Rishi Sunak has come under fire for mocking Sir Keir Starmer’s track record on trans rights while Brianna Ghey’s mother was a guest in parliament.
The prime minister’s latest blunder came not long after the Labour leader welcomed Esther Ghey, who was due to appear in the public gallery to observe PMQs, just days after her 16-year-old daughter’s killers were jailed for life.
In an ill-tempered exchange, Mr Sunak accused the leader of the opposition leader of u-turning on his definition of a woman.
He said it was “a bit rich” to hear about promises from someone who had broken every single promise he was elected on. Mr Sunak listed “pensions, planning, peerages”, among others, before adding that that the Labour leader had u-turned on “defining a woman, although, in fairness, that was only 99 per cent of a u-turn.”
Mr Starmer replied: “Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame.”
The Labour leader added that the PM was “parading as a man of integrity when he has got absolutely no responsibility”, while shouts of shame ran up from the backbenches.
He added: “I think the role of the prime minister is to make sure that every single citizen in this country feels safe and respected, and it’s a shame the prime minister doesn’t share that”.
Despite the Labour leader’s comments – and a request from Labour MP Liz Twist to apologise – the PM did not offer an apology for his comments.
At the end PMQs, Mr Sunak did address Esther Ghey’s presence. He said: “Also to Brianna Ghey’s mum, who is here, as I said earlier this week, what happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy.”
He added: “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.”
Though Ms Ghey may not have heard original remarks made by Mr Sunak, she would likely have heard Liz Twist asking for an apology and the prime minister’s subseqent backtracking.
Jess Phillips MP, shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, called the prime minister “an absolute disgrace”.
On social media site, X, she said: “Rishi Sunak is an absolute disgrace. Deplorable man with no heart, no sense, no clue. The sooner we are rid the better.”
She added: “How dare he be so gross in the face of the family of a murdered child. He is the lowest of the low.”
Rishi Sunak’s No.10 press secretary has not ruled out using the same line against trans people again.
The prime minister’s press secretary told reporters: “I can’t see into the future”, when asked if the Prime Minister would make a similar jibe.
They added that “it is legitimate” for Mr Sunak to “point out the number of u-turns the leader of the opposition has made,” and said they “don’t accept” the prime minister was using trans people as a punch line.
