KEIR Starmer has tonight insisted he will meet with JK Rowling to thrash out trans and gender rights – saying he “respects her views”.
The Labour leader dropped the bombshell while taking questions from Sun readers and our Political Editor Harry Cole this evening.
Sir Keir Starmer taking questions from Sun readers tonight
The Sun Reader Cabinet health secretary grilled him on women’s rightsThe Sun
AFPHarry Potter author JK Rowling said she will struggle to vote Labour[/caption]
The Sun’s Political Editor Harry Cole asked if Rishi would meet JK Rowling
Sir Keir was grilled by in a Never Mind the Ballots Election Showdown at The Sun’s London HQ.
You can watch the clash at The Sun’s London HQ in full on our YouTube channel.
One reader asked Sir Keir whether Labour would meet with JK Rowling to discuss trans issues.
The Harry Potter author has blasted Labour over its shifting stance on self-identification for trans people.
She added that she would “struggle to support” Labour despite previously backing the party.
But Sir Keir said: “Of course I’d meet with her. Of course I would. She’s made some really important points.
In our election showdown clash tonight:
Rishi Sunak claimed “Keir Starmer won’t tell you what he’s going to do” – because you won’t like it
The PM said he’s “incredibly angry” about the Tory election betting scandal
Keir Starmer was hammered by Sun readers over Jeremy Corbyn but heaped praise on Boris Johnson
The Labour leader saw his plans to beat the small boats crisis blasted by hecklers
Starmer insisted he will meet with JK Rowling to thrash out trans and gender rights in a bombshell statement
Sunak claimed that he was one of the first to raise the alarm on Liz Truss’s plans in 2022
“I’d welcome that discussion, because I do think that we made huge progress on women’s rights under Labour governments.
“On equality we made massive progress. There’s more work to be done if we are privileged to come in to serve this country.
Sir Keir added: “I want to make sure that we can bring people together.”
The Labour leader agreed with our Sun cabinet health secretary that single-sex spaces for women must be protected.
He aid: “When I was chief prosecutor, I was working with very many victims of sexual violence and Domestic Violence.
“I saw for myself that women’s spaces must be protected – whether it’s single psych wards or small spaces.
Sir Keir added: “We mustn’t go down the route of self-identification.”
It comes after Rowling slammed Sir Keir Starmer and Labour – saying they’ve “dismissed women” and she’ll struggle to vote for them.
Writing in The Times, Rowling said Labour had turned its back on women.
She wrote: “As long as Labour remains dismissive and often offensive towards women fighting to retain the rights their foremothers thought were won for all time, I’ll struggle to support them.
“The women who wouldn’t wheesht didn’t leave Labour. Labour abandoned them.
“For left-leaning women like us, this isn’t, and never has been, about trans people enjoying the rights of every other citizen, and being free to present and identify however they wish.
“This is about the right of women and girls to assert their boundaries – it’s about freedom of speech and observable truth.”
Rishi: Keir won’t tell you what he’ll do in power because he knows you won’t like it
KEIR Starmer won’t tell you what he’ll do in power because he knows you won’t like it, Rishi Sunak blasted tonight.
The PM warned Brits will suffer under a Labour government while taking questions from Sun readers and our Political Editor Harry Cole.
Asked to defend his record, Rishi said: “I believe in what I’m saying, I believe in tax cuts.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve done but I am focused on the future and this election.
“We can talk about the past but the choice is – who do you want to run your country?
“Who is placed to deliver security? No-one can say what Labour will do.
“If a politician doesn’t tell you what they’ll do, it’s probably because you won’t like it.
“We’ve heard from the audience about the challenges of bills – that’s why I’m fighting hard.”
PM Rishi Sunak also faced questions at The Sun’s London HQ