Labour’s First Minister of Wales refused to answer a question asking ‘what is a woman?’ this afternoon in a fiery clash in the Welsh parliament.
Eluned Morgan- who is a Wales’ first female leader- was visibly enraged by Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Darren Millar’s question, as were her Labour colleagues who erupted into jeers.
The Labour Leader hit back passionately: “Oh really! Is that right? Is that right, Darren? On the day we should celebrate women you want to start a culture war.”
Morgan then said she would ‘not engage’ with the question as Senedd members from both parties tried to make their voices heard.
Labour Leader squirms after being asked ‘what is a woman?’ in fiery …
In response, Millar set out his definition of a woman as an ‘adult human female’ and argued it was important to know this to protect womens’ rights.
Morgan fumed: “Honestly, did you not learn anything from why you lost the last general election?
The Labour Leader then listed other things she thought were more important to Welsh voters including ‘connecting communities.’
The Tory leader then asked whether Morgan supports Welsh women having access to single sex spaces like changing rooms and toilets.
To which Morgan said it was ‘important that we focus on the things that women really care about’ before listing ‘feeling safe’ and ‘making sure their children are able to flourish.’
Darren Millar
GB News
The clash in full
The clash between Labour First Minister Morgan and Tory Leader Darren Millar came at First Minister’s Questions this afternoon in Cardiff.
Opening up the questions, Millar asked: “On Saturday, we marked International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the achievements, rights and potential of women and girls here in Wales, across the UK and around the world.
“So can you tell us today, First Minister, in order that people across Wales can appreciate and understand what the Welsh Government was celebrating over the weekend, what’s your definition of a woman?”
Morgan replied: “Really! Is that right? Is that right, Darren? On the day that we want to celebrate women, you want to start a culture war?
“That is not something that I’m engaging with. It is not something I’m engaging with.”
Morgan then outlined how she’d spent the day in the Embassy in Paris discussing women’s issues.
Millar then said: “I’m sorry, First Minister, you chose deliberately not to answer the question.
“It doesn’t surprise me that you didn’t answer the question, because my colleague Lauren Jones tabled a similar one many months ago and still has not received an answer, in spite of the fact that you’re supposed to answer these questions within ten days.
“Now, let me help you by giving you the definition that I use of a woman. To me, a woman is an adult human female.
“I’ll repeat that…” At this point angry Labour members drowned out Millar and the speaker intervened, saying: “I need to hear the leader of the Conservatives in his question.
Millar continued: “Now, it is important that everybody understands that a woman is an adult, human female, so that we can protect women’s rights and ensure that women here in Wales flourish.
“Now, one area where we need some action from the Welsh Government is in women’s sports.
“We need to encourage more young women in particular to participate in sport. But we know that males who have been through puberty have significant physical advantages over females, and this is particularly in relation to physically demanding sports.
“Now, can I ask you, obviously physically demanding sports have traditionally been segregated and separated on the basis of sex to ensure that they are fair.
“So will you commit today to ensuring that all Welsh sporting bodies in receipt of government funds should be required to commit to sex-based categories so that women are not required to compete against biological males and to ensure fair competition?”
Morgan, who visibly enraged, hit back: “Honestly, did you not learn anything from why you lost the last general election?
“I mean, honestly. What people care about is the economy. They care about the NHS, they care about housing, they care about education. They care about connecting communities.
Eluned Morgan
GETTY
“Those are all the things that I am absolutely focused on. And I am not playing games with the whole cultural world because actually the people of Wales are not interested in that. They are interested in us getting on with the job and delivering for them.”
Millar responded: “You may not care about these things, but I care about women and their rights here in Wales and I will continue to speak up and defend them.
“I’m a pro women’s rights potential first minister. That’s what I am and I would encourage you to be likewise.
“Let me turn to another area where we also need some action women’s safety. We know that violence against women and girls has been soaring since the pandemic, and we know that most of the perpetrators are male.
“So do you agree with me, First Minister, that the Welsh Government has a duty to ensure that all women in Wales should have access to safe single sex spaces, including public toilets, leisure centres, changing rooms, women’s refuges and hospital wards?”
At this point a Labour member shouted: “You know you’re alone on this one!”
Morgan replied: “Look, I think it’s really important that that we focus on the things that women really care about, right? What they care about is feeling safe, that their children are able to flourish.
“And that’s why, you know, this is a government that for years have been focused on the things that really matter to women, the fact that we’ve given huge increases in childcare, for example, which you voted against and you voted against, by the way.
“And it’s really important for us to recognize that those are the things that people care about.
“And this afternoon, there will be a debate about International Women’s Day. And what’s good about this is…” Tories then interrupted the First Minister.
She continued: “What we’re interested in is making sure that we champion the cause of women as we have done.
“And what’s great about today, and I don’t know why you create trying to create these divisions is, is that actually we’ve all cross-party agreed on things like safety, on issues like making sure we fight against abuse and intimidation.
“So why don’t we look for the areas where we actually want to cooperate, where we want to work together, and on the things that really matter to the vast majority of women in this country.”
Commenting following FMQs, Darren Millar MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said:
“The First Minister’s inability to define what a woman is undermines efforts to safeguard and advance women’s rights in Wales.
“Women’s sports are in urgent need of action to protect fairness and encourage participation. Biological males who have gone through puberty have clear physical advantages, which is why sex-based categories in sport are essential to maintain fairness and integrity.
“This is about fairness and equality, Wales should be an inclusive society but that doesn’t mean we should ride roughshod over the hard-won rights of women and girls in Wales.”
Welsh Labour have been approached for comment.
