Mick Hartley

An interesting point from Janice Turner in the Times (£). Why is it just the women Labour contenders who've got themselves into such a mess over the trans issue?

Labour’s gender purity spiral reaches hurricane force, destroying everyone in its wake. Dawn Butler doesn’t believe a baby is born with a biological sex, Lisa Nandy thinks it’s progressive to put rapists in women’s jails, Rebecca Long Bailey “clarifies” her position on abolishing single-sex spaces, ie does a hasty reverse-ferret because she’s haemorrhaging votes.

This was supposed to be the moment Labour, after 120 years, was led by a woman. Yet every female candidate for leader or deputy has signed the crazy trans pledge, stating that anyone who upholds women’s sex-based rights is transphobic and should be expelled. Since men aren’t expected to abase themselves to the trans lobby, none of the male candidates, Keir Starmer, Richard Burgon or Ian Murray, has signed. So here’s the paradox: to support women’s rights — and stay in the party — feminists must vote for men.