Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner’s speech was a bit of a damp squib at the rowdy PinkNews awards, held at W2’s Royal Lancaster Hotel last night.
Rayner tried to make a big statement, saying Labour would enact a conversion therapy ban that is fully “trans-inclusive”, unlike the Tories. But her words were undercut by news that PM Rishi Sunak is planning exactly the same thing, which he announced almost while she was on stage. Rayner’s party have been accused of “flip-flopping” on trans rights in recent months.
Rayner also said that the Tories “pit different groups against each other”, which got some agreement in the room. We were sitting near Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt’s twin brother James, who said that this is “the most anti-LGBT government I’ve seen in my lifetime”. James said this is this is the first time he’s ever felt his rights have regressed.
James added that while he and Penny strongly disagree on many things, the pair are still on good terms. “She’s never told me to tone it down. And I have a big mouth!” That said, he’s looking forward to backing Labour at the next election.
Elsewhere, Tory MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs Parliament’s women and equalities committee, said Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s plans to ban trans women from women-only hospital wards are “hugely problematic”.
