BBC2 Politics Live TODAY, 18 Oct

GRA discussion on Newsnight tonight. Who is representing women?

The image of the BBC calling those women trans-exclusionary is actionable. Feminism includes transgender females.

The film has annoyed me even more having watched it again. There was no connection made between the threats, violence and intimidation and the need for security and secrecy round each meeting. It was like they were meeting in secret because they were untrustworthy and dodgy. And the uncritical use of the T word is appalling and I'm glad there are complaints.

Camilla clearly read this loud and clear from her face
I thought that. I thought she hoped to say as little as possible, then Ben made her feel the rage, and she said something about how she'd face a Twitter backlash, then launched in!

Of the little TV said, didn't she mention something about recognising the anxiety of people about things that were not going to end up in legislation? Or did I mishear?

If I were women's place I would complaint about the film - both the still and the ridiculous cloak and dagger approach of the presenter who gave credence to the idea of them being a 'hate group'

Camilla telegraph woman was excellent!! Also, as she was sitting there it was like scales were falling from her eyes in terms of how much of a stitch up it is/ was supposed to be.

Especially when the odious Cohen started whining about how unfair it was that it had taken a year for the government to get round to the consultation (whilst everyone else was clearly thinking eh .. d'oh Brexit??) with the clear implication that the plan had been to get it all sewn up before those pesky women realised what was happening (Camilla clearly read this loud and clear from her face)

Don't think Cohen helped his cause at all, with his petulance, boorishness and total lack of compassion. Unfort though Femi did both as he came across far more credibly overall and because his sense of injustice was clearly genuine that people can't express themselves (no recognition of conflict of rights).

Teresa Villiers was extremely interesting - very uncomfortable. Made me wonder what the Tory dictat / plan on this is as it clearly doesn't sit well with her conscience.

Yes thought that was a bit off, to put it mildly.

Thanks for that link kesstrel

Fucking hell I missed that, even though I watched it. Shocking.

Oh my. I read this thread on the bus then came home and watched it on iplayer. You were not exaggerating. What a vile character BC came across as. He clearly does not like any women and couldn't even act respectfully towards the presenter.

This is an interesting thread on this subject:

twitter.com/K_IngalaSmith/status/1052894983244668928

Cohen really could barely contain his scorn, rage and irritation, tbh. It was uncomfortable viewing on that level.

He obviously watched Posie vs Harrop and decided that approach was a total winner.

I am interested to know if the GRA act is a free vote in Parliament. Bet it is. Bet hardly anyone turns up.

You can be sure that if the discussion was on Abortion, the house would be full.

Agree re Ben Cohen.

LorettasBox Your dad is a star.

Is he available to speak tomorrow?

Cohen really could barely contain his scorn, rage and irritation, tbh. It was uncomfortable viewing on that level.

Just watched it on catch up. What an insufferable arse of a man Ben Cohen is.

Lies, mansplaining, shouting over a woman (who really held her own). The sooner he fucks off back to obscurity the better.

Camilla Tominey has written GC stuff in the Express, I think.

Countess, tbh, I agree - my dad, referenced upthread, has heard some of this from me, but he didn't really understand that it was an imminent issue. Once it gets on the politics programmes, he engages - and that text was his response.

These people cannot but fail to hide the bankrupt nonsense of their ideas and the bullying behaviour.

Knock yourselves out guys. My dad and the people he knows are committed voters who see going to the ballot box as a duty their generation and the one before suffered to preserve.

Good luck pitting that against wokesters who can't concentrate beyond the next Snapchat message.

And also, why is it ALWAYS men discussing this? Why is it never a solely female panel discussing the issue from both sides?

I thought the film was shit actually.

It didn't actually get into any of the real lissues, was just general speak about issues that you will only understand the gravity of if you are already au fait with the proposal. There was no real insight.

The debate was just two woke misogynists shouting over a woman with one other woman doing her best to act like she was invisible.

Now tomorrow I can almost guarantee will be bleeding hearts soft focus and quivering bottom lips.

It made me really angry.

Thinking about this some more, today's segment couldn't have shown more if it had tried the extent to which this issue is women vs misogynists.
Having Ben Cohen sit there, a smug smirking young man, being openly dismissive about women who are raped in prison and beaten up at Speaker's Corner, talking over the women who are trying to discuss it. And that following on from a film about women meeting in secret because they are physically attacked for talking.

I hope it will have made a lot of viewers who don't understand the issues (and still don't after watching), very uneasy.

What enrages me is that this is an update of the GRA from 2004.

Yet women can still be prosecuted in this country under the Abortion Act of 1967.

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/87.

That's an act over 50 years old. No appetite to change that despite the good work of some MPs.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/guest_posts/3397160-Guest-post-The-aim-of-my-Bill-is-to-stop-women-facing-the-criminal-courts-for-decisions-about-their-own-bodies

If gender is a feeling and to deny that feeling is transphobic then gender reveal parties are by that definition, transphobic.

I hope the report tomorrow has a gender critical person on board who with the help of someone else on the panel gets to shout others down.

The MP who spoke requires a back bone.

Newsnight didn’t feel the need to have any balance when Sophie Cook was invited to speak about “womxn”

Yes, Loretta - I think the woman in green actually had two men talking over her at once - the BBC excelled themselves there.

Maybe they'll get three on with Kathleen tonight.

I imagine they took note of the anger over the Sophie Cook womxn debacle and are trying to counteract that.

A little late in the day once again.

A male person will needed for the requisite talking over her when she speaks. He doesn't have to be an expert. They could just get a runner to do it, really.