For today’s Terf Month speech we return to Emmeline Pankhurst.
Please keep the suggestions for speeches coming in, dear readers.
Thanks as ever to two wonderful readers for suggested pieces.
As an aside, I am having to jettison some pieces this week that I might otherwise cover in order to concentrate on the manifestoes. However I will be covering other pieces still this week - just not so many. 😊
General Election Manifestoes
OK, dear readers, here are the second lot of manifestoes. Obviously I am just concentrating on gender ideology and related matters such as free speech. I leave you to look at the other policies of the parties.
I covered the Labour manifesto here:
https://dustymasterson.substack.com/p/stand-up-and-speak
I summarised the issues that the Party of Women will be concentrating on here:
https://dustymasterson.substack.com/p/rebellion
I covered Alba and The Tories and referred you all to an excellent summary about the Lib Dems and the Greens by Transgender Trend here:
https://dustymasterson.substack.com/p/the-magnificent-sixteen
I am taking the various other UK parties in alphabetical order ( apart from I am pulling Reform up the list at the request of a reader). In some cases the manifesto does not seem to have been published yet but I am relying on their existing statements of principles and policies. I start in each case with a link to the document I am working from.
I make some comments as I go through them. I will leave you, dear readers, to spot where a party fails to address an issue that is relevant to gender critical belief (eg strip searching of women by male officers larping as women) - failure to mention an issue might indicate that the party in question does not see a problem with what is happening.
If I have missed anything important, please let me know 😊
For those of you who are not lucky enough to have a PoW candidate in your constituency, I have drafted some questions you might like to send to the candidates - obviously please add, amend and delete as you see fit. You will find them here:
https://dustymasterson.substack.com/p/i-never-lose?utm_source=publication-search
I deal below with Reform and the Heritage Party. I am only covering the major parties, of course. To come:
Plaid Cymru
The Scottish National Party
Sinn Fein
The Social Democratic Party
The Workers’ Party
The Democratic Unionist Party
If you feel I should look at any other parties please let me know. I am only looking at the two main parties in Northern Ireland, namely the DUP and Sinn Fein. If you think I should also look at the SDLP and the Alliance, once again please let me know.
And no - I am not going to be dealing with the Monster Raving Loony Party albeit that they may prove to be a better choice than the Labour Party!
REFORM
Police
Scrap all Diversity, Equality and Inclusion roles and regulations to stop two-tier policing. Protect the public without fear of favour. Reform the The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) so that the police complaints system works for the law abiding public.
Hate Crime
The CPS and police definition of a hate crime has led to systemic bias. Members of the British public must not be investigated because ‘any’ person ‘perceives’ that a hate crime has been committed. Proper evidence must be required. Enforce existing laws to stop violent, hate demonstrations such as the Free-Palestine marches.
Dusty - shame they didn’t just say ‘abolish hate crime’. I presume that enforcing existing laws would apply to Let Women Speak and similar events.
Education
There are 2 sexes and 2 genders. It is a dangerous safeguarding issue to confuse children by suggesting otherwise. No gender questioning, social transitioning or pronoun swapping. Inform parents of under 16s about their children’s life decisions. Schools must have single sex facilities.
Dusty - this is good though there is no mention of inappropriate materials and how they will deal with RHSE teaching.
Cut Funding to Universities that Undermine Free Speech. The government's Free Speech Act is toothless. Allowing political bias or cancel culture must face heavy financial penalties.
The Law
Leave the European Convention on Human Rights. British laws and judges must never be overruled by a foreign court. We must be free to deport those we consider a threat to our country. UK courts must be able to protect British citizens from EU arrest warrants.
And later in the document:
Critical reforms needed in the first 100 days: Leave the European Convention on Human Rights. Commence reform of the Human Rights Act.
Dusty - keeping my gender ideology/free speech blinkers on, this is where I seriously part company with Reform. Without a written constitution, the Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998 is vital for women’s and children’s rights.
Let’s just take an extract from the HRA:
Right to respect for private and family life (Article 8): This includes the right to privacy, family life, and correspondence.
Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion (Article 9): Individuals have the right to hold their own beliefs and practice their religion freely.
