‘Gross offense’: Rishi Sunak criticized for trans behavior in Parliament

A Labor Party spokesman said Rishi Sunak should apologize. (document)

Opposition politicians on Wednesday demanded that Britain’s Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologize for mocking transgender people in parliament.

Labor seized on the comments as the mother of a murdered trans girl was visiting the House of Commons to meet lawmakers.

Rishi Sunak accused Labor leader Keir Starmer of struggling to “define women” during Prime Minister’s Questions as he attacked Labor for backsliding on policy.

“I think I counted close to 30 last year. Pensions, schemes, aristocracy, public sector wages, tuition fees, childcare, the second referendum, the definition of womanhood – although to be fair, that’s only a 99 per cent U-turn, ” He said.

The comments appeared to relate to an interview Starmer gave last year, in which he said “99.9 per cent of women don’t have penises”.

The Conservatives are trying to fan the flames of so-called culture war issues as it seeks to win back support from Labor ahead of a general election later this year.

Starmer, who was due to meet the mother of Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old trans girl who was stabbed to death by two teenagers in February last year, condemned Su nak.

“I’ve been saying this for weeks now when Brianna’s mother has been in this room. Shame on you,” he responded.

Esther Gay was not present in the public gallery during the exchange but later took her seat, the BBC reported.

Rishi Sunak rejected a call from Labor MPs to apologize and said Guy “brought out the best in humanity when he saw the worst in it”.

Rishi Sunak’s spokesman refused to apologize when pressed, saying the Prime Minister’s U-turn was “completely legitimate”.

A Labor Party spokesman said Rishi Sunak should apologize.

“These comments are deeply offensive to trans people. He should reflect on his reaction and apologize,” she told reporters.

The Conservatives, who have been in power since 2010, trail Labor by double digits in most opinion polls ahead of the national vote, but the date for the vote is unclear.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)