logo
Britain's first trans MP Katie Wallis appears in court accused of having a false passport

Britain's first trans MP Katie Wallis appears in court accused of having a false passport

Daily Mail​4 days ago
Britain's first transgender MP has appeared in court accused of having a false passport while she was sitting in Parliament.
Former Conservative MP Katie Wallis of Cardiff, became the first openly transgender MP in the House of Commons in 2022.
Wallis, who was the MP for Bridgend in South Wales from 2019 to 2024, and was previously known as Dr Jamie Wallis, now uses female pronouns.
The 41-year-old appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday representing herself.
The charge was not read out in court, but the defendant previously appeared in Cardiff Magistrates' Court accused of having a false passport 'without reasonable excuse'.
Wallis was alleged to be in possession of the document in April 2022, while she was still serving as an MP.
Recorder, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, adjourned the hearing for Wallis to either seek legal representation or make an informed decision on representing herself.
The judge said: 'I'm going to adjourn this for a short period of time to enable you to decide whether you want to get at least some initial advice.'.
The charge was not read out in court, but Ms Wallis previously appeared in Cardiff Magistrates' Court accused of having a false passport 'without reasonable excuse (pictured today)
Wallis, who appeared in court wearing a pink jacket, was released on bail until the next hearing, which is scheduled for August 15.
Before becoming the first transgender MP in the UK, in 2019, Wallis was the first Conservative to win the South Wales seat of Bridgend since the 1980s.
Three years later, in March 2022, Wallis revealed she had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, saying she had 'felt this way since I was a very young child'.
Wallis announced she wanted to transition to be a woman, while also saying she had been raped, blackmailed, and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
In response, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Wallis's bravery, and politicians from across the political spectrum publicly expressed their support.
Last year, the former Tory MP didn't stand for re-election, putting her decision down to boundary changes while affirming it wasn't 'a case of being chased out locally'.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump: Horrible migrant invasion is killing Europe
Trump: Horrible migrant invasion is killing Europe

Telegraph

time13 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Trump: Horrible migrant invasion is killing Europe

Donald Trump told Britain to 'get its act together' on illegal migration after he landed in Scotland for a four-day visit. The US president, speaking shortly after landing in Glasgow, claimed that a 'horrible invasion' was taking place and said it had to 'stop'. Asked about illegal migration to Britain, Mr Trump said: 'On immigration you better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore.' He continued: 'You've got to stop this horrible invasion that is happening to Europe, many countries in Europe.' 'Some leaders have not let it happen, and they're not getting the proper credit... I could name them to you right now, but I'm not going to embarrass the other ones. But stop, this immigration is killing Europe.' Mr Trump, who has made border control a key priority of his presidency, said: 'Last month we had nobody entering our country.'

Cabinet ministers urged to ensure contracts go to firms that boost British jobs
Cabinet ministers urged to ensure contracts go to firms that boost British jobs

The Independent

time20 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Cabinet ministers urged to ensure contracts go to firms that boost British jobs

Cabinet ministers have been told to make sure Government contracts go to companies that will boost British jobs. Rachel Reeves and Pat McFadden have told their Cabinet colleagues to 'ensure the creation of British jobs, productivity-enhancing opportunities, and skills are prioritised in every major contract'. The Chancellor and the Cabinet Office chief said the hundreds of billions of public spending on roads, railway lines and hospitals promised over the next decade are an opportunity to deliver more British jobs. They also urged ministers to make efforts for their departments to direct more spending to smaller businesses and social enterprises and reduce barriers that are hindering them as they compete with established bidders. They wrote in a letter to Cabinet ministers: 'We want people around the UK to feel the full impact of government spending through investment in skills and high-quality jobs. 'That's why we're going further to ensure public procurement expenditure boosts British industry, jobs, skills, productivity, and expands the supply side. 'Every department needs to be pulling this procurement lever to support economic growth and strengthen our economic security. It is possible to do this within our trade agreements, as other countries do.' It comes after Mr McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, proposed an overhaul of public procurement rules last month that would mean public bodies have to give more weight to firms which can prove they will boost British jobs when they are bidding for contracts. The change is set to apply to major projects such as transport, as well as other schemes including hospital and school building. 'We are asking all secretaries of state to satisfy themselves that your department, and arm's-length bodies, have the commercial capacity and capability to ensure the creation of British jobs, productivity-enhancing opportunities, and skills are prioritised in every major contract,' Mr McFadden and Ms Reeves wrote. They also told Cabinet colleagues to 'set ambitious and stretching targets for increasing your procurement spend with SMEs and social enterprises while stripping away requirements and processes that are barriers to these firms competing with established players'. They said commercial teams within departments are not a 'back office function' but a 'strategic policy lever' and 'must be a priority'.

Donald Trump arrives in Scotland as President greeted at Prestwick Airport
Donald Trump arrives in Scotland as President greeted at Prestwick Airport

Daily Record

time43 minutes ago

  • Daily Record

Donald Trump arrives in Scotland as President greeted at Prestwick Airport

The President was to be greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray as he stepped off the Air Force One flight. Donald Trump has arrived at Prestwick Airport ahead of his four-day "private" trip in Scotland. ‌ The US President was to be greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray after the Air Force One flight touched down at around 8.28pm on Friday. ‌ The Republican leader will now head from the airport to spend time at his luxury Turnberry Hotel and golf resort, which is 35 miles further south. ‌ Trump is expected to meet Keir Starmer in South Ayrshire in the coming days before they then both travel to Aberdeenshire, where the President will formally open a new golf course at his Menie Estate. Murray said yesterday the UK will extend a "warm welcome" to the president, given the historic ties between the two countries. "Of course it's a warm welcome,' he said. "We would always have a warm welcome for the president of the United States. ‌ "The office of the president of the United States and the office of the Prime Minister are ones that work very, very closely together, and should do, because it's in our national interest to do so. 'We should make sure those relationships are in place because it's important for our defence, our security, our economy – especially for jobs – and it's really, really important to the finer details of the US trade deal that's been done.' ‌ Murray's comments come despite a 2019 motion in the House of Commons which he backed – along with Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Health Secretary Wes Streeting – while in opposition which accused the president of 'misogynism, racism and xenophobia'. Pressed on his support for the motion, Murray did not answer, instead focusing on the importance of the relationship between the two countries. Murray said the Scottish Secretary has a 'duty' to welcome foreign dignitaries. ‌ Speaking to reporters before he began his travel to Scotland today, the US president described his Turnberry golf course as 'the number one course in the world'. Trump said he was going to have dinner at Turnberry with Starmer and 'then we're going to go to the oil capital of Europe, which is Aberdeen'. He added: 'We're going to have a good time. I think the Prime Minister and I get along very well.' ‌ Trump will also meet with John Swinney during his time in Scotland. Asked about meeting with the First Minister, President Trump said he has a 'lot of love' for Scotland. ‌ He added: ' The Scottish leader is a good man, so I look forward to meeting him.' Trump also indicated he and Sir Keir Starmer could 'approve' the US-UK trade deal when they meet in Scotland. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. He said: 'We're going to be talking about the trade deal that we made and maybe even approve it.' Protests are expected in parts of Scotland during the visit, with police expected to be stretched and requests for extra officers being issued to other forces in the UK. The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said policing will be 'seriously affected'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store