A Liberal Democrat MP has sparked backlash after campaigners demanded an apology over his comments about women’s rights activists pursuing a “fascist agenda”.
North Cornwall MP Ben Maguire criticised For Women Scotland on social media for their role in April’s landmark Supreme Court ruling on biological sex.
The MP wrote on X: “I’ve spent my life defending women’s rights – most recently on the [Commons’ Home Affairs Select Committee] looking at violence against women and girls. Guessing that doesn’t fit with your fascist agenda though.”
The Liberal Democrats’ judicial chief added: “I must be the enemy of the people as I said in my speech our public discourse now is black or white and right or wrong – what a sad indictment on humanity.”
A Liberal Democrat MP has sparked backlash after campaigners have demanded that the politician apologise for accusing a women’s group of having a ‘fascist agenda’
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Maguire, who uploaded the comments on Wednesday morning, has since deleted his X account and claimed he regretted his comment.
He told the Express: “I regret that comment which was made in the heat of the moment. This whole debate has become quite toxic, so I felt it best to step away from X for a while.”
Dr Zoe Hollowood, Chair of Liberal Voice for Women, put pressure on the MP to issue an official apology.
She said: “Ben’s comments were unfortunate saying For Women Scotland had a fascist agenda. Hopefully he has reconsidered these remarks and will issue a full apology in time.”
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Maguire singled out the Harry Potter author for criticism as he attacked those who had “poisoned the public discourse”.
Rowling responded by saying it was “like being savaged by a dead sheep”.
The comments followed April’s landmark Supreme Court ruling, clarifying that the term “woman” in the Equality Act is defined by biological sex.
Rowling responded by saying it was ‘like being savaged by a dead sheep’
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The ruling was made after For Women Scotland successfully challenged the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 over its inclusion of trans women in its definition of women.
Speaking in the Supreme Court, Lord Hodge declared that “The terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.”
The Court of Session ruled that changing the definition in the act was unlawful, as it dealt with matters outside the Scottish Parliament’s legal competence.
The EHRC has since issued guidance stating access to single-sex spaces must be based on biological sex.