Skip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.Join todayAlready a member? Log inDavid MaddoxFriday 25 September 2026 16:39 BSTRelated: Kemi Badenoch labels Bridget Phillipson a 'spiteful class warrior’Labour chair and minister for women and equalities Bridget Phillipson has accused the Conservatives and Reform UK of weaponising violence against women and girls for political point-scoring rather than genuinely addressing the crisis.Speaking ahead of the Labour Women’s Conference, Phillipson defined women’s safety as a national emergency and claimed right-wing politicians only focus on the topic when linking it to immigration or asylum issues.Phillipson highlighted Labour's ongoing initiatives to combat misogyny and systemic violence, including a national inquiry into child sexual exploitation gangs and a strategy aimed at halving violence against women within a decade.Addressing the debate surrounding single-sex spaces, Phillipson affirmed her support for biological female-only spaces in line with Supreme Court rulings while emphasising that trans individuals must live free from harassment.A spokesperson for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed Phillipson's statements as a spiteful attack, defending Badenoch's record on protecting single-sex spaces and addressing women's safety concerns.In fullFarage and Badenoch have ‘weaponised’ violence against women, warns Bridget PhillipsonMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in