Bridget Phillipson has insisted the government is pressing ahead with a ban on conversion therapy – but the reason it’s taking so long is because they want to make it “trans inclusive“. Speaking at a Labour Conference fringe event with the Sunday Times‘ Caroline Wheeler, Phillipson said:
“We will bring forward, as we committed in the manifesto, to a draft conversion practices bill that will be trans inclusive. But we are taking our time to make sure we get that right, so we do allow within that legislation for people to have the opportunity to explore their identity through healthcare for example, and making sure that legislation is properly drafted. It’ll be a draft bill for further consultation but we will absolutely deliver it.”
The Tories also struggled with the gender identity element when they tried to introduce a similar ban. The “unintended consequences” – as the Tories put it – of a total ban on gender identity care can put teachers and GPs in an awkward position when a 7-year-old says they’re born in the wrong body. Does Bridget think she’s come up with a way to square that circle? The fact it’s taken so long to introduce the bill suggests not…
Tory influencer and Brexit hero Emily Hewertson left the Big Brother house last night. No right-wingers allowed on TV…
Emily took to X to explain her downfall: “Reality TV rule no.1: don’t mention that you’re a Tory.” Viewers agreed:
Take back control of reality tv…
Owen Jones arrived in Liverpool yesterday with Zack Polanski and entered Labour Conference to do his usual filming. Labour has taken issue…
The party says it is a ‘safeguarding’ issue: “We have a responsibility to safeguard all our delegates, staff, volunteers, and visitors, and to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for everyone at conference. After careful consideration, we’ve concluded that we cannot continue your attendance while ensuring we meet our safeguarding obligations to all attendees.” It adds: “We hope you’ll understand that this decision was made with everyone’s wellbeing in mind”…
Chilling. Nicely timed ahead of Starmer’s speech…
Read their full email below:
Continue reading “Labour Cancels Owen Jones’ Party Conference Pass”
Wes Streeting used his conference speech to call for Angela Rayner to return to government. He said:
“And there’s someone else who’s made a real difference, too. She brought that experience to the cabinet table as a care worker, who became our country’s deputy prime minister. Angela Rayner, this achievement is yours. Thank you. And we want her back as well. We’ll definitely make sure she sees that. We need her back.”
Standing ovation…
A Labour DWP minister has complained that her department is too focussed on policing job centre claims. Good to know where the party is on the issue…
Employment minister Diana Johnson told a panel at Labour Conference this morning:
“I’ve been in the job three weeks and I can tell immediately there is a certain culture in the DWP, I was talking earlier on about being in a museum and not wanting to break out of that. I think the idea really in the DWP, particularly in the job centres, is that it’s often about policing and policing people’s claims and ensuring that they are going through the process of making the claims and doing what they’re being asked to do rather than a service to the public to support them through tough times but to very much be there at their side enabling and helping and supporting.”
Johnson claimed the system had to change to be “alongside citizens” rather than telling people to fill in forms and explaining “this is what we’ll do to you if you don’t do what we tell you.” Stop all that enforcement…
It is the policing of claims that prevents rampant expansion in benefit claims. Johnson suggested changing that “culture” was a priority for ministers:
“Changing culture is easier said than done… but it’s a journey and I think people are up for it in the DWP… It’s not providing the best and it’s not giving job satisfaction to those work coaches who are really important people doing the work to get others into employment.”
After being defeated on its proposed reforms to the benefits system Starmer has inserted former de facto Deputy PM Pat McFadden into DWP – that’s a demotion by the way – as a signal of his intention to go for reform again. Without strict policing and cuts Labour proposals are just wishful thinking about ‘culture’ and ‘service to the public’…
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is up. Expect some attacks on Farage…
After some Nigel bashing, Streeting calls for Angela Rayner to return to government: “We want her back. We need her back”.
Read his speech in full below:
Continue reading “LIVE: Streeting Delivers Conference Speech”
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”