Labour MPs attack shadow minister over female-only train carriages idea

Labour MPs have hit out at shadow minister Chris Williamson after he said women-only train carriages may be needed to tackle a rise in sex attacks.



Speaking exclusively to PoliticsHome, Chris Williamson said it could help to create a "safe space" for female commuters.

Figures uncovered by the BBC last month showed that 1,448 sexual offences on UK trains were reported in 2016-17 – up from 650 in 2012-2013.

Shadow fire minister Mr Williamson said: "Complemented with having more guards on trains, it would be a way of combating these attacks, which have seen a very worrying increase in the past few years."

His comments echoed those of Jeremy Corbyn, who came in for criticism when he floated the idea when he was first running to be Labour leader two years ago.

Mr Williamson also came in for severe criticism yesterday from female Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Jess Phillips.

Hi @DerbyChrisW can we make all carriages safe for all passengers rather than restricting where we can go? It's not us, it's them honest... https://t.co/hcto5iYa1I — stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) 22 August 2017

why don’t we consult on men only carriages, and those men who sit elsewhere risk police caution for harassment? that would be a choice? — stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) 22 August 2017





Doesn’t keep women safe to restrict their movements-it normalises attacks. We need to be clear they are problem, not women’s seating plans.. — stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) 22 August 2017

Birmingham Yardley MP Ms Phillips said Mr Williamson's amounted to "giving up on trying to prosecute assaults".

My hot take on women's only carriages. Absolutely terrible idea. It is essentially giving up on trying to prosecute assaults — Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) 22 August 2017

Also men should be incredibly annoyed by suggestion they can't control themselves. Sexual violence isn't about urges it's about power — Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) 22 August 2017

If you take your feminist cues from Saudi Arabia you've gone wrong — Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) 22 August 2017

A report in 2014 by Middlesex University for the Department for Transport said bringing women-only carriages would be a "retrograde step" that "could be thought of as insulting, patronising and shaming to both men and women".