Labour has helped to fuel an “atmosphere of intimidation” on trans issues, the Health Secretary claimed this morning. 

Victoria Atkins said Labour had “spent the last 10 years trying to shut women up when it comes to this”. 

She made the comments following the publication of the Cass review into NHS gender services yesterday which found children had been let down by a lack of research and evidence on the use of puberty blockers and hormones. 

Told that Labour had committed to adopting all of the recommendations made by the review, Ms Atkins told Sky News: “Well, Labour has spent the last 10 years trying to shut women up when it comes to this. They have been part of the ideology, the culture wars, creating an atmosphere of intimidation for anyone who dared to question this ideology. 

“So it is a little bit rich of the Labour Party to be lecturing the rest of us now having been so forthright in their support for this ideology in the past.” 

The publication of the review sparked another Labour trans row as Wes Streeting faced a backlash from some in the party after he welcomed it. 

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