Steerpike

Ding ding ding! Sparks were flying this morning on Sky News as host Wilfred Frost interviewed the rather combative Home Office minister Diana Johnson about last week's Supreme Court judgment – which backed the biological definition of a woman. The duo entered into a tense back-and-forth on Sir Keir Starmer's belated reaction to it all – six days after the ruling, as Mr S noted yesterday – with Johnson eventually admitting that the PM's dithering on the definition of a woman had contributed to the 'confusion' around the trans debate. Better late than never, eh? Today's interview follows last Wednesday's news that Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled that 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act referred to biological sex, in a round victory for campaign group For Women Scotland.

Talk about a turn-up for the books. In an unusual breach with convention, it was Kemi Badenoch rising for HM Loyal Opposition this afternoon to respond to Bridget Phillipson's statement in response to the Supreme Court ruling last week. But the Tory leader – whose conviction on same-sex spaces has been applauded by JK Rowling among others – certainly made it a moment to remember as she tore into the government for its cowardice on this issue. Badenoch said: I could not believe my eyes or my ears this afternoon. In 2021 the prime minister said it is not right to say only women have a cervix. In 2022 he said it is the law that trans women are women. In 2023 he said, and I quote, "99% of women don’t have a penis”.

Happy Easter Sunday to LGBT+ Labour. Today’s Mail on Sunday splashes on leaked messages from a WhatsApp chat of MPs who all belong to the campaign group. The paper claims that Labour ministers are now plotting to defy the Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex. A judgment that not all within Labour seem to agree with… In the messages, sent on Thursday evening, Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant joined an attack on Baroness Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who earlier that day had said that the ruling – that a woman is defined by biological sex – clearly meant trans women could not use single-sex female facilities or compete in women’s sports.

Back to the Reform fallout, which has escalated this afternoon. Now the party's former MP Rupert Lowe has said he will sue his old party for defamation over what he claims is a 'concerted smear campaign' against him. He was suspended in March after party chairman Zia Yusuf and the chief whip Lee Anderson released a joint statement in which said they had referred Rupert Lowe to the police, alleging their ex-colleague had made 'threats of physical violence' against Yusuf. The Metropolitan Police has since launched an investigation into the now-independent MP – and Lowe's gun collection was seized at the start of the month. Crikey!

It's a big day for women's rights campaigners, after the Supreme Court this morning backed the biological definition of a woman. After justices unanimously agreed this morning that the terms 'women' and 'sex' in the Equality Act refer to biological sex, public and private workplaces alike are trying to figure out exactly what today's move means for them – including Scotland's very own NHS Fife. After nurse Peggie questioned a transgender doctor for using the female changing rooms, she was suspended by the Scottish health board. The move pushed her to bring a landmark tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Beth Upton for harassment and discrimination and prompting heated discussion about what the Equality Act says about the provision of single-sex spaces.

Just what is it with the Department for Transport and phones? Back in November, Louise Haigh was forced to quit as Secretary of State after allegations about missing mobiles came to light. Then, last week, the Rail Minister Peter Hendy was revealed to have texted while, er, driving a Routemaster bus at rush hour. And today, Steerpike can reveal that the ministry’s mobile phone woes are not just confined to those at an elected level… For it seems that DfT officials have been following Louise Haigh’s lead in misplacing their electronic paraphernalia.

The cost of living crisis continues to afflict Brits across the country – but it would appear that Scottish government ministers aren't having such a bad time of it. In fact SNP ministers will see their pay packets boosted by a whopping £20,000 after First Minister John Swinney's government ended a voluntary pay freeze on salaries in a move the FM says was based on 'fairness'. Not everyone is impressed by the decision, however, with opposition politicians slamming it as a 'reward for failure'. Even SNP backbencher Fergus Ewing has taken a pop at party colleagues over the issue – tweeting this afternoon: 'I read that Scottish government ministers are to get a £20,000 pay rise; is this April the first?' Ouch.