Greens Deputy Leader blasts Keir Starmer after he says ‘a woman is an adult female’
Exclusive: "Keir Starmer’s comments aren't just a dog whistle - but actually a very clear signal of complete capitulation to transphobia" says Zack Polanski
Keir Starmer has been criticised by Green Party Deputy Leader Zack Polanski after confirming the Labour Party does not support self-ID of trans people.
Speaking during a phone-in on BBC Radio 5 Live, the Labour leader said of the party’s position “we don’t think that self-identification is the right way forward”.
He also said during the (as per The Times) “a woman is an adult female.”
This apparent change of heart comes after “reflecting on what happened in Scotland.”
On Tuesday (July 25 2023), the shadow women and equalities secretary Anneliese Dodds outlined in her Guardian column that the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) will not include self-ID for trans people.
“Keir Starmer’s comments aren’t just a dog whistle – but actually a very clear signal of complete capitulation to transphobia”
Starmer was also was torn into by host Nicky Campbell who said the Labour Party “struggles” with “the penis question”. Back in April, Starmer said womanhood is “completely biological” for “99 per cent of women.”
“A woman is an adult female, so let’s clear that one up,” Starmer said today (July 26).
In response, Polanski is one of many who has come out to criticise the comments from the leader of the opposition after the party commitment to this policy was scrapped.
The Deputy Leader of the Green Party, who is gay, told Attitude: “Keir Starmer’s comments aren’t just a dog whistle – but actually a very clear signal of complete capitulation to transphobia.
“He is not only u-turning on the basic human rights need for self identification, but parroting the hateful lines of the Conservative government who have acknowledged their tactics of division.
“All this whilst knowing that trans people are already at increased risk of suicide – shame on him,” he added to us.
When Starmer was then quizzed on Scottish Labour’s decision to continue to back the de-medicalisation of the process, he disagreed with the approach.
“Yeah we don’t agree,” Starmer responded. “We don’t think self-identification is the right way forward, we have reflected on what happened in Scotland.”
He went on: “So we’ve set out that we want to modernise the process, get rid of some of the indignities in the process, keep it a medical process.
“And we’ve always said, I’ve continued to say, and Sunday, when we completed our policy forum, allowed us to be clear that there should be safe places, safe spaces, for women, particularly in relation to violence against women and girls.”
“Ultimately, if a replacement of the Conservatives is something that’s just a little bit less conservative, I think we all deserve better than that”
Polanski has previously come out against Starmer in an interview with Attitude. He labelled the “playing politics” approach from the Labour Party as “abhorrent” when it comes to issues focused on the trans community.
“Keir Starmer has tried to play both sides. LGBT+ Labour, I don’t blame them. It’s their leadership. One second, they’re tweeting positive LGBT+ messages, then the next minute, the Labour Party are making dog whistles around trans people. It’s really important that politicians are not just brave, but correct, and speak out on these issues,” he explained.
On why he believes Starmer has become so complacent and stuck with such an ambiguous stance, Polanski noted in April: “He’s partly a white straight man from the establishment. He’s never experienced what it’s like to be othered.”
“There’s also 13 years of the Tories that we’re all desperate to see rid of. I can understand a reluctance to rock the boat sometimes.
He concluded: “Ultimately, if a replacement of the Conservatives is something that’s just a little bit less conservative, I think we all deserve better than that.”