July 2018 James Kirkup: 'Labour and Tories finally see the truth about the gender debate'
(extract)
"Labour is, nominally, committed to self-identification of gender, but just like the Tories, the party is in fact deeply divided over the issue and quite a lot of MPs, including prominent frontbenchers, think the issue is more complex (and potentially vote-losing) than the party’s current policies suggests. MPs say a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party saw many Labour women airing doubts.
In the Labour movement, the dividing line over gender politics sometimes maps onto a split between the new generation of activists in Momentum and the longer-standing groups in, and allied to, the trade unions. Lots of Labour women (and men) sceptical of self-identification of gender have links to the trade union movement which still funds the party, underpins Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, and exercises real influence in Labour affairs.
In that context, I think a letter in today’s Morning Star is worth reading closely. It describes “systematic attempts to shut down meetings organised by women at which they can discuss potential legislative changes and the impact these may have on any sex-based rights already enshrined in law.”
Such incidents “draw the whole of our progressive movement into disrepute,” the letter says, adding:
“Some trans rights activists even continue to justify the use of violence, meaning that many women are simply too frightened to attend meetings that are both public and lawful in order that they may discuss their own rights.
Other women, including ordinary women concerned for their rights, as well as those active within the trade union movement and other political campaigns, are also now anxious and fearful that they will be subjected to such attacks when engaging in any political activity, meetings, or protests.
We are sure that, whatever your view regarding the issues around the Gender Recognition Act, you will agree that it is unacceptable for women to be made scared to engage in political life.”
Now, I’m a dedicated centrist and I happen to agree with every word of that letter. I know paid-up Tories who would too.
But the contents of that letter are not the story here. The story is in the signatories, who include Len McCluskey of the Unite union, as well as several other senior trade unionists. (Lindsey German, a founder of Stop the War and a close friend of Jeremy Corbyn is there too; Andrew Murray, another very senior Corbynista signed a similar letter earlier this year. In short, a very significant and, in Labour terms, powerful group of unionists and activists has raised some quite serious concerns about the violent intimidation of women in the gender debate.
In a previous job as a political reporter, I’d probably have summarised that letter something like this:
Transgender activists who use threats of violence to frighten feminist critics are bringing the Labour movement into disrepute, Britain’s top trade union leader has said. Len McCluskey of the Unite union has joined several other close allies of Jeremy Corbyn to warn that “trans rights activists” using threats and intimidation have left many women “too frightened” to engage in political debate.
That strikes me as quite a big deal, and something that others in politics should reflect on" (continues)
blogs.spectator.co.uk/2018/07/labour-and-tories-finally-see-the-truth-about-the-gender-debate/
Letter in Morning Star referred to:
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/improving-climate-debate-around-proposed-changes-gender-recognition-act