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Listen: Keegan in excruciating muddle over ‘woman’ definition

(Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Who’s been educating the Education Secretary? If ‘what is a woman?’ was an exam question, Mr S is certain Gillian Keegan would’ve flunked the test — given her abysmal performance on the BBC’s Today programme this morning…

The Education Secretary was on the airwaves today after she wrote for the Sun on the government’s plans to reform sex education in schools. Speaking to interviewer Emma Barnett, Keegan’s first slip-up came when the discussion turned to the issue of educating children about gender identity, one of the areas on which her education changes will focus. The Education Secretary confessed that she didn’t actually know how widespread the problem is — ‘It’s not something that we’ve gone and done a particular survey of,’ she admitted — to Barnett’s horror. ‘That’s staggering,’ replied the programme host to an undaunted Keegan. 

But if listeners thought that was the most excruciating part of the interview, they were in for a shock.

Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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