UK technology secretary attacks ‘creeping wakeism’ in scientific research

MANCHESTER, England — Conservative leadership hopefuls beware, there’s another culture warrior in town.

On the main stage of the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday, UK Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan vowed to crack down on “creeping wakism” which she says threatens scientific research.

“We are the party of facts, we are the party of evidence, we are the party of scientific rigor and I will defend these fundamental values. But increasingly, thanks to the slow progress of awakening, this guiding light Thatcher referred to is under attack,” Donelan said, referring to a speech by the former prime minister and Conservative icon. Margaret Thatcher to the United Nations in 1989, where he said that scientific research should be used to “shed light into the future, so that we can move step by step in the right direction.”

Donelan said he would launch a review of the use of gender and sex issues in scientific research and statistics, and produce guidance within six months.

“Keir Starmer has said these issues do not matter to the public. He thinks the legitimate concerns of the scientific community and millions of Britons do not matter. Well, I think it does matter,” Donelan said, referring to opposition Labor leader Starmer, to murmurs of “listen, listen” from the audience.

“I think it does matter. I think it matters that university bureaucrats tell scientists they can’t ask research questions about biological sex… I think it matters that in 2021, Police Scotland said that a rapist who identifies himself as a woman will be statistically registered as a rapist by the police. police.”

In a new appeal to the right of the party, Donelan added to his record of defending free speech in the UK. Online Safety Bill.

“Basically, I think adults should have more choices about what they watch, not the state or tech executives thousands of miles away, because we are the party of free speech, and we should stay that way,” he said, citing his removal of rules clamping down on online content deemed “legal but harmful” in the bill.