Cornwall

6 constituencies; 10/30 candidates in Cornwall replied to our emails.

Cambourne & Redruth constituency – 2/5 candidates replied.

Thalia Simone Marrington, Liberal Democrat, 1/4 Yes responses – She responded with: “Yes to number 1 and I imagine yes to the others BUT please would be grateful of knowing more about them and where to find out that information. From my understanding it has all been too vague up until now and from what I understand too different schools are reading any ‘guidance’ in very, very different ways.  This is causing confusion and fear and a lack of knowledge of the law (and clarity) is ultimately not good for the children and young people. 

Regarding Cass and Safeguarding specifically, are you aware of my question to Cllr Ellenbroek at the April Council meeting.  It is six hours into the webcast, and I followed Dulcie with a question about safeguarding and reminding the council of its duties regarding section 175 around safeguarding specifically. It would definitely be worth a look at that.

I also supported and it is recorded (not sure where though!)  bringing a motion to Liberal Democrat party conference around puberty blockers and revisiting our stance on this.  It was rejected by the FCC but it may be of interest to you that I am recorded then of supporting bringing this motion to revisit our approach in the light of emerging evidence and of course now the Cass review.

Roger Tarrant, Reform, 4/4 Yes responses – Replied by writing, “Yes to all your pledges. My Reform UK campaign leaflet features: Educate Not Indoctrinate, the education act states it’s against the law to teach ideologies such as Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Gender Ideology as fact – PROTECT OUR CHILDREN. 

This is a very important topic for me and Reform UK. Please read ‘Our Contract with You’ (found on our website) where Reform UK states that Reform UK would Ban Transgender Ideology and CRT in Primary and Secondary schools. 

If I can be of any help in your mission, please let me know. I would welcome the opportunity to address concerned parents on this issue.”

North Cornwall – 2 candidates replied.

Ben Maguire, Liberal Democrat, 1/4 Yes responses – Ben wrote, “When it comes to children and young people, our focus should always be on ensuring their wellbeing and preventing harm. But the Cass Review has shown that for years, young people have been let down.

Liberal Democrats fully agree with the central points that Dr Cass has made – that young people are being let down by low standards of care, waiting lists are far too long, and this whole debate has become too toxic.

Clearly, change is needed to ensure that every young person gets the high-quality healthcare they deserve.

We fully support the NHS’ decision to move towards a regional model for gender healthcare services. As Cass says, it’s right that young people who are questioning their gender receive compassionate, holistic and individualised support as quickly as possible. As a party, we share this priority.”

Rowland O’Connor, Reform, 0/4 Yes responses – He responded: 

“1. No

2. No

3. No (too young)

4. Yes”

South East Cornwall- 2 candidates replied.

Anna Gelderd, Labour, 0/4 Yes responses – “I have read your email carefully, and taken a look at your website. At this time, I will not be entering into what is, on all sides, a highly emotive and nuanced debate. 

Needless to say, I am extremely passionate about the safeguarding of children. If elected I will fight hard to make sure the safety and welfare of children in Southeast Cornwall, many of whom live in poverty, is an absolute priority.”

Colin Edward Martin, Liberal Democrats, 0/4 Yes responses –He wrote, “I am receiving a large number of emails during the General Election Campaign, and I want to respond to them all personally rather than with a “cut-and-paste” answer from Lib Dem HQ.

I hope you will appreciate that this will take a while, but I will try to answer every email before polling day!

In the meantime, please take a look at our local and national websites, which may answer some of the points you have raised:
South East Cornwall Liberal Democrats (seclibdems.uk)

For a Fair Deal – Liberal Democrats Manifesto 2024 – Liberal Democrats (libdems.org.uk)”

St Austell & Newquay – 1 candidate replied

Steve Double, Conservative, 0/4 Yes responses – “Turning to the questions you have put forth, as a Christian and former church leader before entering politics these have been areas where I have focussed much of my time as the MP for our area over the past 9 years.

I have been urging the Conservative Party leadership to take a firm stance on the approach to transgenderism, gender identity and the way that these contentious issues are taught in school. I am therefore pleased that this is precisely the position the party has taken.

Recently the Department for Education published new and extensive guidance on gender education, requiring schools to take a “cautious approach … when responding to requests to social transition.”

“In England, children can’t obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate so their legal sex will always be the same as their biological sex. There is also no general duty that says schools and colleges must support a child to take steps that are part of ‘social transition’ – such as agreeing to change their name or pronouns.”

Furthermore: “Teachers shouldn’t initiate or suggest to a child that they socially transition – they should begin to consider a request if a student has asked to do so.

“If a child does ask to socially transition, for example, to use a pronoun that is different to their biological sex, then teachers shouldn’t automatically agree

“Parents have a right to know and teachers should discuss the child’s request with their parents or guardian and take into account their views, except in exceptional circumstances where this risks significant harm to the child.”

I think this is the firm but sensitive approach we should be taking. The Education Secretary has also written a public letter to parents in England affirming their right to access and review RHSE material

Certain opposition parties on the other hand seem always to be locked in a perennial struggle on gender politics.

In the wake of the Cass Review which made clear that children were let down by health services on gender treatment, the Prime Minister has promised swift action:

“We simply do not know the long-term impacts of medical treatment or social transitioning on them, and we should therefore exercise extreme caution.

As for adults, while I believe in people’s freedom to decide for themselves how they are to be identified, there has to be reasonable limits upon this to protect them as well as the wider public.

