Jon Pike, unelected secretary of the Wish and Westbourne Labour Party, has said he is “dismayed” by the treatment of Brighton & Hove Labour Councillor Alison Thomson after she engaged with transphobic posts on social media, and said she “should not have been disciplined or forced to apologise”.
Councillor Thomson apologised for engaging with transphobic posts on social media, as reported by Scene magazine. The Labour councillor was slammed by community groups for reposting or liking a series of tweets supporting the anti-trans TERF movement, which is spearheaded by controversial figures such as JK Rowling and Julie Bindel. The councillor said in her apology:
“I apologise unreservedly for endorsing these social media posts which contain anti-trans sentiments.
“I recognise that they are offensive to the transgender community and I am deeply sorry for the hurt caused by this.
“I am committed to undergoing training to better understand the lived experiences of transgender people and with the aim of becoming a good trans ally.”
Following the apology, Bella Sankey, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, announced Cllr Thomson would be removed from her role on city centre renewal “while further investigation is carried out and subject to her completing training,” Cllr Sankey said in a statement.
Dr Pike said: “There is a difficult debate about sex and gender going on and the Labour Party has made some progress, but the discussion is spoiled when people try to suppress views that are critical of self-ID and the moves to override sex by gender identity.”
He compared Cllr Thomson’s situation to the “terrible bullying of Professor Kathleen Stock”, who resigned from the University of Sussex after a campaign calling for her dismissal over her views on transgender rights.
Dr Pike has also pledged to put forward a motion to the local branch of the party condemning Labour’s handling of the situation: “It is wholly wrong to suggest that Cllr Thomson needs some kind of Maoist re-education on this.
“Bella Sankey is out of line with party policy. Keir Starmer has endorsed the view that a woman is an adult female, but Bella is disciplining councillors who endorse the same view.”
Labour has been approached for comment.
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