Sunak refuses to apologise to Brianna Ghey’s father over PMQs trans jibe

Rishi Sunak did not offer an apology to Brianna Ghey's father. He declared that connecting his offensive comment towards transgender individuals to the tragic death of the teenage victim was inappropriate and regrettable.

On Thursday morning, the prime minister reinforced his previous statements by asserting that connecting his remarks to the trans teenager's situation was "the pinnacle of political negativity."

There have been calls for Sunak to say sorry after he claimed that Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, struggled to "describe a female" during prime minister's questions last Wednesday. Sunak made the comment upon hearing that Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna, was present in the public gallery and Starmer had acknowledged her.

Peter Spooner, the father of Brianna, expressed that he found Sunak's remark to be "dehumanizing" and requested for an apology. Brianna was deceived into going to a park in Cheshire where she was then killed by two teenagers in February of the previous year.

During a trip to Cornwall, Sunak spoke to journalists about Brianna's situation. He expressed how astounded and saddened he was by the circumstances that led to Brianna being separated from her mother, and how difficult it must be to cope with such a loss. Sunak was moved by Brianna's mother's kindness and understanding despite everything that had happened, and he found her to be an inspiring example of human compassion. He expressed sincere empathy and support for Brianna's family and loved ones.

However, I find it upsetting and objectionable that the tragedy is being used as a means to divert attention from the specific point I was making regarding Keir Starmer's history of changing his stance on significant policies due to lack of a solid plan. This action represents the lowest depths of politics.

The statement made by the leader of the government received strong disapproval from political rivals and a few members of the ruling party. Starmer expressed his disappointment to Sunak and stated, "It's appalling that you chose this particular week to say that, especially when Brianna's mother is present here in this room. It's disgraceful."

When Spooner requested an apology from Sunak, the latter stated that his remarks were completely valid. Sunak emphasized that he was talking about Keir Starmer's history of changing his stance on major policies because he lacks a solid strategy. Sunak was quite explicit with his statement.

On Thursday, Chris Philp, who is responsible for policing, stated that Brianna's family would be met by Sunak. Philp also indicated that Sunak has a strong desire to meet with them.

Esther Ghey expressed on her Facebook page called Peace & Mind UK, which is dedicated to a campaign in her daughter's honor, that she is not interested in responding to the recent reports regarding the language or remarks made. Instead, she aims to direct her energy towards bringing about a positive change and establishing a permanent legacy for her child, Brianna.

Our mission at Peace & Mind is to enhance the quality of life by equipping individuals with the necessary resources to cultivate mindfulness, mental fortitude, empathy, and self-forgiveness. By mastering these abilities, we aspire to foster a more empathetic, harmonious, and united community that benefits all individuals.

A few Conservative Members of Parliament have expressed disapproval of Sunak's statement. ex-minister Paul Scully said to BBC's Politics Live that he would personally contact Brianna's dad. Jackie Doyle-Price, another ex-minister, believes in balancing transgender rights with safeguarding single-sex areas. Although she agrees with this idea, she believes that Sunak's statement belittles a significant issue and was an unwise move.

Dehenna Davison, a previous government official, expressed her disappointment on X regarding the jokes made at the expense of the transgender community. She highlighted the fact that our speeches in the Parliament have an impact on society and we should all be mindful of it.

While PMQs were taking place, Brianna's mom joined her local MP, Charlotte Nichols, in Westminster as they advocated for mindfulness classes to be incorporated into school curriculums. This was in response to the untimely death of Brianna.

Last year, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe killed Brianna by stabbing her in a park in Cheshire. The judge, while sentencing them last week, described the murder as "exceptionally brutal". Additionally, the judge noted that Jenkinson exhibited sadistic tendencies while Ratcliffe had a strong bias against transgender individuals.