The Conservative M.P. Jamie Wallis says he has been grappling with gender
dysphoria since childhood and “wants to be” trans. His announcement understandably became the primary focus of attention at Prime Minister’s questions and drew admiring comments from all sides of the House.
The dramatic disclosure could have been made at any time, on any day. Therefore
it begs the question why it took place immediately after publication of the Ockenden report on failures at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust – at a time when Parliament should have been fully focussed on addressing its own cross-party responsibility for the slaughter and maiming of hundreds of women and their babies in British maternity services.
Just another way of burying bad news? Perhaps not a very sensible one, given that the M.P. concerned, however much he may have suffered, is reported to have previously faced official criticism, and even calls for his expulsion from the Conservative party, due to his business interests, including a company which promoted “sugar daddy” services for lone parents and struggling students, offering financial relationships with wealthy “sponsors”.
Let’s hope that local M.P.s, Maria Caulfield, a nurse committed to maintaining high standards of health care, and Peter Kyle, who has done admirable work campaigning against ‘sex for rent’ landlords, both keep a very careful eye on the Commons’ new hero….and the political purposes for which politicians may use both him and his new identity.