Personally though, I am against any moves to weaken our clear gender identities. One of the strongest arguments that have been put forward against these proposed measures is that they could bring unintended harm to women by forcing them to share toilets and changing rooms with men who self-identify as women and have not undergone any form of sex reassignment surgery. Predatory men who deliberately disguise themselves and have no claim to identifying as women whatsoever, should not be given any opportunity to take advantage of women through this change in the law.

I believe safeguarding, especially of children, is absolutely vital and would not wish to see any changes that weaken their safety and protection. 

I trust my response above sets out my positions on these important matters in full, and hope that we will be able to see eye to eye on most of these.

Noah Law, Labour,  0/4 Yes responses, wrote,

“1. The Cass Review Final Report 2024

The Cass Review is an important piece of work but it cannot be the sole foundation for our

Party’s policies in this area.

2. The Gender Questioning Children Guidance for Schools as of December 2023

You may be aware that Keir Starmer stated he is not in favour of ideology being taught in our

schools on gender

3. The Relationships and Sex Education Review 2024 as statutory guidance

We cannot commit to this guidance. Labour’s approach starts from the belief that education

should prepare our children for the world in which they live and the future that they, together, will

shape. To achieve that, and to give each and every child the opportunity and the future they

deserve, relationships, sex and health education must be an integral part of every child’s

education. The content of such education must be both age-appropriate and taught in a

respectful manner, as well as tailored to the realities of children’s lives.

4. Full safeguarding of all children as per Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024

This is still under review and I am happy to revert once further progress has been made.”

St Ives – 2 candidates replied

Derek Thomas, Conservatives, 4/4 Yes responses – he wrote, “Thank you for your email asking me to support four pledges.  I am happy to give my support to all four, and I have already been taking action to improve the safeguarding of our children.

In particular,

1. The Cass Report was a thorough and sensitive analysis, and I agree with all 32 of its recommendations;
2. I have supported the Gender Questioning Children Guidance as the bare minimum of what the Government should do to support children with gender dysphoria without pushing them towards a clinical pathway;
3. I pressed the Government to publish the Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (RSHE) Review as soon as possible; and
4. I am committed to full safeguarding of all children as set out in Keeping Safe in Education 2024.

I have also been working with other MPs above and beyond these pledges: for example, a number of us wrote to the Education Secretary asking her to introduce a statutory instrument which would enshrine in law the parental right to withdraw children from sex education. 

We have also worked in other areas, outside education, to protect our children.  The Online Safety Act, for example, places new legal duties and responsibilities on online service providers to keep children and young people safe online.  The Act means that tech companies must promote online safety by tackling content that is harmful to children, and properly enforcing age limits.  I supported this legislation through its passage through Parliament, and resisted attempts to water down its effect.

I have also been working to make sure that schools in this constituency are not using the shocking RSHE content which has given us so much cause for concern.  I wrote to all schools to confirm that they have consulted parents (and they all had or were on the process of doing so) and to ask which external provider they used for their teaching materials. 

While I am writing, you should be aware that the Government is consulting on its new guidance on RSHE.  It is critical that it receives feedback from members of the public who do have concerns, and I would urge you to take part through the following link: https://tinyurl.com/GovRSE.”

Andrew George, Liberal Democrat, 4/4 Yes responses – who replied with,

“It’s regrettable the discourse surrounding the extremely difficult and sensitive matters which arise relating to gender identity and related matters has become such a unedifying and unhelpful clash of intemperate and polarised factions which spend too much time shouting at each other.  

It’s clearly a matter which could be harmoniously resolved through building a consensus of love and respect. But we seem to be miles from there, hence my preference to spend my limited time on issues where the debate is generally more rational and less disputatious. That having been said, I turn to your questions:

1. Yes, re the Cass Review

2. Yes, re gender-questioning children in schools guidance, particularly the emphasis on parental involvement and the acknowledgement of school’s obligations to consider the needs and rights of all children.

3. Yes, re the review, there should always be a requirement in schools to uphold the highest standards in teaching evidence-based, fact-based, age-appropriate material.

4. Yes, re safeguarding of children and the updated Statutory Guidance.”

Truro & Falmouth – 1 candidate replied

Cherilyn Mackrory, Reform, 4/4 Yes responses – she wrote, 

“In answer to your questions, please see below;

I pledge to support:

The Cass Review Final Report 2024 in full – YES

The Gender Questioning Children Guidance for Schools as of December 2023 – YES

The Relationships and Sex Education Review 2024 as statutory guidance – YES

Full safeguarding of all children as per Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024 – YES

It is vitally important that we put the safety and wellbeing of our children at the forefront of everything we do.  I have been working cross-party since 2020, with Rosie Duffield, Joanna Cherry and Baroness Anne Jenkin, among others to bring the hidden unintended consequences of what happens when ideology and dogma trump common sense and safety, to the fore.

For me, gender is a different construct from biological sex.  We should ensure that people who are struggling with who they are have access to all the love, compassion, support and professional help that they need.  I do not believe we have enough of this yet.  However, biological sex cannot be changed and this is an important distinction.

As the mother of a primary aged child, who is about to approach the age of sex education and the like, I take a keen interest in what materials our schools in Cornwall are using.  I believe there is still some work to do to row back from the influence some pressure groups have had, but that the Cass Report has shone a light on this and now the genie is out of the bottle.  Parents are now asking more questions.

I genuinely fear what will happen under a Labour Government on this.  Labour in Scotland supported the SNP/Green’s attempts to legislate for their Gender Recognition Act.  The UK Conservative Government, in the face of huge criticism, blocked that legislation.  I welcome that the Conservative manifesto has confirmed that there will be a clarification of biological sex in the Equalities Act, should we be returned. 

Should you need anything further from me, please do not hesitate to contact me again.  Thank you for the work you are doing.”