Puberty Blockers Question at PMQs

Many of the cheerleaders are going to slink away when the gender identity-related use of puberty blockers is finally discredited for good, but Whittome is going to have an inescapable albatross round her neck.

I just watched this, can anyone lip read what Whittome said when it cuts to her shaking her head?

Great idea. I am going to do the same.

So he bloody well should have while ignoring her being harassed.

Given his attitude to those rebels , I don’t hold out much hope for MPs who don’t hold the party line on making GRCs easier to obtain..

It also makes you realise that when people go "but Rosie Duffield" they are not being fair. He has given her a lot of latitude comparatively.

Interestingly Nadia Whittome did not have the balls to rebel over the benefit cap like many other of the left faction in Labour who lost the whip over it. That instead she decided to protest over PB while safely inside Labour is telling I think.

Note McDonnell and some others who rebelled were not on the list of those that questioned both. Zarah Sultana was the only one who did both I think.

For people worried about Keir succumbing to the activists, I suggest they look at what happened to the rebels last night.

He's not messing around.

So pleased we got a Labour government under Starmer 👏

PMQs generally a bit of fresh air today

Tugs on the heart strings, sweet and vulnerable kids and heart rending anecdotes got this movement into this position in the first place. It's not surprising that it's continuing to be a go to tactic.

But yes. The facts are in. It is hard to look into the face of a distressed child and say no, I won't let you have these drugs because I care about you and your future and they are not safe. It is not right to let this happen to you. But it's the only responsible and kind thing to do.

Come on, Kier! I had high hopes that he would finally pull it out his arse. He's been a slow burn but so far seems to mean business, just hope it continues.

It's so interesting that she wants him to meet with "trans families and the organizations that support them" about puberty blockers, rather than, say, doctors or scientists.

What’s Kier’s input going to achieve over and above what a sensible conversation with your parents wouldn’t? “I know you really, really want PBs but the current medical research doesn’t show any benefit and the side effects are serious and long-lasting. The answer is still no.” I heard the PMQ exchange on Today and thought NW’s suggestion was such an inappropriate use of the PM’s time.

The emphasis on the "expert patient" hasn't helped. Yes, there was, and is, a problem of HCPs sometimes not listening to patients. But an overemphasis on what people want, rather than what evidence shows will actually help them, has contributed to the acceptance of medicalising people "with gender".

It's so interesting that she wants him to meet with "trans families and the organizations that support them" about puberty blockers, rather than, say, doctors or scientists.

It's expected with people like this. But I really wonder how they make sense of that in their own mind. If the safety and efficacy of a drug is debated, aren't the people you want to talk to the ones who research the outcomes and know how the drug works?

This.

Repeat this.

Or are the numbers of trans identifying kids in the city higher than elsewhere?

Hmm.

Oh. Not quite. They just played the clip to demonstrate that it's another divisive issue in a discussion of contentious issues for Labour MPs.

Everyone can stand down.

This is now being covered on the PM programme on Radio 4.

Exactly.

It needs to be patiently, objectively rebutted. Over, and over, and over again as needed. Openly and with full transparency.

However Labour are learning very fast about the nature of the lobby and its approaches and behaviours.

It's all a bit "News for Parrots", really, isn't it?

To those asking why the BBC is not reporting on this. Not enough drag queens affected?

it's strangely not in the live feed on the Guardian website either. Funny that.

Could they be any more obvious? There should be a public enquiry about both their coverage and the lack of it.

Nadia also has an old NHS gender clinic with a new youth gender service in her constituency.

Interesting that she went with the narrative 'I have a constituent who has a trans child and they are worried' ...seems a bit meh....when she could have gone with 'I have clinic in my constituency who thought cass review was a terrible idea and felt so strongly about it that they didnt cooperate at all. These hardworking NHS professionals are authors of academic papers, are WPATH dignitaries, really good eggs and utterly trustworthy'.

If the evidence is there Nadia, bring it.

Haven't watched it yet but sounds like Starmer was almost embarrassed that this was what his party is wittering on about

Exactly this.