132 Comments

Could not believe this one. Even the Times comments section (normally quite sensible really) were blithering on about him being brave and living his truth. Eh? It's quite obvious he was drunk driving and has compromising photos knocking around, not to mention years of corruption and sleaze behind him, and some panicking Tory whip has suggested he acquire some trans armour. Being "upset and/or traumatized by one's gender identity" covers all manner of sins, apparently. I feel for his wife and daughters.

Expand full comment

You have probably seen this little cartoon snippet. Summarises it well:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OR_D2EEPS4

Expand full comment

I so love this cartoon, it's totally brilliant.

Expand full comment

Yes, he makes Keith Vaz look positively ethical!

Expand full comment

Or Ron Davies

Expand full comment

Yes as usual the wife and kids are ignored in all this.

Expand full comment

Every. single. damn. time.

Expand full comment

Yes, it put me in such a bad mood yesterday when I read those comments. Even the so sensible Julia Hartley Brewer was a let down as seen above.

Still, The Times redeemed itself today and so did the posters in the comments, on two articles about 'Emily' Bridges.

Expand full comment

I get the feeling Julia Hartley Brewer is stirring it up! No doubt the oh how brave will backlash this bloke the more his chancer behaviour comes out!

Expand full comment

Yes, perhaps you are right. It was deffo out of character. So hard to tell what is sarcastic now

Expand full comment

Yep, grifters are attracted to the trans card for how it prevents people from challenging them or even investigating them. If you do, you're "transphobic" and can be shut down on that basis alone.

Expand full comment

None of the people publicly congratulating the 'courageous' MP have wished his wife and daughters well. Their existence is ignored. He has readily admitted to sex with men and to being blackmailed as a result. Of course that is awful, and the rape too. But not a single word of apology to his family for what he has put/is putting them through.

Expand full comment

What evidence is there that he was actually raped? Women are called upon to prove their allegations, women without a history of grifting and lying.

Expand full comment

Fair point

Expand full comment
Mar 31, 2022·edited Mar 31, 2022

True. He should have reported it to the police if it is true.

Expand full comment

Call me suspicious but I reckon the rape allegation is all part of his fantasy. All the people falling over themselves to congratulate this dodgy, dirty MAN is absolutely laughable! :D

Expand full comment

I think your analysis is spot on.

Expand full comment

I agree. He comes across as manipulative.

Expand full comment

Yes, it's appalling. But then, look at how hetero Boris Johnson has treated his previous partners.

Expand full comment

Indeed. Appalling behaviour. Lack of honesty. Deceit.

Expand full comment

Once you are accepted into The Church of Transgender, you are absolved of all your sins.

Expand full comment

More than that, you qualify for special sympathy as a vulnerable and marginalised person. Never mind how many companies you own as well your £85k salary as an MP.

Expand full comment

No matter how odious those sins might be!

Expand full comment
Mar 31, 2022Liked by ripx4nutmeg

Rip, you are a bloody marvel. I live in hope of a journalist doing a job even half as good as you.

Expand full comment

Cheers to that! 🥂

Expand full comment

I wish Julia Hartley-Brewer (with whom I generally agree on THIS topic) would stop with the dewy eyed nonsense over 'true trans' people. Gender dysphoria is not the holy grail - it's a hotch-potch of symptoms that rely upon societally imposed gender stereotypes, and in some cases are the result of entirely different problems (such as trauma or abuse). It's also really easy for a male paraphilic cross dresser to fake.

Expand full comment

There’s still that little be kind BS, which is ludicrous. Save the care and compassion for the children being medicalised, not some AGP freak.

Expand full comment

I'm a bit disappointed too on this one. She normally pushes the right buttons.

Expand full comment

uses the word 'trans' to describe himself because he can't spell the word 'charlatan'

Expand full comment

If 'coming out' as trans is considered 'brave and courageous', perhaps we need new words to describe the unarmed Ukrainian civilians who blocked the progress of Russian tanks.

Expand full comment

How about the unarmed Ukrainian civilians who have been used as human shields by the Azov Battalion? How about the 97-year-old woman used this way, who was also imprisoned by the Nazis during WWII?

Expand full comment

Thank you for this great argument. I shall make this same comparison at the first opportunity.

Expand full comment

Fortuitous?

Expand full comment

Hes completely unfit for this highly paid role and for once im with Jess Phillips. Im so disappointed that JHB said how brave this entitled grifter is and if hes married why is he bumming men?

Expand full comment

Ask Philip Schofield that.

Expand full comment

Philip Schofield came out before he got into such behaviour and in his case, I should prefer to leave judgement to his own family.

Expand full comment

He's not; men are bumming him 😳

Expand full comment

"But this never happens!!"

Expand full comment

What is it about trans identifying males & prostitution?

They seem to go together like lies and The Johnson.

Expand full comment

It's a pervy cocktail where you can add a dash of paedophilia and lashings of porn.

Expand full comment

or Wordwaffle and Starmer ?

Expand full comment

He's not even a MIFAWOW (man in female attire with or without surgery), what is he? Is he the first trans-trans-women! Doctor, I feel like I should have been born as a trans woman.

Expand full comment

Maybe he was assigned as a trans at birth.

Still, to avoid any confusion and obfuscating, we could refer to him as a gender-neutral asshole.

Expand full comment

He's just a gay bloke who's looking for attention and hasn't realised that by putting his silly self out there, will actually cause more folk to look at who he really is! Nothing worse than a dangerous, self seeking prat!! Condolences to his wife and daughters..hope they are safe and cared for somewhere😳. Sh*t storm warning

Expand full comment

He also reminds me, in certain ways, of Sam Smith. Sam Smith has been open about his dislike of his body (has struggled with his weight), homophobia and the highly sexual, macho gay scene he threw himself into when he first came out. So his 'soft' body means he is not actually male, and his rejection of his own effeminate homosexuality means he rejects that too - he's decided he is some sort of 'non-man'.

Honestly, you do not have to be Freud to work out that these are male struggles around masculinity and sexuality, and nothing to do with us women!

Expand full comment

Minds you, perhaps Freud was a bad example. He disdained women too...

Expand full comment

Freud was a menace. His middle class Viennese female patients complaining of sexual abuse by males in the family were written off as "fantasists" & accused of wanting what they complained about. Victim blaming by a man defending (and exercising) patriarchal abuse of power at the expense of women: and so obsessed by sexuality he believed it explained everything. His bad influence has lasted far too long.

Expand full comment

focusing on his singing would be better

Expand full comment

Yes, what is local Conservative association saying/doing? Making moves to deselect him pronto I hope.

Expand full comment
Mar 31, 2022Liked by ripx4nutmeg

I knew Nutmeg would excoriate the chancer 😂

Expand full comment

What? Using trans as a distraction? I was told that never happens.

Expand full comment

It never does.

Expand full comment

I am loving this actually. Ordinary people will be saying "Eh?". And well they might. I have been in a permanent state of 'eh" (or much worse) for years over this nonsense.

Expand full comment

I’ve become so cynical these days.

Time will tell what this is actually about. I’m with Peter Tatchell for the first time ever - not fit for office due to the website and company complaints and knocking over the lamppost in his car and not taking responsibility

Expand full comment

Printed on the back of the get out of male free coupon is a get out of jail free coupon.

Expand full comment

And I would suggest that your electrical service needs to be improved. Several days before the lamppost was replaced?

Expand full comment

PT should be mentioned in hushed tones, please.

Expand full comment