JK Rowling has accused Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart of being ‘exceptionally arrogant’ and ‘dripping with classism and misogyny’.
The row erupted after For Women Scotland – the activist group behind a landmark Supreme Court victory on the legal definition of women – posted a farewell message from London directed at Mr Campbell that suggested they had hoped to meet him.
Ms Rowling responded to the post by sharing an animated image of cartoon characters Scooby-Doo and Shaggy looking scared alongside the caption: ‘Live footage of @campbellclaret and @RoryStewartUK just in.’
Mr Campbell, who co-hosts The Rest Is Politics podcast with Mr Stewart, hit back by revealing that he had invited Ms Rowling onto the show to discuss trans issues.
But the Harry Potter creator responded by insisting she ‘wasn’t interested’ in being interviewed by them.
‘That’s because I wasn’t interested in being used to boost the viewing figures of a pair of exceptionally arrogant men whose understanding of this issue drips with classism and misogyny, @campbellclaret,’ she wrote.
‘If you’re genuinely interested in a debate, I’m at a loss to understand why you’re uninterested in interviewing, who secured the Supreme Court victory and are therefore THE leading voices on this issue.
‘But perhaps your charming daughter has adequately represented the entire Campbell family’s view, by describing them as “ugly” women, with whom she wouldn’t “want to be in a room”?’
The final sentence refers to a comment by Mr Campbell’s daughter Grace which described a group of activists – several of whom were from For Women Scotland – as ‘ugly’ and ‘freaks’.
JK Rowling has accused Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart of being ‘exceptionally arrogant’ and of ‘dripping with classism and misogyny’ amid a gender row
Her retort came after Alistair Campbell (pictured with his The Rest Is Politics co-host Rory Stewart) said Rowling had refused to come on their show
In an episode from the Late To The Party With Grace Campbell podcast last June, with transgender actor Charlie Craggs, she called the group of campaigners ‘freaks’ and ‘ugly’ with ‘the worst hair and the worst clothes… and the worst views.’
She also said they were ‘not aspirational in any way’ and that she did not ‘want to be in a room with them’.
Meanwhile, her remarks sparked outcry online, with Rowling also responding to the clip, mocking the duo, saying they assumed many would ‘applaud like seals’ in agreement with their comments.
Ms Rowling celebrated the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman and has been outspoken about the topic online.
However, Mr Campbell criticised the judgment as lacking ‘clarity’, adding that his views were informed by family and friends who found the judgement ‘dangerous’.
He also bemoaned images of women ‘popping champagne corks, pictures of JK Rowling smoking a celebratory cigar’.
The author said she wasn’t interested in the opportunity and branded the duo as ‘exceptionally arrogant men whose understanding of the issue drops with classism and misogyny’
It comes after the spin-doctor’s daughter, Grace (pictured in 2026) branded women outside the court on the day of the Supreme Court ruling as ‘ugly’
He said his views had been informed ‘by Grace, my daughter, and her friends, almost all of whom found this judgment really quite alarming and dangerous’.
However, For Women Scotland has challenged Stewart and Campbell to invite them on the podcast, saying as of Saturday that they were ‘still waiting’ for a response.
They added that they would ‘take up the offer and tell us we are ‘toxic’ for the crime of being happy’.
‘Campbell says his views are informed by Grace, so it’s a chance for him to say we are ugly freaks to our faces,’ they said.
It comes after Bridget Phillipson was accused of prioritising her ‘personal ambition’ ahead of upholding guidance on women’s right to single-sex spaces.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner has accused the Women and Equalities Minister of holding back from publishing guidance amid fears it could impact any potential promotion.
The former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (ECHR) said delays in releasing the guidance on single sex spaces ‘betrayed’ women.
She described the Government’s lack of action as ‘cowardice’, as the former chief of the human rights watchdog insisted women have a right to expect trans women are banned from single sex spaces.
In her scathing swipe at Labour, she also claimed Sir Keir Starmer had not upheld the legislation on women’s single-sex spaces despite the Prime Minister previously being a lawyer.
Baroness Falkner’s attack is the latest instalment in an intense row over the Government’s failure to publish guidance after the Supreme Court ruled in April that the term woman in the Equality Act refers to a ‘biological woman and biological sex’.
Before departing her role at the head of the EHRC in November, Lady Falkner submitted an updated code to be shared with businesses on managing single-sex spaces to the Education Minister.
However, nearly a year after the Supreme Court ruling, Ms Phillipson has not yet published the updated code despite it being sent for Government sign-off.
Lady Falkner has boiled the delay down to the Education Minister’s ‘ambitious nature’ as she noted recent speculation about Sir Keir’s role as the UK leader and a ‘major reshuffle’ in cabinet.
