Sunak hits out at Doctor Who star Tennant over criticism of equalities minister
Rishi Sunak has intervened in the spat between Kemi Badenoch and actor David Tennant, suggesting the Doctor Who star is “the problem”.
Tennant suggested at an awards show he wanted a world where the equalities minister “doesn’t exist any more”, and that she should “shut up”.
The Prime Minister said: “Freedom of speech is the most powerful feature of our democracy.
“If you’re calling for women to shut up and wishing they didn’t exist, you are the problem.”
Tennant won a prize for being a “celebrity ally” at the British LGBT Awards last week and used his speech to target the equalities minister.
Ms Badenoch has faced criticism over her approach to trans rights.
‘Depressed’
Mr Tennant said in his acceptance speech: “If I’m honest I’m a little depressed by the fact that acknowledging that everyone has the right to be who they want to be and live their life how they want to live it as long as they’re not hurting anyone else should merit any kind of special award or special mention, because it’s common sense, isn’t it?
“It is human decency. We shouldn’t live in a world where that is worth remarking on.
“However, until we wake up and Kemi Badenoch doesn’t exist any more – I don’t wish ill of her, I just wish her to shut up – whilst we do live in this world, I am honoured to receive this.”
Ms Badenoch hit back and said: “I will not shut up. I will not be silenced by men who prioritise applause from Stonewall over the safety of women and girls.
“A rich, lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology he can’t see the optics of attacking the only black woman in government by calling publicly for my existence to end.
“Tennant is one of Labour’s celebrity supporters. This is an early example of what life will be like if they win.
“Keir Starmer stood by while Rosie Duffield was hounded. He and his supporters will do the same with the country.
“Do not let the bigots and bullies win.”
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he wanted a world where the equalities minister “doesn’t exist any more”, and that she should “shut up”.
David Tennant, one in a long line of ‘Millionaire Labour Luvvies’, who has forgotten that other people’s views count as much as his own!
The gender thing is coincidental, this person is the problem, the country’s problem…
We are talking about Badenough here…for feck sake…
Clearly fishi rishi and second-rate-enoch don’t have a clue about what David Tennant was actually saying (and no doubt there will be others commenting that won’t understand either)!
He wasn’t saying the individual woman shouldn’t exist. He was saying the position of equalities minister shouldn’t need to exist in 21st century Britain!
Tories don’t understand anything in more than one syllable and twist things into unnecessary division.
We’re all victims of Tory policy and instead of arguing with each other we should be directing our anger towards the Tories?
Tennant’s remark was way out of order. Two MPs have been murdered in recent years. Wishing that a third no longer existed is a deeply unpleasant thing to say. Ms Badenoch’s race and sex are largely immaterial here, though it is hard to imagine Tennant making the same remark about a white man.
Davros piles in on Dr Who for dissing his Dalek Queen…
Bigot complains when his bigot pal is called out for her bigotry .
It’s always the most abusive who have the thinnest skins eh?