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The father of murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey has demanded an apology from Rishi Sunak, saying he was “shocked” by the prime minister’s comments in the Commons today.

Speaking to Sky News, Peter Spooner said Mr Sunak’s remarks during PMQs, which the schoolgirl’s mother Esther Ghey attended, were “degrading” and “absolutely dehumanising”.

He said: “As the prime minister for our country to come out with degrading comments like he did, regardless of them being in relation to discussions in parliament, they are absolutely dehumanising.

“Identities of people should not be used in that manner, and I personally feel shocked by his comments and feel he should apologise for his remarks.”

Politics Live: Starmer meets Brianna Ghey’s mother

Peter Spooner, father of Brianna Ghey
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Peter Spooner, father of Brianna Ghey

Mr Sunak has been criticised for aiming a political jibe about transgender people at Sir Keir Starmer, saying the Labour leader had broken promises on “defining a woman”.

The prime minister has refused to apologise.

More on Brianna Ghey

However, it is understood Brianna’s family has now been invited to a meeting about online safety – which her mother is campaigning to improve – with Mr Sunak and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan.

During the exchange with Sir Keir, Mr Sunak said: “We are bringing the waiting lists down for the longest waiters and making progress, but it is a bit rich to hear about promises from someone who has broken every single promise he was elected on.

“I think I have counted almost 30 in the last year. Pensions, planning, peerages, public sector pay, tuition fees, childcare, second referendums, defining a woman – although in fairness that was only 99% of a U-turn.”

Sir Keir has previously said that 99.9% of women “haven’t got a penis”.

The Labour leader, who met Brianna‘s mother on Wednesday, condemned the remark, with a chorus of opposition backbenchers calling out: “Shame.”

Brianna Ghey
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Brianna Ghey

“Of all the weeks to say that – when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber,” Sir Keir said.

“Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.

“I think the role of the prime minister is to ensure that every single citizen in this country feels safe and respected, it’s a shame that the prime minister doesn’t share that.”

Sir Keir Starmer meets Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther Ghey. Pic: Keir Starmer/Flickr
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Sir Keir Starmer has met Brianna Ghey’s mother, Esther Ghey. Pic: Keir Starmer/Flickr

Mr Sunak also faced calls to apologise from Labour MP Liz Twist during the session but did not directly respond to her call.

Tory MPs criticise Sunak’s remarks

He has even faced criticism from within his own ranks, with former junior minister Dehenna Davison saying it was “disappointing to hear jokes being made at the trans community’s expense” and warning in a post on X that “our words in the House resonate right across our society”.

Speaking on Times Radio, former Tory business minister Jackie Doyle-Price said it was “careless” and “very ill-judged” for Mr Sunak to use the joke “in that context”, but also accused critics of having “weaponised” it.

Mr Sunak’s press secretary later denied the remark was transphobic and declined repeatedly to say sorry for Mr Sunak’s language, saying it was part of a “legitimate” criticism of Labour.

She said: “If you look back on what the prime minister was saying, there was a long list of U-turns that the leader of the opposition had been making.

“I don’t think those U-turns are a joke, it is quite serious changes in public policy. I think it is totally legitimate for the prime minister to point those out.”

Treasury minister Laura Trott also told the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge she did not think the prime minister had done anything wrong, adding: “What the prime minister was talking about today was absolutely nothing to do with this case.”

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Brianna, 16, was murdered by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe who were both 15 when the schoolgirl was stabbed to death in a Cheshire park last February.

Last week, Jenkinson was jailed for at least 22 years and Ratcliffe for a minimum of 20 years. The pair, who are both 16, will be transferred to adult prisons when they turn 18.

During the sentencing when they were named for the first time, the judge said she had taken into account the “sadistic” and “transphobic hostility” of her killers.

Mr Sunak concluded PMQs by addressing Brianna’s mother, who has been campaigning to ban children from having access to social media apps on their phones.

Read More:
Rishi Sunak may be forced into an apology for clumsy ‘defining a woman’ attack line
Read Brianna Ghey’s family’s impact statements

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He said: “If I could just say also to Brianna Ghey’s mother who is here, as I said earlier this week, what happened was an unspeakable and shocking tragedy.

