Ashfield’s representative on the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP), Charlie Simpson, has tonight (Friday) spoken of his “relief” that a UKYP investigation in his social media activity has been dropped. Simpson, 13, from Sutton in Ashfield, was accused of “transphobia” for questioning gender transition at a young age.
His views were in line with the findings of the government-commissioned Cass Review, which said that “for most young people, a medical pathway will not be the best way to manage their gender-related distress.”
Simpson was supported by the Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, who described the investigation as “truly shocking”. When news of the investigation emerged in April, Anderson said: “When I say I want my country back I mean it. I want to live in a country where a 13 year old child can say this and not be investigated.”
The decision to drop the investigation stems from the structural issues with the UKYP. It had been an initiative of the British Youth Council, but the council ceased operating in March after declaring insolvency. Members of the UKYP steering group have been meeting with government officials to secure a new structure and funding.
Without a body behind the UKYP, it had no power to investigate or take action against any of its members.
Describing his relief at the end of the investigation, Simpson said: “I am angered that I was put through all this to not even get to give my say.”
He said that the UKYP should have known at the start they couldn’t undertake an investigation. “They should have known at the start that they didn’t have the power to launch an investigation because of the issues with the British Youth Council, but they still did it.”
During the investigation, Simpson has suspended much of his political activity, including a campaign about free school lunches. He is now planning to restart his campaign in the coming days.
