The Telegraph on the Dodds issue:

Anneliese Dodds, who was appointed on Monday, has been called “nonsensical” for her beliefs on gender.

Two years ago, when she was Labour’s shadow equalities spokeswoman, Ms Dodds said in a BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour radio interview that there are “different definitions legally around what a woman actually is” and, when pressed again, said: “I think it does depend what the context is.”

JK Rowling has hit out at [criticised] Ms Dodds following her appointment.

Reposting a transcript of the interview, Rowling said: “And if you happen to be wondering how I have the transcript of that Woman’s Hour to hand, it was sent to me by Dodds’ office after I publicly criticised her prevarication on the programme. They seemed to think I’d find her comments less nonsensical if I saw them in print.”

Hahahaha that’s a good one.

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, will also have the title minister for women and equalities because the title has to be held by someone of Cabinet rank. Ms Dodds will take leadership on the issue but does not hold a Cabinet post.

Ms Dodds had said in opposition that she was going to be the first Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. She will combine the role with that of aid minister, in what will be seen as a significant downgrading of the position from pre-election promises.

Probably because it is in fact a significant downgrading of the position from pre-election promises.

During the election campaign, Ms Phillipson was criticised for refusing eight times to answer whether a biological male should be able to use a women’s toilet during a radio interview with LBC.

Presenter Nick Ferrari then presented a specific scenario about a trans woman with a penis needing to use a public toilet in a restaurant, asking: “The trans woman with a penis would use which lavatory?”

Ms Phillipson repeatedly suggested that businesses should provide “a range of different options”, even when Mr Ferrari specified that the hypothetical restaurant only had two options – male and female toilets.

That’s a classic example and illustration of how this ridiculous brand of advocacy works – by ignoring all reasonable questions and simply singing little arias of hope and joy instead of answering them. There will be a range of options tralala, they will be lovely, they will be decked in ribbons, they will taste like ripe peaches, you will be so happy you won’t know what to do.