Dawn Butler on the Daily Politics programme

[hipsterfun]

The other night, I was watching the Kirsty Wark interview with Germaine Greer on YouTube, and something or other with Camille Paglia, then happened across a discussion between Melanie Phillips and Dawn Butler from the Daily Politics programme (with Jo Coburn, I think) on transgender rights.

I’m not going to link to it because the video was uploaded to an account with UKIP in the name, but did anyone see it when it went out? When was it? And is it reflective of Dawn Butler’s (non-)position on the issue?

I was surprised that the Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities didn’t seem to have thought very deeply about the tension between the women bit and the equalities bit.

It’s a worry when Melanie Phillips seems like the reasonable one in a discussion.

The whole programme is on here.

Daily Politics, 24/10/2017: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b09c5nm9 via @bbciplayer

The Philips / Butler debate comes in at around 40 minutes.

I gave up after about 7 minutes when Butler started wittering on about how the census form should say "gender" not "sex" and it is really important we know about people's gender.

Phillips was talking sense. Butler was dreadful.

Butler said nothing of substance throughout that I could discern; it was all being ‘mindful’ of people’s feelings and no analysis.

Very disappointed to learn that it’s from only a few days ago, but thanks, Lass, for the link.

it was all being ‘mindful’

I think that was when I gave up.

Okay I know Melanie Phillips has been doing this sort of stuff for decades and is a supremely confident speaker (even when taking nonsense) but Butler came across as vague and ineffectual compared to her.

For a number of reasons, I’m beginning to doubt I’ll feel able to vote Labour at the next election.

That the shadow minister can agree to appear on a serious programme to participate in a discussion on this issue, without seeming to have prepared at all - instead offering only platitudes - doesn’t inspire confidence; as a woman, I don’t feel Labour has my back on this one.

I will still be voting Labour at the next election but with a caveat. I will no longer support them financially.

That's my 'journey' in response to the 'lady' that is called Dawn Butler.

who doesn't seem to have a clue

I will still be voting Labour at the next election but with a caveat. I will no longer support them financially

I won't be voting for them. As I pay my subscription annually and forgot to cancel it they got another year out of me.

That the shadow minister can agree to appear on a serious programme to participate in a discussion on this issue, without seeming to have prepared at all - instead offering only platitudes - doesn’t inspire confidence

Exactly- and how many other issues are they ill-prepared for?

I will vote Labour because I will not be disenfranchised of my vote. Simply put, the person I will be voting for has little time for this gender nonsense and is centre like myself. The LibDem candidate will jump on any bandwagon despite being out of political touch, and the Conservative is a raging right wing loony - who always gets elected.