The caller challenged him, saying GRCs "don't change reality, so the two policies don't match". And she talked about single sex spaces and how they're currently being invaded (she gave examples)
NF put that to him - that they don't match. He responded "well I think they do because I think you can always say - and should always say - safe spaces for women and girls, whether that's um in sports for sports bodies, whether that's I'm in the work I did, particularly in the support refuges and other places for those that have been subjected to violence um, physical or sexual - very very important that we preserve that. Um - or indeed in our hospitals - it's actually NHS policy for wards to be single sex and er the only reason that isn't routinely the case now is because the government's lost control of our hospitals but that is the policy and we want to reinforce and protect that"
NF then said "so if I was identifying as a woman...would I be allowed to be on a women's ward?"
Starmer says "No" and then NF asks what about if I had a GRC? And he says "you would be accommodated but not on a woman's ward" NF asks where he would go. Starmer says "well hospitals already do this, there are ways it can be done".
NF asks how. Starmer says "well lots of them have side rooms, that sort of thing". NF: "side room? I'd get a side room?" Starmer goes "Nick, I've spent a lot of time in hospitals, many many wards have the traditional beds laid out...many have side rooms these days for general use and that can be accommodated. But the rule about single sex wards is - [laughing a bit] - or the policy is already there, the only reason that there's any issue these days is because the government's lost control of our hospitals"
So if Starmer truly believes that this isn't happening then why? Who's telling him this? And who's telling him that staff aren't identifying as women, as that didn't feature in his reply either?
And why doesn't he understand that this is about the "need" to be validated by being among women? They won't accept third spaces like side rooms. This has been done to death.
Annex A also featuring nowhere in his thoughts. Has he really been in a lot of hospitals? Last one I was in did have what might be cast a "side room" but definitely was not and was in use for other things required for the ward.