Miriam Cates

"As a woman, I fully understand the threats to dignity and safety that the Bill poses, because it will change the social contract. In this country, we recognise that in toilets, changing rooms and public spaces, there are areas where only women are allowed. In a restaurant recently, I had an experience where a man dressed as a woman walked into the toilets where I was on my own. He stood behind me and stared at me in the mirror, looking me in the eye. I have no idea whether he intended me any harm, but my evolved instinct as a woman was to be frightened, because unlike in almost any other species, women are far less powerful than men and we cannot defend ourselves. [Interruption.] No, it is a fact. The difference in strength between men and women is phenomenal, which is why we have separate sex categories for sport. Women are evolved to be wary of men in intimate spaces, which is why we have single-sex spaces and why they must continue to exist for the safety and privacy of women. The Bill threatens that social contract."

"[On gender ideology] If theres one place where a woman should be able to speak up about these issues, that should be parliament."

"The problem with this point of view represented by those who subscribe to gender ideology is that they dont respond to rational debate with counterarguments. They respond to it with cries of bigots, or cries of trying to silence people who express an opposite point of view. Thats what is so frustrating."

"Perhaps we could ask the Church of England to return to their day job and marry people for free."

"Yet trans activists have succeeded in campaigning for biological males who identify as female to be allowed into women’s sports, women’s hospital wards and women’s prisons, even when these trans women still have intact male genitalia. This is not acceptable, and presents a serious threat to women’s safety, as well as our sex-based rights."

"[On a lack of "hope for the future" discouraging the young from becoming parents] That hope is sadly diminishing in so many of our young people today, because liberal individualism has proven to be completely powerless to resist the cultural Marxism that is systematically destroying our children’s souls. When culture, schools and universities openly teach that our country is racist, our heroes are villains, humanity is killing the Earth, you are what you desire, diversity is theology, boundaries are tyranny and self-restraint is oppression, is it any wonder that mental health conditions, self-harm and suicide, and epidemic levels of anxiety and confusion characterise the emerging generation? We must end the indoctrination of our children with destructive and narcissistic ideologies, instead protecting childhood, training children in the timeless virtues and teaching them how to love our country."

"I think ... Im uncomfortable ... I believe every human being is equal before God. Thats my faith position. I dont think we can get away from the fact that abortion is taking human life. There are obviously balances of rights, and Im not an absolutist at all."

"If Britain is to reverse its decline, we would do well to follow the example of countries like Hungary. Of course, high profile policies like building giant border fences would not translate directly into the British context, but we can learn from the principles behind them."

"What does it even mean to "undermine British values" when there is no consensus — and certainly no legal definition — of what those values are?"

"We have got a problem in this country with knowing what the problem is but not being able to do anything about it."

"Some people think that gender critical views are extreme. I think decriminalising abortion to birth is extreme. Opposition politicians think the current government is extreme."

"If extremist views are illegal, then the person who defines extremism has the power to curtail free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press and freedom of association. This is the path to authoritarianism."