Rishi Sunak faces calls to apologise over trans jibe to Starmer at PMQs

Rishi Sunak is being urged to apologize after he made a quip about Labour's stance on trans issues during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), in a session attended by the mother of Brianna Ghey, a trans teenager who was murdered.

Sunak mocked Keir Starmer's inconsistency on the definition of a woman, which Number 10 defended as a valid critique of the Labour leader's position. However, Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, found the comment degrading and demanded an apology, stating that identities should not be used flippantly.

During PMQs, Sunak targeted Starmer with a list of Labour flip-flops, including the definition of a woman, to which Starmer responded by calling it "shameful" especially with Brianna's mother present. Esther Ghey, Brianna's mother, entered the chamber shortly after this exchange but was not there during the actual remarks.

Labour MP Liz Twist later asked Sunak to apologize to Brianna's mother, which he did not directly address. He instead praised Mrs. Ghey for her compassion during the murder case. Sunak referred to the killing as an unthinkable tragedy.

Keir Starmer's team criticized Sunak for using minorities for political gains and called for an apology to trans individuals. Meanwhile, Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch argued it was wrong for Starmer to tie his vague stance on sex and gender with Ms. Ghey's suffering.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt backed Sunak, emphasizing his respect for Ms. Ghey. He suggested that Labour and Starmer are indecisive on major issues.

Some Conservative MPs, including Dehenna Davison and Jamie Wallis, showed disappointment with Sunak's comments, highlighting the need for sensitivity and respect in debates involving the trans community. Elliot Colburn also expressed dissatisfaction and called for politicians to avoid politicizing trans issues.

Ms. Ghey was in Parliament to participate in a debate on mindfulness, also meeting with Starmer after the PMQs session. She entered 15 minutes late, missing the initial comments. Brianna's murder was committed by peers at a park and was driven by anti-trans sentiment.