JK Rowling has revealed that she declined two offers for a peerage after Conservative leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch stated she would nominate the renowned author to the House of Lords. Badenoch praised Rowling on social media, mentioning that if she became successful in her bid for Conservative leadership, she would have the authority to appoint some peers as the Opposition leader.
In a public statement on her social media platform, Rowling explained that she had already turned down a peerage twice before, once under Labour and once under the Tories. She emphasized that even if offered a peerage for the third time, she would still decline, stating, “It’s not her, it’s me.”
Following a controversial review on NHS gender identity services by former Minister for Equalities, Dr. Hilary Cass, where treatments were criticized for being influenced by weak evidence and ideology, Dr. Cass was granted a peerage and now sits as an independent crossbench peer in the House of Lords. This development was part of Rishi Sunak’s dissolution honours earlier this year. Rowling supported the conclusions of the review, which led to NHS England halting the administration of puberty blockers to young patients grappling with gender dysphoria.
The review conducted by Lady Cass has faced criticism from various medical professionals and academics, both nationally and internationally, regarding its methodology. The British Medical Association has announced plans to assess the review in more detail.
Throughout her advocacy for women’s spaces and discussions on transgender issues in sports, Rowling has been vocal about her concerns. Having previously been a Labour donor, contributing £1 million to the party during Gordon Brown’s leadership, Rowling has expressed disappointment in the party, accusing them of neglecting women’s issues.
While the Labour Party manifesto has committed to updating and reforming gender recognition laws, it also emphasizes upholding single-sex exceptions outlined in the Equality Act to protect women’s rights. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have been contacted for comments regarding this matter.
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