Freedom of expression (Article 10): This right covers freedom of speech, including the right to express opinions and receive information.
Freedom of assembly and association (Article 11): People have the right to peacefully assemble and associate with others.
Right to marry and found a family (Article 12): This protects the right to marry and establish a family.
I could live with leaving the European Convention on Human Rights ( though I believe there are complications with regard to it being enshrined in some treaties) provided we retain the HRA as it stands.
Single sex spaces
Mandate Single Sex Spaces. Public toilets and changing areas must provide single sex facilities.
Social media
Launch inquiry into Social Media Harms. Social media is associated with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, suicide and the child mental health crisis. Critically, social media can change both behaviour and belief without the user's consent. Protect children’s mental health. (Potential social media ban for under 16s if practicable.)
Free speech
Review the Online Safety Bill. Social media giants that push baseless transgender ideology and divisive Critical Race theory should have no role in regulating free speech.
The voting system
Proportional Representation Voting for the House of Commons. First Past the Post is an outdated voting system. Large numbers of voters have no representation in parliament and new parties are shut out of the political system. Voter turnout would be some 10% higher with PR. A referendum is needed.
Dusty - this would obviously assist small parties such as the Party of Women.
A British Bill of Rights
A British Bill of Rights. Our freedoms must be codified and guaranteed. Political freedom, personal freedom, economic freedom. Never again can our entire country be locked down on shoddy evidence and lies.
Dusty - those who argue for this are normally looking to water down the HRA - see what I say above. In any event I see the HRA as a British (and Northern Irish) bill of rights!
The Equality Act 2010
Replace the 2010 Equalities Act. The current Equalities Act requires discrimination in the name of ‘positive action’. It costs the economy billions of pounds, and has become a lawyer’s charter to print money. It has destroyed meritocracy, spread division and led to exclusion for some in majority groups. Scrap all Diversity Equality and Inclusion roles…
Dusty - I hope I don’t have to explain why the Equality Act is so important to us! This is nonsense. I agree with scrapping DEI, of course.
More on Free Speech
Dusty - they call for a “comprehensive Free Speech Bill.” This is totally unnecessary provided you retain the HRA.
Heritage Party
https://heritageparty.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Values-Manifesto-v6a.pdf
I will say at the start that this party wants to repeal the Abortion Act ( except where the mother’s life is in danger) - obviously I am not entering into discussion about that but thought I should bring it to your attention! They would also scrap the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Senedd.
Free Speech
The Heritage Party will assert, promote and defend the principles of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and liberty of conscience. There should be no law or penalty for expressing controversial opinions, making jokes, or engaging in banter. This means supporting the freedom of speech of people who have differing views to ourselves, even if we find such opinions offensive. Everyone has the right to freedom of belief, freedom of speech and freedom of expression, provided they are not inciting violence or crime, or directly threatening another person. Everyone must have the right to discuss and criticise all ideologies and texts without fear of being harassed by the state for their opinions. This right has been eroded over recent decades by the burgeoning concept of so-called ‘hate speech’, which is a term used to impose ‘repressive tolerance’, whereby only the prevailing ‘politically correct’ viewpoint is tolerated, and other views are stifled or sanctioned, even if they are held by the majority. Nobody should be dragged through the courts or fired from their jobs because someone has accused them of ‘hate speech’. The Heritage Party will repeal the legal framework which has led to repressive tolerance so that everyone can once again feel free to express themselves freely, whether in social settings or on-line. We will require that Codes of Conduct for employment allow freedom of expression outside the workplace and demand that Codes of Conduct at Universities encourage, rather than restrict, diversity of opinion. Free speech must also be ensured in the media, both mainstream and social media. Broadcasters, reporters, journalists and commentators must be free to say anything they wish provided it is lawful and does not incite crime or violence. The state should not be allowed to shut down people and organisations on the spurious grounds of ‘misinformation’, ‘disinformation’ or ‘bias’.
Dusty - an end to ‘hate crime’ - HOORAY!
