JK Rowling and former Labour communications chief Alastair Campbell have become embroiled in a heated exchange on social media platform X, with the Harry Potter author accusing Ms Campbell’s daughter of labelling women’s rights campaigners “ugly.”
The dispute erupted after For Women Scotland, the activist group behind a landmark Supreme Court victory on the legal definition of women, posted a farewell message from London directed at Mr Campbell, suggesting they had hoped to meet him.
Ms Rowling joined the conversation by sharing an animated image of frightened Scooby-Doo characters, captioning it: “Live footage of @campbellclaret and @RoryStewartUK just in.”
Mr Campbell, who co-hosts The Rest is Politics podcast with former Conservative minister Rory Stewart, pushed back against the mockery.
Mmmm. Bit weird 👇🏻 but hey ho … for all those claiming we won’t listen to people who share @jk_rowling views we have in the past asked @jk_rowling who said no. She is a leading voice and therefore we would happily talk to her on LEADING. Previous attempts have been rebuffed. https://t.co/I4nV3sPk00
— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) April 20, 2026
“Mmmm. Bit weird but hey ho for all those claiming we won’t listen to people who share @jk_rowling views we have in the past asked @jk_rowling who said no,” he wrote.
The response continued: “She is a leading voice and therefore we would happily talk to her on LEADING. Previous attempts have been rebuffed.”
The bestselling novelist responded with a blistering critique of both podcast hosts.
“That’s because I wasn’t interested in being used to boost the viewing figures of a pair of exceptionally arrogant men whose understanding of this issue drips with classism and misogyny,” Ms Rowling stated.
She went on to question why the podcost hosts hadn’t approached For Women Scotland for an interview, given their central role in the court case.
“If you’re genuinely interested in a debate I’m at a loss to understand why you’re uninterested in interviewing @ForWomenScot, who secured the Supreme Court victory and are therefore THE leading voices on this issue,” she wrote.
Ms Rowling then turned her attention to comments made by Mr Campbell’s daughter, comedian Grace Campbell, on a podcast discussing the anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling.
“But perhaps your charming daughter has adequately represented the entire Campbell family’s view, by describing them as ‘ugly’ women, with whom she wouldn’t ‘want to be in a room’?” Ms Rowling added.
Ms Campbell has previously said of the women: “Freaks…ugly, ugly, ugly, with the worst hair and the worst clothes.”
Ms Campbell had sparked considerable controversy with her podcast remarks about For Women Scotland members, during which she and a guest reportedly described the activists as “freaks” and criticised their appearance, hair and clothing.
The comedian stated the women were “not aspirational in any way” and that she “didn’t want to be in a room with them.”
Ms Rowling had previously responded to the podcast clip, writing: “They were thinking that simply EVERYONE, darling, would applaud like seals.
“Obviously excludes such non-persons as nurses needing to change their clothes at work, rape survivors who can’t afford private therapy and female prisoners locked in with male sex offenders.”
Alastair Campbell responded to JK Rowling’s post
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BBCFor Women Scotland took the Scottish Government to court over its interpretation of the word “woman.”
The Supreme Court ruling was welcomed by gender-critical campaigners who viewed it as affirming that the definition of women under the Equality Act is rooted in biology, though judges stated their decision should not be interpreted as a victory for either side in the transgender debate.
Following the judgment, For Women Scotland directors Marion Calder and Susan Smith celebrated with champagne outside the court, whilst Rowling shared an image of herself enjoying a cigar on her yacht.
On his podcast, Mr Campbell expressed frustration that the ruling lacked “clarity” and commented on the celebratory images of women opening champagne and Ms Rowling with her cigar.
For Women Scotland have publicly challenged Campbell and Stewart to host them on their programme, stating they were “still waiting” for the pair to accept and “tell us we are ‘toxic’ for the crime of being happy.”
The group noted that Mr Campbell has acknowledged his views on the issue are shaped by his daughter, adding this would be “a chance for him to say we are ugly freaks to our faces.”