The PM continues to demonstrate amazingly poor taste!

Poppyred Well put.

Poppyred

I’m sure Brianna’s mum did not take Rishi Sunak’s the wrong way, she has more common sense. But hey ho, this is the way of the world now. Let’s take offence about anything and everything and score points against one another.
I’m sure that Starmer choosing to make the comment about Brianna is far more upsetting and totally unnecessary.

Which comment did Starmer make that was 'upsetting and totally unnecessary'?

This one? That he made at the start of PMQs?

This week, the unwavering bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther, has touched us all. As a father I can’t even imagine the pain that she’s going through. And I’m glad that she’s with us in the gallery here today,”

MaizieD

Poppyred

I’m sure Brianna’s mum did not take Rishi Sunak’s the wrong way, she has more common sense. But hey ho, this is the way of the world now. Let’s take offence about anything and everything and score points against one another.
I’m sure that Starmer choosing to make the comment about Brianna is far more upsetting and totally unnecessary.

Which comment did Starmer make that was 'upsetting and totally unnecessary'?

This one? That he made at the start of PMQs?

^This week, the unwavering bravery of Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther, has touched us all. As a father I can’t even imagine the pain that she’s going through. And I’m glad that she’s with us in the gallery here today,”^

No, the other one.

I agree NoraBone. Is it any wonder that many young people struggling with their gender identity feel ostracised and marginalised, leading to mental health problems and even suicide, when the transgender issue is publicly mocked by the most powerful people in the land. I wish these politicians would grow up!

What “other” comment!

It seems the ‘other comment’ had little impact - given the repeated request to know what it was. But then, Sunak supporters do need to divert attention, just like his MPs have done following PMQs.

Tim Fox of the Times, has highlighted how Sunak has all his quips written out in advance, highlighted for response against topics Starmer is likely to bring up. So it was a planned attack - and given it was known Mrs Ghey was due in the HoC, it shows his advisors have no empathy whatsoever, either!

And I believe he’s refused to apologise even though the father asked him to

He has nothing to apologise for, unlike Starmer.

BlueBelle

And I believe he’s refused to apologise even though the father asked him to

Just cos someone asks for an apology doesn’t always mean that they deserve one.
Am no Sunak or Tory follower but think Starmer seized on the comment by Sunak to make political outrage at the expense of Mrs Ghey.She and her DH are now drawn into this situation.
No doubt fuelled by friends and certain journos Mr Ghey is now demanding an apology.Sunak had already made a statement saying how awful the case was and praising Mrs Ghey.The comments made to Starmer were about several policies and a jibe about not knowing what a woman was, which tbh worries me and I hope Starmer takes women’s concerns more seriously once in number ten.
The most you could say is that it was unfortunate on that particular day, but politics and policies can’t not be talked of no matter who is visiting Parliament.
Both Sunak and Starmer made very positive statements about the sad case, but it’s to be remembered that there are so many awful stabbings to death by teenagers of other teenagers, for all sorts of reasons that never even get a mention by politicians.

No doubt fuelled by friends and certain journos Mr Ghey is now demanding an apology.

How could you possibly know that? It's pure, and rather malicious, speculation on your part.

He's actually called Mr Spooner, BTW.

Not sure what Mr Spooner wants an apology for, unless it’s for mentioning Brianna’s name, and that was Starmer who did that.

It wasn’t the most opportune moment for RS to mention that particular item, but it was on a long list of U turns and strangely enough, today we are met with yet another U turn about the green pledge. Maybe, knowing that U turn was coming today prompted KS to stir things up so people would be focused elsewhere. Who knows?

I don’t want to vote Tory at the next election, but KS makes it hard to have confidence in Labour.

Incidentally, I did wonder why Mr S wasn’t there supporting Brianna’s mother.

Mollygo - they’re separated

Good post Oreo.

