Conservatives say Keir Starmer ‘doesn’t know what a woman is’ as anti-trans election rhetoric ramps up
The Conservatives called out the Labour leader in an anti-trans election post. (Getty)
Conservatives have said that Keir Starmer “doesn’t know what a woman is” as their anti-trans rhetoric has ramped up in advance of the general election.
The 4 July general election is nearing, and the Conservatives recently pledged to exclude trans people from single-sex spaces if they win the general election.
Just days ago, Carol Vorderman hit back at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for using an anti-trans dog whistle in his election campaign. But it appears his party are continuing to propel anti-trans messaging, as the official Conservatives X account (formerly Twitter) posted its stance on the Labour leader.
In a 3 June X post, Conservatives wrote: “We know what a woman is. Keir Starmer doesn’t.”
The tweet appeared to be an attempt to reduce women to their biological sex and single out trans women, rather than acknowledging gender and inclusivity, in a bid to gain support and votes from the right.
Hitting back, Labour MP John Healy – who served as shadow defence secretary – called the Conservative anti-trans focus “a distraction from the election campaign”.
Healy told Times Radio that they would refuse to back the Conservative single-sex spaces manifesto, and would not be changing the Equality Act.
He said: “We will not want to amend the Act, it’s not needed. The Act, incidentally, was a Labour Act in 2010, that was opposed by the Tories, but it already provides protections for single-sex spaces for biological women.”
Healy added that the party would instead be calling on service providers, like the NHS and sporting bodies, for “clearer guidance” on the trans community rather than legislation.
He continued: “This, to be honest, is a distraction from the election campaign, where most people want to hear why the cost of living pressures are so great, what the Tories are going to do, and what Labour is going to do, to try and help make life more affordable and Britain better.”
Labour leader Starmer has previously voiced his support for the trans community, but his recent pledges on laws concerning the LGBTQ+ community have been somewhat wavering.
