Biology MUST come first in trans debate and is ‘critically important’ to policy, Rishi Sunak says 

Rishi Sunak says biology MUST come first for laws around gender-neutral and trans athletes competing against women

  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally came out with a stance on trans issues
  • He said biology must be primary policy driver when it comes to legal matters  
  • It’d cover issues like gender-neutral toilets and transgender women in sport
  • Mr Sunak also confirmed he ‘absolutely’ shared Mr Johnson’s view on the matter 

The Chancellor has said that biology must be the primary policy driver when it comes to laws around gender-neutral toilets and transgender women competing in sport.

Mr Sunak – who has previously avoided directly commenting on the issue – told a Mumsnet user that women’s rights and trans rights should both be respected, but stressed: ‘I’m of the view that biology is important – it’s fundamental, it’s critical to how we approach those type of questions.’

The Chancellor’s latest line appears to be more definitive than when he was questioned last month. 

Refusing to give his own definition of a woman, he deferred to Boris Johnson’s words in the Commons despite being questioned numerous times by TalkTV, saying: ‘I can’t put it as well as he did.’

Chancellor Rishi Sunak finally came out with a stance on trans issues by telling a Mumsnet user that biology must be primary policy driver when it comes to legal matters covering issues like gender-neutral toilets and transgender women in sport

Above: Trans female athelete Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle but was shunned by the female atheletes she competed against. Chancellor Sunak said: You need to have compassion for those thinking about their identity and thinking about what that means for them, their families as they’re potentially going through a change and we need to be compassionate and understanding about that'

Above: Trans female athelete Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle but was shunned by the female atheletes she competed against. Chancellor Sunak said: You need to have compassion for those thinking about their identity and thinking about what that means for them, their families as they’re potentially going through a change and we need to be compassionate and understanding about that’

Yesterday Mr Sunak also confirmed he ‘absolutely’ shared Mr Johnson’s view on the matter.

He said: ‘You need to have compassion for those thinking about their identity and thinking about what that means for them, their families as they’re potentially going through a change and we need to be compassionate and understanding about that.

‘And we also have to have respect, in particular for views of women who are anxious that some of the things they have fought really hard for and rights that are important to them will be eroded.

‘We need to have respect for that point of view.’

Mr Sunak said that in practical terms, policy should be reflected in ‘biology’ when the government approach areas such as toilets or sport.

He added: ‘That should be how policy is reflected in that.

‘Biology is critically important as we think about some of those very practical questions.’ The Chancellor’s line appears to be more definitive than when he was questioned on the matter last month.