Brianna Ghey's MP Hopes Rishi Sunak's Trans Jibe Fallout Is A "Turning Point" For Westminster

Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for the seat where murdered trans teen Brianna Ghey lived, has said she hopes the backlash from Rishi Sunak's jibe about trans people at Prime Minister's Questions will become a turning point for how trans issues are handled in Westminster.

The Prime Minister has been fiercely criticised by MPs and campaigners from across the political spectrum after appearing to make a joke about Labour's position on trans people in the House of Commons on Wednesday after being told moments before Brianna's mother, Esther, was present.

Brianna, 16, was stabbed 28 times in February last year by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who were 15 at the time. The judge presiding over their prosecution ruled that the fact Brianna was a trans girl was part of the motivation behind the murderers' actions. 

Sunak has since paid tribute to Esther's mother but has refused to apologise for his remarks, with several cabinet ministers publicly supporting this stance. Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, has called for the Prime Minister to apologise, telling Sky News Sunak's comments had been "degrading" and "absolutely dehumanising".

Nichols told PoliticsHome she hopes the shocked reaction to Sunak's remarks from many MPs represent "a bit of a turning point" when it comes to how Westminster talks about trans people. 

"A lot of the discussion following what happened to PMQs this week has been about whether it was something that was okay to say when Brianna's family were present," Nichols said.

"But this is a wider issue, because trans people, and their families, and their loved ones will be hearing the sorts of comments made by politicians all the time – whether or not they're physically present for them.

"This isn't an abstract