Liz Truss has accused the Labour Party of frustrating efforts to "protect children and single-sex spaces", claiming the opposition "don't even want to discuss how to protect children".
The former prime minister tabled a Private Members' Bill in Parliament which sought to regulate access to hormone therapy for children under the age of 18, as well as protecting single-sex spaces.
But the Bill was not debated because of legislation tabled earlier in the morning running over. The cut-off point for consideration of Private Members’ Bills was 2.30pm today.
Truss has accused Labour of purposefully filling time in the Commons to prevent her bill from being debated.
Liz Truss has accused the Labour Party of frustrating efforts to "protect children and single sex spaces", claiming the opposition "don't even want to discuss how to protect children"
PA
The former Prime Minister said she is "furious" that Labour MPs have "filibustered in Parliament today to prevent debate of my Private Member’s Bill."
Speaking to GB News, she said: "They've just been making some very long speeches about tangential issues. They've been told off by the chair several times for straying off the subject they were meant to be talking about in the first place and they are clearly running a concerted campaign to stop us talking about this in parliament, even though I know it's a huge concern for the public."
"We have a situation now where teenagers are taking drugs that could impact their future, irreversible decisions about their own bodies."
She added: "Concerned parents will want to know why Labour don't even want to discuss how to protect children and single-sex spaces, let alone put those protections into law.
"Labour cares more about ideology than the protection of children. It is vital that we legislate to safeguard single-sex spaces and prevent children from making irreversible decisions about their bodies.
"These policies have popular support - and legislation is required in this area because non-statutory guidance gives too much latitude to extremist ideologues determined to use any loopholes available to promote their dangerous agenda.
"I encourage the public to write to their MPs to back the Bill so that we can build up pressure to get these much-needed proposals put onto the Statute Book."
Writing on X, Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch accused Labour of "actively working to ignore the concerns of constituents".
She said: "Just now Labour MPs prevented debate on a new law to protect children and single sex spaces. Instead they used parliamentary time to discuss ferret name choices.
"[Keir Starmer] is terrified of debate on safeguarding [and] his MPs actively work to ignore the concerns of constituents."
However, a Labour source pointed out that there were more Tory MPs who spoke in the Animal Welfare debate, which came ahead of Truss's Bill, than Labour MPs.
Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart claimed that Labour was delaying the second reading of the former prime minister’s bill because the party has “no interest in safeguarding children against extreme trans ideology”.
The Hastings and Rye MP told the Commons: “I’m going to keep my speech short because I know that (Sarah Champion) would like to get to her Bill and others, certainly on this side, would like to give the opportunity to (Liz Truss) for her important Bill, as she also got a place in the ballot.
“But which Labour members are keen to avoid by talking it out because they’ve got no interest in safeguarding children against extreme trans ideology and fret about any debate on this issue at all."
A Labour spokesperson told GB News: "Tory support for this bill is further proof that weak Rishi Sunak is still dancing to Liz Truss’s tune, while working people still pay the price for her economic recklessness."