Starmer backs banning tw from women's sport 🤔

Someone has been reading opinion polls.

That's all.

I wonder how Starker plans to ensure the integrity of women's sport, whilst simultaneously supporting the idea that men who claim to be women, can't be challenged cos 'transphobia'.

How's he going to actually word the law?

As I keep saying 'feelings' and 'ideas' don't make for good law. We need some actual crystal clear legal definitions...

...oh.

And yes, there is no elite sport without grassroots sport.

Spot on.

You need to define sex, Keir.

Starmer told Telegraph Sport: “I think the important thing is that the sports governing bodies take a lead on this. And they are doing that, and we’re supportive of what they’re doing, particularly in elite sport. So, that’s where the decision should be taken. They’ve taken a number of decisions.

He's not backing any particular stance. He's washing his hands of the issue, saying the decision should be up to the sporting bodies. "That's where the decision should be taken".

The telegraph headline was wildly optimistic in its interpretation of the above words

How does he justify this, is it one of the biological women exceptions? If so then why not commit to the necessary amendments to the Equality Act.

Otherwise these are weasel words.

Having a daughter who is at county level in her sport I can also tell you that this is inadequate, as others have pointed out this has to be from grass roots level, otherwise there won't be any women's elite sport.

Fine with me. Great.

Finally! But it's only because an election is coming back and this is what the majority of people think.

He's repeating what seb coe said a while ago, so in that respect it isnt that radical - hes just following where sport is going to go anyway.

But it is a bold statement from starmer given where he was 3 minutes ago and who is standing behind him in his party.

The government are going to have to say 'especially' elite sport because they are the ones who are issuing men with female id, and writing confusing legislation making it impossible for non elite sporting events to put on female only events. This is what starmer needs to plan to sort out.

It's a bit rich of him to talk about 'common sense' after the pile of shit which has come out of his mouth regarding women's rights. Women don't have dicks Kier. That's fucking common sense for you.

While both Sir Kier Starmer and @BoiledBeetle are invertebrates, Boiled does have a gut.

What about Angela Eagle 4 promises made only last week??

Labour will:
Legislate for a trans-inclusive conversion therapy ban
Make anti-LGBT+ hate crime an aggravated offence
Modernise Gender Recognition processesAppoint an international LGBT+ envoy

i don't trust Kier

Starmer identifies with having a spine.

I'd want to know the exact meaning of every word he mutters before I trust anything that leaks out of his mouth. He doesn't seem to use words with any shared common or garden meaning.

Keir says words.

Based on his history of saying words, no one knows what they mean.

In trying to please everyone, he pleases no one.

Even in cycling, swimming, rugby and athletics, male athletes are allowed in female category. Either if they transitioned before puberty or if they have a DSD. I think it's only British Triathlon which completely bans males from women's competition.

Actually, at this point I need him to define exactly what he means by women and female before I’m happy that I understand exactly what he’s saying

Starmer seems to be passing the hot potato as usual. All these political and sporting leaders are just desperate to fob the decision on this onto someone else so that they don’t get the flak. Feeble Keir, show some ba@@s for once.

So are we going to stop seeing men on the podium as the female winner Coureur? Are they stopping male bodied people identifying into the female group in practice rather than just in theory? I’m not a competitive cyclist (I’m just a commuting one) so I wouldn’t know..? Thank you.

Anyone would think there is an election coming.......

He's obviously been reading the tealeaves and working out how he can say something without saying something. I don't trust his notion of common sense, which apparently doesn't run to saying a woman is an adult human female. Nice try, no cigar Starmer.

The Labour leader said he was “supportive” of moves to protect the female category of sporting competitions and that “common sense has to prevail in terms of safety and integrity of sport”.

“I think the important thing is that the sports governing bodies take a lead on this. And they are doing that, and we’re supportive of what they’re doing, particularly in elite sport. So, that’s where the decision should be taken. They’ve taken a number of decisions. And, in the end, common sense has to prevail in terms of safety and integrity of sport.”

🥇 Well well well Starmer yet again wins the gold medal for talking a lot yet saying nothing at all. Unless you count sloping his shoulders so much they’re practically vertical.

He gets more and more meaningless as time goes by. I thought he had promise as a Labour leader, a few years ago. How wrong I was.

Certainly in cycling, rugby, swimming and athletics the ban on male-bodied individuals competing in the female category applies at all levels not just elite.

In my sport (cycling) we now have female and open categories. Women are free to enter the open category (and often do when there is not a big enough field to put on a women’s race) but males are specifically banned from the female races. This applies at all levels. At the youth level races are often mixed but there are always separate placings/podiums/prizes for boys and girls.

That's about the size of it, I reckon, @NowYouSee .

Whilst a step in the right direction I fear this is more of Starmer trying to draft himself out of trouble which is something he has been trying to do all along. So find a form of words that makes general noises but nothing concrete. Do I think this means a Labour government would support women in this? No I don’t.

I am wondering if the timing on Starmer's decision to grow a spine on sport is a cover for Welsh Labour's attempt to eliminate female politicians. Their bill for a 100% male Senedd is being pushed forward it seems.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4930939-wales-threat-of-self-id-for-politicians-being-snuck-in-by-the-back-door?page=3&reply=133685404

But without grassroots sports there will be no elite women’s sports

Exactly.