PM wades into trans row with David Tennant

RISHI SUNAK today stepped in to an ill-tempered dispute over transgender and women's rights between former Doctor Who actor David Tennant and Cabinet minister Kemi Badenoch.

- Jitendra Joshi and Nicholas Cecil

After Tennant suggested at the British LGBT Awards that Ms Badenoch should "shut up", the Trade Secretary and equalities minister vowed she would not.

The Prime Minister said: "Freedom of speech is the most powerful feature of our democracy. If you're calling for women to shut up and wishing they didn't exist, you are the problem."

Ms Badenoch tweeted last night that the award-winning actor was a "rich, Lefty, white male celebrity so blinded by ideology", adding: "Tennant is one of Labour's celebrity supporters. This is an early example of what life will be like if they win."