Is Keir Starmer a misogynist?

[Bertiebiscuit]

Starmer seems endlessly surprised that anyone cares about girls being preyed on by grooming gangs, or women and girls being trafficked for sex by Epstein. He is the classic Lefty male for whom women's issues are always "jam tomorrow", who can't even bring himself to admit he knows what a woman even is, despite being married to one,the mother of his children.

I have never seen him express this surprise.

I think it’s all in your head.

The Chair is consulting on the draft terms of reference. The final terms of reference will be agreed with the Home Secretary and published by 31 March 2026, when the Inquiry will be formally established.
In the meantime, the Chair will set up a secretariat to deliver the work of the Inquiry.
This will include the appointment of:

• a secretary and deputy secretary
• a solicitor to the Inquiry
• a counsel to the Inquiry

Theresa May was queen of “very clear”.

Very Clear

He may not be a “classic” misogynist but he’s trotted out the “Trans women are women” line via his statement that some women have a penis (spoiler alert: no woman has a penis, no man is or can become a woman).

And his government has not laid before parliament the EHRC guidance that will specify how women only spaces are to be protected and enforced.

So he can fuck off.

Actions speak louder than words He has done nothing about the grooming gangs or women's rights to privacy. He only decided that he did after all know what a woman was when there was an election.

Don’t understand the use of “mansplainer” in this context. He does speak slowly and clearly. I don’t think he’s doing it for the benefit of the ladies, is he?

CurlewKate I don’t think he does anything for the benefit of the ladies. Quick search for definition of mansplaining should sort you out.

I know what mansplaining means.

So he prioritises not being called a bigot by the tiny trans population instead of standing up for the 50% who are biological women?

And he didn;t see the glaringly obvious problem with making Mandelson ambassador despite his very close connections with a known paedophile?

OP you are getting roasted but I actually wondered the same thing myself when listening to the news. I don;t think he thinks of women at all. We don't feature in his policy making and decision making. And yes, that level of disregard is a kind of misogyny.

Oddly, I think I've seen more support for Starmer on here these last few days than in the preceding year.

I think its a response to the absurd level of criticism, which has tipped into comical.

It’s one of the weirdnesses of modern life that two people who have done more than most for women and girls groomed and raped - Jess Phillips and Keir Starmer - are seen as doing least, after a campaign by Elon Musk. It’s the tactic of abusers everywhere- accuse people of being the thing they’d least want to be seen as.

If you’ve read Nazir Afzal’s book The Prosecutor, you’ll know that he and KS worked together to change things so fewer historical abusers would escape justice. Weirdly (and it is weird, as he’s spoken of it often) the only article which comes up on a Google search is here: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/nazir-azal-keir-starmer-first-boss-093948408.html

As for Jess Phillips and the inquiry - I think that after the difficult birth of the Jay Report (very similar to what we have now), it was felt that the Jay recommendations ought to be implemented before government got bogged down in another inquiry. That’s not to say the subject isn’t fully worthy of an inquiry - but they do slow things down. Kemi Badenoch had done very little on this issue in her time in parliament until she saw the opportunity via X to stick something on the government. It’s shameful actually, she ought to be better than that. Here’s Jess Phillips talking about it here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/electoral-dysfunction/id1613562765?i=1000683244323

Very true. Even parts of the media are starting to ease up on him a little. I wonder if it has started to occur to them that constant political drama is not good for the UK, even if it does generate clicks and views etc.

I am beginning to wonder if Reeves is safe, though.

He doesn’t hate us, he is just indifferent to our suffering.

What suffering ?

I think he doesn’t think women are as important as men… which makes him a misogynist in my view.

I think he’s the version Rosie Duffield and Kim Johnson relay.

If you are right then he is a coward.

Who wants a Prime Minister who is too cowardly to stand up to activists?

I think it is more than that though, the Labour Party generally doesn't have a fantastic track record with women, we've never had a female Labour Leader though that might change in coming weeks.

Current policies aimed at impacting disabled people and children who have SEN will disproportionately impact women.

I agree with a lot of the positions taken by Rosie Duffield, but some people on MN treat her like the Delphic Oracle or the font of all
wisdom.

Not really. But she’s right on Starmer.

More details from the Guardian -

June 2025
Keir Starmer makes U-turn mid-air over grooming gangs inquiry.

PM forced to cave in to clamour for statutory inquiry despite earlier dismissing them as amplifying far right demands.

This was, it should be remembered, not just one of the most toxic debates in British politics during 2025, but one where Starmer and his ministers had continually pushed back against demands for such an action.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jun/15/keir-starmer-makes-deft-u-turn-mid-air-over-grooming-gangs-inquiry

What suffering?
Are you serious?

A thread about the victims is just not the place for this, it really isn't.

An inquiry is lined up, already in motion.
Led by women.
Inquiries take time.

The PP said (paraphrasing) that the PM ignores women's suffering. You replied "what suffering?"

It is obvious there is suffering. Why would you question it?

An inquiry is in response to the suffering. I am well aware of it and have followed it in the press. I personally think it's been badly managed and alienated a number of the victims, but yes, it's in train.

No. And I’m guessing you’re a Farage fan

What I responded to was a claim that Starmer is “indifferent to our suffering”.

Who is “our” ? How is setting an inquiry in motion indifferent ?