Oreo

BlueBelle

And I believe he’s refused to apologise even though the father asked him to

Just cos someone asks for an apology doesn’t always mean that they deserve one.
Am no Sunak or Tory follower but think Starmer seized on the comment by Sunak to make political outrage at the expense of Mrs Ghey.She and her DH are now drawn into this situation.
No doubt fuelled by friends and certain journos Mr Ghey is now demanding an apology.Sunak had already made a statement saying how awful the case was and praising Mrs Ghey.The comments made to Starmer were about several policies and a jibe about not knowing what a woman was, which tbh worries me and I hope Starmer takes women’s concerns more seriously once in number ten.
The most you could say is that it was unfortunate on that particular day, but politics and policies can’t not be talked of no matter who is visiting Parliament.
Both Sunak and Starmer made very positive statements about the sad case, but it’s to be remembered that there are so many awful stabbings to death by teenagers of other teenagers, for all sorts of reasons that never even get a mention by politicians.

I don’t know if you watched that Sky TV interview I posted above Oreo, but Sunak was informed in advance that Brianna’s mother would be there, so it was tone deaf of him to make the jibe at Starmer in the first place. In my opinion it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other.

Keir made it something it wasn’t to deflect, the comment was made to score points over Keir and his frequent u turns. Keir twisted it. I don’t like either of them, but this silly score pointing has to stop.

Allsorts

Keir made it something it wasn’t to deflect, the comment was made to score points over Keir and his frequent u turns. Keir twisted it. I don’t like either of them, but this silly score pointing has to stop.

Yes.

CvD66

Tim Fox of the Times, has highlighted how Sunak has all his quips written out in advance, highlighted for response against topics Starmer is likely to bring up. So it was a planned attack - and given it was known Mrs Ghey was due in the HoC, it shows his advisors have no empathy whatsoever, either!

And the government minister sitting next to him was chuckling away at his set speech.

Allsorts

Keir made it something it wasn’t to deflect, the comment was made to score points over Keir and his frequent u turns. Keir twisted it. I don’t like either of them, but this silly score pointing has to stop.

Is it so long since we've had a general election that people have forgotten how the politics of it works? Each side trying to prove that the other parties are rubbish and have rubbish policies?

Point scoring at PMQs is all part of it.

If folks don't like the point scoring they're in for a few bad months...

Doodledog

I am not happy with Labour’s stance on trans issues and their intersection with women’s rights, but I think Starmer was in the right here.

Sunak’s comment was crass, and as I understand it Ms Ghey could have been in the gallery - neither of them knew that she had been held up. Sunak’s speech writer had fed him a ‘hilarious’ joke at Starmer’s expense (presumably written before it was known that Ms Ghey was planning to be there), and he wasn’t adaptable enough to go off-script and edit it as he went. That in itself doesn’t show high levels of intelligence or empathy, and I think it was right that he was pulled up for it.

To me it shows that Starmer is able to think quickly on his feet, and Sunak has to stick to a script regardless of changing circumstances. If you live by scoring points, you risk dying from your opponent scoring points I guess. Luckily this was another rather pointless spat at PMQs and not an exchange requiring quick thinking on the global stage. I also think he should have the grace to apologise to Brianna’s mother (who is, I suspect, well able to rise above it all anyway).

I agree with this.
I believe Sunak is wooden and although he must be intelligent because I believe he won a scholarship to go to a highly thought of public school, I don’t think he is good/intelligent politically. Starmer is much better, and is very intelligent, a successful barrister and KC, but has let himself down badly for many women, including myself, because of his inability to say honestly what a woman is. Some people are transgender, and that’s fine, but to be unable to say that 100% women do not have a penis, has coloured my view of him.

To the extent that if you had considered voting for him, it would prevent you from doing so, thus ensuring more of this dreadful government?

Just another example of Rishi's tin ear.

Whitewavemark2

To the extent that if you had considered voting for him, it would prevent you from doing so, thus ensuring more of this dreadful government?

I don’t know Whitewave.
I might spoil my ballot paper by writing none of the above.
My new Conservative candidate will be Suella Braverman, due to constituency boundaries changing.

Whitewavemark2

To the extent that if you had considered voting for him, it would prevent you from doing so, thus ensuring more of this dreadful government?

That really would be throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Whitewavemark2

To the extent that if you had considered voting for him, it would prevent you from doing so, thus ensuring more of this dreadful government?

Starmer has now backtracked on Labour's plans for green power, one of their main policies.

I feel politically lost.