Jo Cox women’s leadership scheme rebukes The Times over attacks on transgender teen

A women’s leadership scheme named in honour of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox has rebuked The Times newspaper for criticising a transgender teenager who has its support.

The Times has published a string of articles over the past few weeks focusing on 19-year-old Labour Party activist Lily Madigan, who was named a women’s officer by her constituency Labour Party.

The newspaper targeted Madigan for taking on the local women’s officer role and for applying for the party’s Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme..

A Times reporter interviewed anti-trans activists who claimed her presence is a “monstrous insult” to women.

Today, 55 Labour activists involved in the Jo Cox Women in Leadership scheme defended Ms Madigan, in a letter to the editor of The Times disputing their coverage.

It appears that that The Times has declined to publish the letter from the group of women – despite publishing no fewer than five separate pieces targeting the teenager over the past few weeks.

In the letter, the group say that the Times coverage was “focussed on sowing divisions”.

(Photo by Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)

The group adds: “One of our cohort is a trans woman, our friend, and our sister.

“We wish to make it clear that the decision to include all women in this programme is one we supported then, and one which we support now.”