Rishi Sunak has apologized for the U.K. military’s ban on people from the LGBT+ community from serving.
This follows the publishing of a government-commissioned review into the mistreatment and experiences of LGBT+ veterans, conducted by Lord Etherton, former master of the rolls. He recommended that a formal apology was given and compensation of up to £50 million be paid.
The ban lasted for 33 years between 1967, when homosexuality was decriminalized in the U.K., and 2000.
Sunak told MPs at the beginning of the last Prime Ministers’ Questions before the summer recess, “As today’s report makes clear, in that period many endured the most horrific sexual abuse and violence, homophobic bullying and harassment, all while bravely serving this country.
“Today, on behalf of the British state, I apologize. And I hope all those affected will be able to feel proud parts of the veterans’ community that has done so much to keep our country safe.”
However, it seems Mr. Sunak is happy to apologize on anyone’s behalf but his own. PinkNews published a video of the PM making transphobic jokes in a private social gathering with an estimated 100 fellow Tory MPs.
In the recording, Sunak says, “It shows his spectacular misjudgment and why he’s completely unfit to lead our country.”
Though it’s not clear who exactly he is referring to, it’s presumably Labour leader Keir Stammer who himself has been criticized regarding his beliefs on LGBT+ matters such as outing trans pupils at school.
Sunak can then be heard saying, “Over the same period of time, you might have noticed Ed Davey has been very busy. Like me, you can probably see that he was trying to convince everybody that women clearly had penises.
“You’ll all know that I’m a big fan of everybody studying maths to 18, but it turns out that we need to focus on biology.”
A source told the publication, “There was laughter, there were quite a few younger attendees who looked visibly uncomfortable.”
However, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Sunak made this joke; he’s been brazen with his beliefs in public too. Earlier this year, he agreed with the statement “100 percent of women do not have a penis” while speaking to Conservative Home. He has also suggested that he will rework the Equality Act so that trans women can’t access single-sex spaces like changing rooms, which would follow his blocking of Scotland’s plans for their Gender Recognition Act in January, which would have made it easier for trans people to change their gender.
(featured image: AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)