Education
We will not allow schools to propagate anti-family propaganda which undermines heteronormativity and the picture of the traditional nuclear family as the best model of family. We will also block teaching materials and lessons which encourage early sexual activity in children before they reach the age of consent, or inappropriate materials detailing non-reproductive sexual acts. School children should not be exposed to unscientific nonsense like queer theory or gender fluidity. It is a scientific fact that there are two sexes: male and female, which are determined by anatomy and chromosomes. Previously on the fringe of radical thought, gender ideology has been which has been mainstreamed to the detriment of children’s well being. Transgender propaganda which confuses children about their biological sex and damages their natural development as boys or girls should not be allowed in schools. To protect children, we will introduce Hungarian-style legislation to prohibit the promotion of LGBTQQIAAPPP2S+ ideologies and practices to minors under 18-years-old.
Human rights
The original ECHR is a good convention which was drafted in 1950 by British lawyers to help restore human rights to a continent devastated by Hitler’s National Socialism. Seventy years on however, activist judges in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg have made all manner of rulings which prevent the UK government from imposing law and order here at home and carrying out the wishes of the British electorate. They have ruled that we cannot impose whole-life sentences on murderers, we must give prisoners the vote, and have blocked the deportation of terrorists on several occasions, leaving them free to roam the streets of Britain. If we wish to have full national sovereignty, we must leave the ECHR and trust that our own system of Common Law will better protect the human rights of our citizens without the interference of foreign activist judges.
Dusty - they don’t seem to say that they would repeal the Human Rights Act ( see what I say above) so I could live with this.
The Police
The Heritage Party wants an end to politically correct policing and justice. The job of the police is to protect us from murderers, grooming gangs, burglars, rapists, paedophiles, vandals, thieves and thugs; it is not to kneel before Marxists, make dancing videos for the internet, or hassle people for politically incorrect opinions.
The voting system
The ‘first-past-the-post’ system is undemocratic. It is not fit for purpose in this era of multiple parties. Most candidates are elected with fewer than 50% of the votes, and thus the majority has no true representation. The Heritage Party supports Proportional Representation in all elections, from Parliament to local districts and boroughs. Only then will all votes matter. Instead of the majority of the electorate voting tactically to keep out the worst candidate or party, people will be free to vote positively to elect a party or candidate they genuinely support and know that their vote really does count. That is a far healthier system.
Dusty - see what I say above about PR for smaller parties.
More General Election news
Excellent discussion of the Labour and Liberal Democrat manifestoes on JL’s latest update on the Glinner Update:
https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/p/a-week-in-the-war-on-women-monday-56e
Has Julie Bindel read the Labour manifesto!!!??? She says she is going to vote Labour!!! Over to Kellie-Jay
Interviewed by Andrew Doyle on Free Speech Nation, Dennis Kavanagh tears into Labour’s proposal for a conversion therapy ban ( and then tears into Lord Cashman - see my last update!).
I reported in the last update about the outrageous comments of Lord Cashman about Rosie Duffield.
Rachael Burford in The Evening Standard ( Labour Lord suspended after 'lazy or frit' comment about Rosie Duffield who cancelled debates over trolling 17 June) reports:
Rosie Duffield - PA Wire© PA Wire
A Labour lord who branded a woman MP candidate “frit or lazy” for cancelling general election debates over safety fears has been suspended.
Peer Michael Cashman, a former EastEnders actor and MEP, was stripped of the whip on Sunday, Labour sources said.
Ms Duffield, who is fighting to retain the Canterbury constituency for Labour, has been a defender of women’s rights and female-only spaces.
On Friday, in a statement on social media, she said her attendance at local hustings in the run up to the July 4 General Election was “impossible” because of “constant trolling”.
Lord Cashman replied under the post: “Frit. Or lazy”. The Stonewall co-founder later apologised for the comment.
Women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch waded into the row by accusing Labour of “intimidation and abuse” towards its own.
Shadow health secretary Mr Streeting told Times Radio on Sunday: “I strongly disagree with Michael (Cashman).
“That is extremely unfair and I was very concerned Rosie’s not able to participate in hustings and is having to change the way she behaves because of abuse.
“That is wholly intolerable and unacceptable, as is the abuse Nigel Farage has had.
“I count Michael and Rosie as friends and this is exactly the kind of division I’ve been working really hard to try and work through and heal.”
