A Wirral MP has condemned a bill put forward which would have forced schools to out trans pupils and outlawed social transition.
Mick Whitley, the Birkenhead MP for Labour, has criticised the bill proposed by the Reclaim Party's Andrew Bridgen last week.
Mr Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire who was previously a Conservative before being expelled by the party in April, attempted to use a 10-minute rule motion to introduce a bill on gender and parental rights in schools to the house. The bill suggested that teachers out pupils to their parents and alter the sex-education curriculum.
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A group of MPs forced a vote to block the introduction of the proposed bill, with Mr Whitley insisting the bill highlighted a much wider issue.
He told the ECHO: “I firmly believe Bridgen’s Bill had absolutely nothing to do with ‘protecting’ children as claimed. It had everything to do with the longstanding commitment to waging a culture war against oppressed minorities.
“Trans people’s lives are blighted by transphobia, prejudice and persecution – and trans people are increasingly being targeted by right-wing populists intent on whipping up irrational hysteria.
“This bill was a parliamentary version of the thuggish demonstrations we have seen against drag performances in schools. It was scapegoating an entire community under the cover of a dishonest ‘save the children crusade’.
“I stand four-square behind the principle that trans rights are human rights and the bigotry embodied in the bill is a stain on our society.”
Mr Brigden said his proposed bill would “prohibit the promotion of social transition practices in schools”, require schools to inform parents “if their child has indicated an intention to pursue or has commenced social transition” and give parents the right to information about sex education lessons in schools, among other things.
In his speech, Mr Bridgen also claimed social transition was a “conscious act of self-rejection of our biological reality”, adding that he was “sickened” that those “tasked with bringing up children have turned raising the next generation into a science experiment”.
This is not the first time outing trans pupils has been suggested - in April it was reported the Department for Education guidance had suggested bringing in the move.
