Brianna Ghey’s mum focused on daughter’s ‘lasting legacy’ amid Rishi Sunak row

Brianna Ghey’s mum Esther Ghey says she is focused on creating a “lasting legacy” for her daughter amid a row about Rishi Sunak’s recent trans jibe in parliament.

At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (6 February) Sunak made a cruel jibe about trans people whilst Esther Ghey was present in the chamber, arguing that Labour leader Keir Starmer had changed his position on “defining a woman” and accusing him of “breaking every single promise he was elected on.”

“Of all the weeks to say that, when Brianna’s mother is in this chamber. Shame,” Starmer replied. “Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility.”

Now, Esther Ghey has said she wishes to remain focused on creating a “lasting legacy” for her daughter, who was murdered in Culcheth, Warrington in February last year.

“I don’t wish to comment on reports of wording or comments recently made,” she wrote on the Facebook page of her mental health campaign Peace & Mind UK, which she set up last year in the wake of Brianna’s murder.

“My focus is on creating a positive change and a lasting legacy for Brianna.”

She continued: “Through Peace & Mind, we want to improve lives by empowering people, giving them the tools they need to build mental resilience, empathy, and self-compassion through mindfulness.

“In developing these skills, I hope that we can create a more understanding, peaceful, and stronger society for everyone.”

Sunak has repeatedly refused to apologise for his remark, both in the House of Commons and during an interview with Sky News after Brianna’s father, Peter Spooner, called for an apology.

“As the prime minister for our country to come out with degrading comments like he did, regardless of them being in relation to discussions in parliament, they are absolutely dehumanising,” Spooner told Sky News on Wednesday, adding that he felt Sunak “should apologise for his remarks.”

However, on Thursday Sunak maintained that Starmer was using Brianna’s case to “detract” from his “track record of multiple u-turns,” doubling down on his stance.

“Like everyone, I was completely shocked by Brianna’s case,” Sunak told Sky News on Thursday (8 February), noting that he had the most “heartfelt sympathy” for Brianna’s family and friends.

“But to use that tragedy to detract from the very separate and clear point I was making about Keir Starmer’s proven track record of multiple U-turns on major policies because he doesn’t have a plan, I think is both sad and wrong,” Sunak argued.

“I think that is an absolutely legitimate thing to point out and it demonstrates that he doesn’t have a plan for the country,” he added.

Last week, Brianna’s teenage killers, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, were both handed life sentences for her “brutal, planned and sadistic murder” in February 2023. Jenkinson was given a 22-year sentence, and Ratcliffe 20 years.

Whilst Mrs Justice Yip, the judge overseeing the case, said that Jenkinson was motivated by a “deep desire to kill,” she deemed that Ratcliffe “undoubtedly displayed hostility to Brianna based on her transgender identity.”