PMQs today saw an unexpected turn of events when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a controversial comment about transgender people, drawing criticism and demands for an apology from the father of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey who was present in the public gallery.
The exchange took place just days after Brianna Ghey’s killers were sentenced to life in prison. As the tension rose in Parliament, Sir Keir Starmer brought attention to the presence of Brianna Ghey’s mother in the public gallery and expressed empathy for the pain she was enduring. Soon after, an unexpected exchange ensued between the Prime Minister and Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir, unaware of what was about to transpire, mounted an attack on Rishi Sunak’s unfulfilled pledges. The PM, in response, belittled Sir Keir’s criticisms by listing Labour’s broken promises, one of them being ‘defining a woman – although in fairness that was only 99 per cent of a U-turn.’ This remark was made as Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered teenager, was present. This led to widespread condemnation and demands for an apology from Prime Minister Sunak.
Following the exchanges, Brianna Ghey’s father, Peter Spooner, expressed strong disapproval of Sunak’s comments, labeling them as ‘degrading’ and ‘absolutely dehumanising.’ He called out the Prime Minister for using identities of people in such a manner, demanding an apology for the insensitive remarks. Spooner described the comments as ‘absolutely dehumanising’ and expressed shock at the Prime Minister’s words.
The insensitive joke made by Rishi Sunak at such a sensitive moment has been met with widespread outrage and condemnation. In a situation where empathy and sensitivity should have prevailed, the Prime Minister’s misplaced joke has sparked strong reactions, particularly from the family of Brianna Ghey. As demands for an apology echo through the halls of Parliament, the fallout from this regrettable incident is likely to continue to unfold in the coming days.
