Step Forward Ian Murray....

[Jaysmith71]

Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, chosen for this onerous role because he is the Tigger of Scottish Labour MPs; the wonderful thing about Ian is he's the only one.

Here are Ian's views on gynaecology, as told to Emma Barnett:

(IM) "I mean, (chuckle) ....it's a ...it's a medical science thesis, isn't it. It's probably not correct on the basis that you would maybe have some, er, men who've transitioned to be women but don't have a cervix. You might have some transtioning men that do have a, ...a, ...a cervix. you might have some women who've transtioned to men who don't. So ...ha, ...this sort of technical argument gets away from the...."

(EB) "....Sorry, what was your ...I didn't follow your answer. ...Was Kier Starmer right to say that?"

(IM) "I don't think Rosie Duffiled should have thought she couldn't have come to conference. And she's ...Conference is a perfectly safe place, and I think that highlights the problem with this argument..."

(EB) "...Sorry, could you answer ...do you mind ....would you mind answering the question? I didn't ask you if Rosie should come or not. ...She ...she feels she can't, right. ....That's. ....It's ...it's how it is. That's what's going on with Rosie. But you are a member of the shadow cabinet. You're the shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. Was Kier Starmer right in what he said yeterday?"

(IM) "...Well, ...I suppose, ha, ....you see, this is, ...this is where I think this whole debate gets bogged down in issues that are missing the point of the debate. ...Um ....In terms of the actual question that you're saying, in terms of the cervix question, of course biological women are born with a cervix, but sometimes you get (inaudible) ...transition, you will have people that are legally living as women that don't. So it's a technical question that I think that, ...um, ...takes away from the major debating points here, and this is the problem with this debate. ...Um. ...We've got two very polarised parts of this debate that need to come together. These issues are not resolvable. ....(Etc, etc, etc.)

(JS) ...Sorry. I can't carry on. I've lost the will to live.

@secular111

Chris Morris could run with this.

Asking Green, LibDem and Labour politicians 'difficult' questions.

What is a woman?
What is evolution/natural selection?
How do planes stay aloft in the sky?
Why do people breathe?
How many chickens would it take to kill an elephant?

Endless scope for mirth.

Thank you, thank you Secular. I've laughed so much at that I cried!

Ian Murray is full on TWAW I asked him a few years ago about his view on women's rights and it was just a ramble of how women included men who said they were women. TW were the most unfairly treated sector of humanity, suicide stats etc. He's actually a decent MP but his grasp of logic is not strong

Does he know what a cervix is?
This. He probably thinks it's a handbag.

If it wouldn't be such an affront to women I'd sentence the Starmers, Murrays, Khans and Lammys of the world to compulsory work experience in a maternity unit. They'd soon spot who owns a cervix and where they're kept

a HANDBAG ????

Sometimes I wonder if there is a third reason to come out with such incomprehensible crap: to make anyone who doesn't know about the issue just dismiss it as above their heads/irrelevant etc.

I think this is exactly right. I think they feel there is no upside to answering honestly (for both the Genderists and the people who know it's bollocks) so they've calculated that if they waffle long enough it may all go away.

Lady B to the thread

chosen for this onerous role because he is the Tigger of Scottish Labour MPs; the wonderful thing about Ian is he's the only one.

I can't stop chuckling over this

This seems like just one more MP who, depressingly, doesn't understand either basic English or basic logic.

"I mean, (chuckle) ....it's a ...it's a medical science thesis, isn't it. It's probably not correct on the basis that you would maybe have some, er, men who've transitioned to be women but don't have a cervix.

"Only women have cervixes" doesn't logically exclude women who don't have cervixes. What some people are criticising is that it doesn't specifically include any transmen and non-binary people who have cervixes but prefer not to be referred to as women.

I think it's a good point that loads of men don't know what a cervix is and what it's for.

I mean loads of women don't so it seems likely.

Maybe that's why the Lancet used a term that is much more relatable and understandable for men. Bodies with vaginas. They all know who that means.

We need an interviewer to press on the "marginalised" bit. When quoted the suicide stats, ask!
"Where did those statistics come from?"
"Do you believe them to be accurate?"
"Have you researched this?"
"Are you aware that misgendering is counted in the hate crime numbers? Would you say it is comparable to racist abuse?"

Something like that. Lay bare the fact the "most marginalised" claim is unfounded.

"More marginalised than x group?" would even do.