“As I said earlier this week, in the face of that, for her mother to demonstrate the compassion and empathy that she did last weekend, I thought demonstrated the very best of humanity in the face of seeing the very worst of humanity.

“She deserves all our admiration and praise for that.”

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Rayner ‘hoping’ for winter fuel update within weeks – and says she ‘never’ wants to be Labour leader

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Rayner 'hoping' for winter fuel update within weeks - and says she 'never' wants to be Labour leader

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has told Sky News she “hopes” there will be an update on the winter fuel U-turn within weeks.

Ms Rayner also used her interview on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips to say she “never” wants to lead her party.

Some had suggested recent leaks of her plans for when taxes should change were her testing the waters to run a challenge against Sir Keir Starmer.

Politics latest: Badenoch on two-child cap

Earlier this week, the prime minister confirmed his party was looking to make changes to its controversial slashing of winter fuel payments to pensioners at an upcoming “fiscal event”.

Little clarity was provided on when this would be – the budget in the autumn thought the most likely.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner during a visit to Rossington Miners' Welfare in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, whilst campaigning for this week's local elections. Picture date: Wednesday April 30, 2025.
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Angela Rayner says she wants the changes announced soon. Pic: PA

Ms Rayner has now suggested the 11 June spending review in just over a fortnight is her preferred date.

She told Sky News: “I think that we’ve got the upcoming spending review, and I’m sure that the chancellor will set it out when we’ve got the opportunity – at the first opportunity Trevor she will set out what we’ll be able to do.”

Asked if changes might be announced at the review, Ms Rayner said: “I hope so, but I don’t know. But I hope so.

“I mean, the prime minister’s announced it, so logically to me that indicates that the prime minister wants to do something in this area.

“And if the prime minister wants to do that, I’m sure the chancellor is going to look at how we can achieve that.”

Read more:
Starmer confirms U-turn on winter fuel
Decision needs ‘strong enough’ economy
Analysis: It could have profound consequences

Never wants to be leader

Some might suggest Ms Rayner’s stance was a bid to push Downing Street into an announcement faster than it previously wanted.

It would add to rumours the deputy prime minister is unhappy with the way Sir Keir and Rachel Reeves are running the government.

However, when asked by Trevor Phillips if she wanted to lead her party, Ms Rayner was unequivocal.

“No. I’m very happy and honoured to be deputy prime minister of this country,” she said.

“And I’ve got a lot in my in-tray to prove that I can do the job that I’m doing and deliver on the milestones for the people in this country.”

She continued: “I have no desire to go for the leadership of the Labour Party.”

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Asked to say the word “never”, Ms Rayner repeated “never”.

Ms Rayner also confirmed a leak inquiry was under way after her proposals on tax and spend sent to the chancellor ended up published in The Daily Telegraph.

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Two-child benefit cap: Pressure grows on Starmer as Reform’s policy move parks tanks on Labour’s lawn

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Two-child benefit cap: Pressure grows on Starmer as Reform's policy move parks tanks on Labour's lawn

No U-turn comes without a political cost.

This weekend, it has become clear there is a price to pay for Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to row back on winter fuel payment cuts.

One MP said in a text message: “We all want to see more”, while former prime minister Gordon Brown told Sky News this week the two-child benefit cap was “pretty discriminatory” and could be scrapped.

Nigel Farage
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Nigel Farage is expected to call for the two-child benefit cap to be scrapped

The cap, which prevents parents from claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children, is a symbolic sore for Labour that saw seven MPs suspended from the party last year.

Now it’s back to cause more trouble.

A Downing Street source suggests little has changed in the last week, and looking at the cap has always been part of the (now delayed) Child Poverty Strategy.

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‘You’ve got to be fair to pensioners’

But, beyond the whispers behind the scenes, one thing has overtly changed this weekend – growing pressure from Nigel Farage.

We expect Reform UK to announce this week that it will reinstate winter fuel payments and drop the cap.

Mr Farage is parking his tanks on Labour’s lawn, trying to tap into working-class votes on uncomfortable territory for Mr Starmer.

How would they pay for it? A combination of closing asylum hotels, cutting aid, and scrapping net-zero targets, the party says.

