Rishi Sunak was facing a mounting backlash over his controversial trans joke on Thursday, with senior minister Penny Mordaunt taking aim at the prime minister.
His joke on Wednesday about trans people, made while murdered transgender teen Brianna Ghey’s mother was visiting parliament, has been condemned across the political spectrum.
And, as a defiant Mr Sunak refused to apologise to Brianna’s family over the comments, Ms Mordaunt took aim at the PM.
The leader of the House of Commons, tipped as a potential successor to Mr Sunak as Tory leader, called on the prime minister to “reflect” on his trans jibe.
Penny Mordaunt took aim at the PM over his controversial trans joke
(PA Wire)
Her provocative intervention came despite a bid by other ministers to rally around Mr Sunak amid demands for him to apologise.
On another day of fallout over Mr Sunak’s “how to define a woman” joke:
- The prime minister invited Brianna’s mother Esther Ghey to Downing Street to discuss online safety
- He again refused to apologise for the joke, saying it was “sad and wrong” that the Labour leader had linked his comments to Brianna
- A minister appeared to suggest Brianna’s father should “actually listen” to what the PM had said
- Ms Ghey broke her silence over Mr Sunak’s comments, stressing that her “focus is on creating a positive change and a lasting legacy for Brianna”
The row erupted on Wednesday when Mr Sunak used PMQs to accuse Sir Keir of being incapable of “defining a woman” and said it was one of a number of issues on which he had changed his mind.
An angry Labour leader immediately admonished the Tory leader. He said: “Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame.”
Tory former minister Dehenna Davison said it was “disappointing to hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense”.
While Labour’s Jess Phillips called the prime minister “an absolute disgrace”.
Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, demanded an apology, saying he was “disgusted” with Mr Sunak, before branding the comments “degrading” and “absolutely dehumanising”.
But Mr Sunak doubled down on Thursday, telling reporters: “If you look at what I said, I was very clear, talking about Keir Starmer’s proven track record of u-turns on major policies because he doesn’t have a plan.”
Extraordinarily, Mr Sunak said Sir Keir’s plan to drop a flagship commitment to spend £28bn on green energy “demonstrated the point” he was making.
Also rushing to defend the PM, policing minister Chris Philp said he had “no reference at all to any individual trans people”.
Mr Philp accused Sir Keir of making the link to Brianna and said “anyone who is interested in this issue should actually listen to the clip, listen to the initial exchange”.
Business secretary Kemi Badenoch, who also oversees the government’s equality policy, went further, accusing the Labour leader of “trivialising” Brianna’s murder “by political point-scoring”.
And she backed the PM’s comments, saying: “It was shameful of Starmer to link his own inability to be clear on the matter of sex and gender directly to her grief.”
Ms Mordaunt told the House of Commons on Thursday: “Whatever the rough and tumble of this place (the Commons) whatever the pressures and the stakes that are made in the heat of political combat, we owe it to the people who sent us here to strive every day to make them proud of us and this place.
“The Prime Minister is a good and caring man. I’m sure that he has reflected on things… that is not just about Mr and Mrs Ghey that he should reflect on, but I’m sure he is also reflecting about people who are trans or who have trans loved ones and family, some of whom sit on these green benches.”
Responding to the row on her Peace & Mind UK Facebook page, Ms Ghey said her focus was solely on “creating a positive change and a lasting legacy for Brianna”.
“Through Peace & Mind, we want to improve lives by empowering people, giving them the tools they need to build mental resilience, empathy, and self-compassion through mindfulness,” she added.
Ms Ghey said: “In developing these skills, I hope that we can create a more understanding, peaceful, and stronger society for everyone.”
It is not known whether she plans to accept Mr Sunak’s invitation to meet in Downing Street.
Brianna was stabbed to death by teenagers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe in a Cheshire park last February.
During their sentencing earlier this month, the judge said the “exceptionally brutal” murder had elements of both sadism on the part of Jenkinson and transphobic hate on the part of Ratcliffe.
