Justine Greening attacks fellow Tory MP Esther McVey over comments on LGBT+ inclusive education

The former secretary of state for education Justine Greening has criticised fellow Tory MP Esther McVey after her comments on LGBT+ inclusive education.

Taking to Twitter, Greening, who came out as the first openly gay female cabinet member two years ago, told McVey that "you can't pick and choose on human rights and equality".

Her comments follow a TV appearance by McVey , who said she believes that parents should have the "final say" on whether or not their kids can attend LGBT+ inclusive lessons. The 51-year-old former cabinet minister, who is now running for prime minister, was asked about the increasingly worsening protests outside schools in Manchester and Birmingham, in which parents are demonstrating against LGBT+ inclusive classes in school.

McVey told Sky News:

I believe parents know best for their children. While they’re still children – and we’re talking primary school [age] – then really the parents need to have the final say on what they want their children to know. The final say is with the parents. If parents want to take their young children – primary school children – out of certain forms of sex and relationship education then that is down to them.

McVey has been facing a series of backlashes from other Tory MPs as well, including Stewart McDonald and Amber Rudd, who backed Greening, saying "a modern Tory party should not just be proud of our LGBT achievements, but champion them."

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