Kemi Badenoch on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.
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Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch

Headline-grabbing move

The beauty of not being in power is not having to make all the sums add up right now, and it is a headline-grabbing announcement that will, at the very least, reignite the conversation about the two-child cap.

It’s also a reminder that Reform UK, who were beaten by Labour in 89 out of the 98 constituencies they came second in last year, have set their sights beyond the Conservatives.

As for the Tories, who introduced the measure in 2017, leader Kemi Badenoch is clear, saying: “If you can’t afford to have lots of children, then you shouldn’t do so”.

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Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is hoping for an update on the winter fuel allowance

Blue water between Tories and Reform UK

So, there is blue water between the Conservatives and Reform, but it’s the prime minister and his party that Nigel Farage is targeting now, and Labour is unclear on where it stands.

Deputy leader Angela Rayner told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that “lifting any measures that alleviate poverty is not a bad idea”.

More from Sky News:
PM’s winter fuel claim ‘not credible’
Starmer-Reeves Downing St ‘rift’

With the spending review fast approaching, Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be working out the actual cost, beyond the political one, of rowing back on winter fuel payment cuts.

But will the anger that the policy ignited among some Labour MPs end there? Or will it move to another uncomfortable subject?

As one MP puts it: “If there’s money for pensioners, why not children?”

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Pakistan allocates 2,000MW power for Bitcoin mining and AI centers

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Pakistan allocates 2,000MW power for Bitcoin mining and AI centers

Pakistan allocates 2,000MW power for Bitcoin mining and AI centers

Pakistan has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity exclusively for Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence centers.

The move is part of a broader digital transformation plan spearheaded by the Pakistan Crypto Council and backed by the Ministry of Finance, according to a May 25 report by local news outlet 24NewsHD TV Channel.

In the first phase, the government plans to channel excess power into AI infrastructure and crypto mining operations. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the decision is expected to attract billions in foreign investment while generating high-tech employment across the country.

The initiative’s second phase will introduce access to renewable energy for mining operations, aiming to balance growth with environmental responsibility.

Related: Trump-backed World Liberty Financial partners with Pakistan Crypto Council

Pakistan unveils tax incentives to attract investors

Per the report, interest from international Bitcoin (BTC) miners and AI firms has already picked up. Officials confirmed that multiple foreign delegations have visited Pakistan in recent months to explore potential partnerships.

To further incentivize investment, the Ministry of Finance announced a package of tax incentives for AI centers and duty exemptions for Bitcoin miners.

Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of Pakistan’s Crypto Council, reportedly welcomed the development, calling it a “turning point” for the country’s digital economy.

Saqib claimed that with clear regulations and a transparent framework, Pakistan could emerge as a significant player in the global crypto and AI sectors.

Saqib first proposed using the country’s runoff energy to fuel Bitcoin mining at the Crypto Council’s inaugural meeting on March 21.

The meeting included lawmakers, the Bank of Pakistan’s governor, the chairman of Pakistan’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP), and the federal information technology secretary.

Related: Pakistan proposes compliance-based crypto regulatory framework — Report

Pakistan creates Digital Asset Authority

On May 21, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance endorsed the creation of a dedicated body to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure in the country.

The Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) will serve as a regulatory body to oversee licensing and regulating exchanges, custodians, wallets, tokenized platforms, stablecoins, and decentralized finance applications.

The PDAA will also be tasked with tokenizing national assets and government debt, facilitating monetization of Pakistan’s surplus electricity through regulated Bitcoin mining, and helping startups build blockchain-based solutions at scale.

Pakistan ranked highly in Chainalysis’ 2024 crypto adoption index, coming in ninth, mainly due to strong retail adoption and transactions at centralized services.

Pakistan allocates 2,000MW power for Bitcoin mining and AI centers
Pakistan ranked highly in Chainalysis’ 2024 crypto adoption index, coming in 9th. Source: Chainalysis

Data from Statista also shows Pakistan’s crypto market is “experiencing rapid growth,” estimating the number of crypto users to amount to over 27 million by 2025, out of a population of 247 million.

Magazine: Bitcoin bears eye $69K, CZ denies WLF ‘fixer’ rumors: Hodler’s Digest, May 18 – 24

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