Midlands Message Read in browser Subscribe to Midlands Message Midlands Message is edited by Richard Guttridge Get in touch at richard.guttridge@reachplc.com City MP's comments on how to define a woman sparks furious online backlash MP Khalid Mahmood was recently found to have unfairly sacked forme
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| | City MP's comments on how to define a woman sparks furious online backlash | |
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|  | MP Khalid Mahmood was recently found to have unfairly sacked former aide and lover Elaina Cohen. | |
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| Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood has been accused of 'transphobia' over comments he made about women on Twitter. The Labour MP for Perry Barr sparked a backlash after using the term 'womb-man' to define what a woman is.
He made the comments during an online disucssion on feminism, People and Politics Editor Jane Haynes reports.
Mr Mahmood posted: "I believe a woman is a human being with a womb (hence womb-man) with the ability to bear children. A feminist is a human being who campaigns for females' rights. #MyOpinion"
An immediate backlash followed from people who were offended by the MP's comments. One said: "So when my mum had cancer and they had to remove her insides, did that count as having a sex change and then she was no longer a women?"
Another added: "By your reckoning, once a person has a hysterectomy they are no longer a woman. Barking."
Others highlighted the reference to 'womb-man' as a possible derivative of woman - with several highlighting the word's etymology. Adam wrote: "I think you will find that "woman" comes from the Old English "wifmann", from "wif" (female) and "mann" (person). This takes 10 seconds to Google, it isn't hard."
His stance was also criticised by Labour councillors. The row comes only weeks after a tribunal found Mr Mahmood unfairly sacked his former aide and lover. | |
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| | | Schools 'could close early' due to soaring energy bills | | | | There are fears schools will be hit hard by the cost of living crisis over the coming months, with unions predicting school meals reducing in size and partial closures because of soaring inflation and energy costs.
Shirley Perry, joint deputy general secretary for Birmingham's National Education Union, told reporter Rhi Storer she was worried schools might have to close early to save cash.
She said: "We already have schools in our city finishing early on a Friday. I can see school time being cut even further to four days a week to save money. That's not confirmed, but it's a worry from teachers I am hearing.
"The Government has not properly invested in schools over the last 10 years. They need retrofitting on old school buildings, for example, to help with the energy price burden." | |
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What we're reading | - Coventry City Council is spending thousands of pounds on luxury cars to ferry around its mayors and senior councillors, Ellie Brown reveals.
- Industry experts believe lifting the two-year ban on fracking won't ease the immediate energy supply crisis. Business Editor Tom Pegden reports.
- Historic Leicester Market is set to undergo a major overhaul to make it "fit for the 21st century". Midlands Business Editor Tamlyn Jones reports.
- Tamlyn also reveals how Nottingham Trent University is to expand its London campus.
- Meanwhile, new designs have been revealed for a 46-storey apartment block set to be added to the Birmingham skyline near the city's library.
- Popular beauty spots Lickey Hills, Woodgate Valley Country Park and Sutton Park may start charging all visitors to park their cars there. Rhi Storer has the latest.
- Rhi also reports how parents of vulnerable children say they are being silenced by Sandwell Council, after a leaked document suggested those who complain about home-to-school transport face their child's transport removed permanently.
- Government inspectors will decide on whether to build a brand new retirement complex in Aldridge. Gurdip Thandi reports.
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