'Don't Call It Culture Wars': Kemi Badenoch Clashes With Journalist Over Single-Sex Spaces

Kemi Badenoch clashed with a Times Radio presenter after being accused of “stoking the culture wars” over trans issues.

The business secretary has called on people to give examples of how public bodies use incorrect guidance on access to single-sex spaces.

She said she wanted to “tackle any confusion” which there might be on the matter.

Appearing on Times Radio this morning, presenter Aasmah Mir asked Badenoch: “What happens if there are very few examples? The reason I ask that is because clearly there are some people who might be confused.

“Is this just stoking the culture wars? This is something that’s very tiny, doesn’t really happen that often.”

But the minister hit back: “I do take issue with you calling this culture wars. Four years ago, when I was alerting people to the danger of puberty blockers, and a lot of the issues that we had in clinics, people like you were accusing me of fighting culture wars.

“I think it’s really important that especially when journalists talk about this, that you take the heat out. It’s not helpful. It is really unhelpful to call this culture wars. We’re trying to do the right thing by children and women in particular. Please don’t call it culture wars.”

Aasmah Mir replied: “The two things are they’re very different, aren’t they? I mean, we’re talking about puberty blockers [and that] is very different to toilets, isn’t it?”

Badenoch said: “The point I’m making is that when politicians are trying to do the right thing, I think it’s important that you take it at face value rather than casting aspersions on the motivation.”

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said Badenoch “does love nothing more than a culture war and it is so transparent what she is doing”.

“She is pitching to Conservative members for the leadership contest to come in the Conservative Party,” she said. “And frankly, our country deserves a lot better than it always being about the Conservative Party.”