The opinion polls might be projecting a massive Labour majority, but there is a dynamic to this election that could yet derail Keir Starmer’s plans for government. Yesterday*, J.K. Rowling spoke for many women when she fired off a volley of tweets on sex and gender. Her frustration was palpable, but also notable was her defence of Kemi Badenoch.
While pointing out that ‘Kemi Badenoch and I might not agree on a lot’, Rowling chose to support the Tory minister for women and equalities, who was in turn under fire from Ian Dunt and Alistair Campbell. It felt personal as Rowling added:
‘And what’s the issue with her [Badenoch’s] manner, Ian? Did she fail in womanly sweetness, kindness and deference?’
J.K. Rowling
Campbell, meanwhile was thanked somewhat ironically for ‘highlighting Labour’s complacency and indifference towards the rights of half the electorate’.
In normal times that would be a puzzling intervention from someone who is reported to have donated £1 million to the Labour party. But that was 2008; this is 2024 and for many women the battle lines today are in a very different place.
A Labour party that cannot commit to protecting the rights of women is one that many feel does not deserve their vote. On this topic, feelings can run far deeper than they might on the usual political issues – economic policy or the funding of public services, for example – and Starmer would be foolish to ignore them.
Starmer most likely has LGBT Labour pressing him on gender recognition (in favour of liberalising it) and conversion therapy (in favour of banning it). Beyond the political bubble, however, voters know that sex matters, and they can quite easily tell the difference between men and women. Starmer’s history of blundering and blustering over penises and cervixes, and who has what, will not have impressed. When it comes to conversion therapy, voters are increasingly aware that abusive and harmful practices are already illegal, and new bans could be a Trojan horse to prevent children getting the help they need when they struggle with the reality of their sex.
We have heard much about the red wall and the blue wall over the last five years. But in those seats and others there is another crumbling wall Starmer needs to worry about. That is the idea that people can change sex and as such women should be expected to accommodate anyone from the male sex who wants to impose himself on them, for whatever reason. There is an army of women ready to push that wall over and if Starmer doesn’t get out of the way, it will not end up well for him.
Later yesterday afternoon, Nigel Farage changed the dynamic further when he took back the leadership of Reform UK and announced he will be standing himself in Clacton. Reform’s approach to sex and gender is uncompromising, and the party would replace the Equality Act and scrap all diversity, equality and inclusion roles.
Reform might be even less attractive to someone of J.K. Rowling’s political background than the Tories, but for voters desperate for change, it provides an alternative free from gender identity ideology. Rowling’s interventions, however, run deeper than party politics. At least twice yesterday, she came to another woman’s defence – in this case Kemi Badenoch – when she was criticised unfairly by a man. That dynamic is as old as time, and it is one that the male sex ignores at its peril.
If Starmer chooses to disregard Rowling, then maybe he will listen to Rosie Duffield? Or perhaps the ordinary members who founded the Labour Women’s Declaration? There are lots of people with sensible views on sex and gender in the party, but they do not seem to have the ear of the leadership. Unless things change in the next four weeks, then it’s unlikely that Rowling will ‘wheesht’ – or be silenced – and the result on 4 July might not be all that Starmer is hoping for.
Debbie Hayton is a teacher and journalist.
Her book, Transsexual Apostate – My Journey Back to Reality is published by Forum
* This article was first published by The Spectator on 4 June 2024: The significance of J.K. Rowling’s defence of Kemi Badenoch.
Debbie Hayton 