed people as young as 16 to self-declare their gender without the need for a medical diagnosis.
But the Prime Minister used powers to block the proposals becoming law in January over concerns about the impact on female-only safe spaces.
Prior to this, Sir Keir had supported the introduction of self-identification, but later U-turned to say he supported Downing Street’s intervention.
Rishi Sunak yesterday accused Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) of putting women and girls at risk with yet another U-turn over self-identification for trans people
In Rutherglen with his Scottish counterpart Anas Sarwar (pictured) ahead of a key by-election, Sir Keir attacked the government for blocking the SNP’s reforms
It has put him at odds with Scottish Labour, which has said it continues to back the ‘de-medicalisation’ of gender recognition north of the border.
But during an event in Rutherglen with his Scottish counterpart Anas Sarwar ahead of a key by-election, Sir Keir attacked the government for blocking the SNP’s reforms.
He accused UK ministers of misusing their powers under devolution, saying that they were ‘intended not to empower the Westminster government to block in a muscular way things that the Scottish parliament wanted to do. That wasn’t the intention… not to block provisions’.
It will be seen as an attempt to appease his Scottish colleagues ahead of the by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, triggered earlier this month after SNP MP Margaret Ferrier was suspended and lost the seat for breaking Covid lockdown rules.
But speaking to the Daily Mail last night, the Prime Minister said: ‘Sir Keir Starmer has just U-turned on his own U-turn. First he was for self-ID, then he tried to convince us he was against it. Now he’s for it, but only if you’re in Scotland. Women and girls need their rights protecting, no matter where they live in the UK.
‘It’s clear that Sir Keir Starmer lacks the strength to stick to any position for long – he just changes his mind to fit whatever he thinks works for him politically.’
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer talk on stage at Rutherglen Town Hall on Tuesday
Michael Shanks, Labour’s candidate for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, has admitted being at loggerheads with Sir Keir over the two-child benefit cap and gender self-ID.
Mr Shanks, the favourite to win, has pledged to vote against the cap if elected.
He has also said he backs the ‘de-medicalisation’ of the process for changing legal gender and the ‘general principles’ of the SNP’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
A date has not yet been set for the by-election.