The full article is here:
Meghan Murphy
Great piece by Meghan Murphy on her site ‘The Same Drugs’ taking down the drivel from Freddie deBoer:
To be clear, Freddie deBoer, we don't support 'trans rights'
Freddie deBoer should probably stop writing about the trans debate if he doesn't understand what we're talking about
JUN 16, 2024
Rejoicing across the “transwomen are men” circuit occurred pretty unanimously this week when it was announced that Lia (né William ) Thomas’ attempt to challenge World Aquatics' policy banning men from competing in women’s swimming competitions was dismissed. In a ruling released on Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) determined he did not have standing to bring the case.
In a statement, Thomas called the CAS’ decision “deeply disappointing,” explaining, “Blanket bans preventing transwomen from competing are discriminatory and deprive us of valuable athletic opportunities that are central to our identities.”
This response is actually very good, as it reveals the actual purpose of including men in women’s sport: to validate their identities and offer them athletic opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have.
The thing is, of course, that women’s sports don’t exist to validate men’s identities or to offer them athletic opportunities.
Due perhaps the algorithmic bias, I didn’t see much disagreement with this decision. An exception was in a response I was pointed to from leftist writer Freddie deBoer who, no matter how hard he apparently tries, cannot bring himself to understand why anyone cares about a few innocent men scooching their way into women’s change rooms, prisons, shelters, or sports. Just let them be, ladies! It’s barely even happening. Just a little… Just a few dicks, which is not even that many dicks!
This issue, he believes, is a fake problem: “Fears of transwomen dominating elite women’s athletics are simply not consistent with reality,” deBoer writes, as “transwomen competing at all are very rare.”
He references a statistic showing that “less than 40% of trans and gender nonconforming people are transwomen,” and the vast majority of those are not competitive athletes at all.
The thing is that we are not talking about “transwomen,” we are talking about men, and no amount of men should be allowed to compete in women’s sports, because they’re men.
This seems straightforward, but becomes less so if you lie.
DeBoer complains that few engage with, to him, “the essential question,” which is “whether we recognize the right of people to identify with a gender other than the one they would traditionally be assigned and to do so in peace.”
Well, Freddie, we do not. But I think you know that.
To begin any response in this vein is only to demonstrate an unwillingness to engage in good faith, which has long been my impression of many of DeBoer’s arguments, resulting in a years-long confusion at those who see him as an exceptional “rational leftist.”
The full piece is here:
https://www.meghanmurphy.ca/p/to-be-clear-freddie-deboer-we-dont?publication_id=666229&r=1v403b
Louise Elliot
Some good news from Australia. Thanks as ever to Feminist Legal Clinic.
Council apologises for discriminating against trans critic, Louise Elliot, pays compensation (17 June)
Hobart City Council has apologised to a transgender rights critic, conceding it discriminated against her by blocking her from booking a venue, and it is understood will pay her compensation.
Endpiece
As I explained to a reader recently, my nickname Dusty comes from me spending 4 years as a dustman when I was a young lad. Due to the famous Dusty being Ms Springfield ( real name, Mary O’Brien) I occasionally get misgendered online 🤣
Anyway, I was a great fan of the famous Dusty, so here she is:
#BeMorePorcupine
I have had a number of new subscribers recently who may be wondering why we are going on about Porcupines 😊 I featured a video of porcupine parents protecting their babies from a leopard. This led one reader to suggest that us Terfs need to #BeMorePorcupine. Here’s the video:
Excellent Dusty, it is all a bit of a mess
Brilliant and thorough work Dusty, thank you. Particularly interesting re Reform. Seems like a case of ‘be careful what you wish for.’ I can understand their reasons for abolishing those acts but the consequences could be disastrous for women. If they do gain more power by the next election, we’d have to work on explaining to them the problems with their policies. They’re obviously on the side of common sense and reality, but our issue isn’t a priority for them and they don’t seem to fully understand it yet.
Julie Bindel ffs. How can anyone listen to a thing she says ever again! And I’m afraid I’m losing respect for Rosie Duffield now that an election has been called. I could understand her stance before, but she should not be standing on that insane and incoherent manifesto. Where are her principles? She could make a huge splash by leaving Labour. Sorry folks, I know that’s controversial. 😬