Brianna Ghey’s father calls for apology from PM after transgender jibe in Commons

Feb 07, 2024 at 7:33 PM

The father of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey has demanded an apology from Rishi Sunak, saying he was “shocked” by the prime minister’s feedback within the Commons at the moment.

Speaking to Sky News, Peter Spooner mentioned Mr Sunak’s remarks throughout PMQs, which the schoolgirl’s mom Esther Ghey attended, had been “degrading” and “absolutely dehumanising”.

He mentioned: “As the prime minister for our country to come out with degrading comments like he did, regardless of them being in relation to discussions in parliament, they are absolutely dehumanising.

“Identities of individuals shouldn’t be utilized in that method, and I personally really feel shocked by his feedback and really feel he ought to apologise for his remarks.”

Politics Live: Starmer meets Brianna Ghey’s mother

Mr Sunak has been criticised for aiming a political jibe about transgender folks at Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer, however the PM has refused to apologise.

During his weekly showdown with MPs and the chief of the opposition, the prime minister mentioned Sir Keir had damaged guarantees on “defining a woman”.

Mr Sunak mentioned: “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 believe I’ve counted virtually 30 within the final yr. Pensions, planning, peerages, public sector pay, tuition charges, childcare, second referendums, defining a girl – though in equity that was solely 99% of a U-turn.”

Sir Keir has previously said that 99.9% of girls “haven’t got a penis”.

The Labour chief, who met Brianna‘s mom on Wednesday, condemned the comment, with a refrain of opposition backbenchers calling out: “Shame.”

“Of all the weeks to say that – when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber,” Sir Keir mentioned.

“Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.

“I believe the position of the prime minister is to make sure that each single citizen on this nation feels protected and revered, it is a disgrace that the prime minister would not share that.”

Mr Sunak additionally confronted calls to apologise from Labour MP Liz Twist in the course of the session however didn’t straight reply to her name.

Tory MPs criticise Sunak’s remarks

He has even confronted criticism from inside his personal ranks, with former junior minister Dehenna Davison saying it was “disappointing to hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense” and warning in a publish on X that “our words in the House resonate right across our society”.

Speaking on Times Radio, former Tory enterprise minister Jackie Doyle-Price mentioned it was “careless” and “very ill-judged” for Mr Sunak to make use of the joke “in that context”, but additionally accused critics of getting “weaponised” it.

Mr Sunak’s press secretary later denied the comment was transphobic and declined repeatedly to apologize for Mr Sunak’s language, saying it was a part of a “legitimate” criticism of Labour.

She mentioned: “If you look back on what the prime minister was saying, there was a long list of U-turns that the leader of the opposition had been making.

“I do not assume these U-turns are a joke, it’s fairly critical modifications in public coverage. I believe it’s completely respectable for the prime minister to level these out.”

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Brianna, 16, was murdered by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe who had been each 15 when the woman was stabbed to loss of life in a Cheshire park final February.

Last week, Jenkinson was jailed for at least 22 years and Ratcliffe for a minimum of 20 years. The pair, who’re each 16, shall be transferred to grownup prisons once they flip 18.

During the sentencing once they had been named for the primary time, the decide mentioned she had taken into consideration the “sadistic” and “transphobic hostility” of her killers.

Mr Sunak concluded PMQs by addressing Brianna’s mom, who has been campaigning to ban youngsters from gaining access to social media apps on their telephones.

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He mentioned: “If I could just say also to Brianna Ghey’s mother who is here, as I said earlier this week, what happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy.

“As I mentioned earlier this week, within the face of that, for her mom to exhibit the compassion and empathy that she did final weekend, I assumed demonstrated the perfect of humanity within the face of seeing the very worst of humanity.

“She deserves all our admiration and praise for that.”