GB News presenter Martin Daubney has condemned the suspension of a toddler from nursery for alleged transphobia, calling it "child abuse".
Speaking on the People's Channel, Martin expressed concern about the long-term impact on the child.
"That is going to be on that child's record potentially forever. They will be branded a transphobe before they even know what it means," he said.
The suspension came to light through Department for Education data obtained via a freedom of information request by The Telegraph.
The data revealed a child aged three or four was suspended from a state school in the 2022/23 academic year.
The reason given for the suspension was "abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity".
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No further details about the specific incident have been disclosed by the school.
The data also showed that 94 pupils at state primary schools were suspended or permanently excluded for homophobia or transphobia in the same academic year.
This included 10 pupils from Year 1 and three from Year 2, where the maximum age is seven.
The number of pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour increased from 164 in 2021/22 to 178 in 2022/23.
Author JK Rowling has described the decision to suspend the toddler as "totalitarian insanity".
The Harry Potter writer took to social media platform X to condemn the action.
"If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them," she wrote.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, called the incident "too crazy to believe".
"Teachers and school leaders involved in this insanity should be ashamed of themselves for projecting adult concepts and beliefs onto such young children," she said.
Lord Young, director of the Free Speech Union, added: "If your ideology is so rigid it justifies you punishing toddlers for not complying with it, that's a powerful argument for discarding it.
"This is not an isolated incident in UK schools. In 2022, a Church of England school in the Isle of Wight warned parents that their six-year-old son might be deemed "transphobic" if he questioned another pupil wearing a dress.
The school reportedly told Sally and Nigel Rowe that refusing to use a transgender pupil's adopted name or pronouns would be considered "transphobic behaviour".
A Department for Education spokesperson told The Independent: "All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse."
"The Education Secretary has been clear that she expects school leaders to enforce good behaviour, and we are committed to a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools."
GB News presenter Patrick Christys echoed Young's sentiments, warning this is "not an isolated incident" and is "happening up and down the country".
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Speaking on the People's Channel, Martin expressed concern about the long-term impact on the child.
"That is going to be on that child's record potentially forever. They will be branded a transphobe before they even know what it means," he said.
The suspension came to light through Department for Education data obtained via a freedom of information request by The Telegraph.
The data revealed a child aged three or four was suspended from a state school in the 2022/23 academic year.
The reason given for the suspension was "abuse against sexual orientation and gender identity".
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No further details about the specific incident have been disclosed by the school.
The data also showed that 94 pupils at state primary schools were suspended or permanently excluded for homophobia or transphobia in the same academic year.
This included 10 pupils from Year 1 and three from Year 2, where the maximum age is seven.
The number of pupils suspended or expelled for homophobic or transphobic behaviour increased from 164 in 2021/22 to 178 in 2022/23.
Author JK Rowling has described the decision to suspend the toddler as "totalitarian insanity".
The Harry Potter writer took to social media platform X to condemn the action.
"If you think small children should be punished for being able to recognise sex, you are a dangerous zealot who should be nowhere near kids or in any position of authority over them," she wrote.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, called the incident "too crazy to believe".
"Teachers and school leaders involved in this insanity should be ashamed of themselves for projecting adult concepts and beliefs onto such young children," she said.
Lord Young, director of the Free Speech Union, added: "If your ideology is so rigid it justifies you punishing toddlers for not complying with it, that's a powerful argument for discarding it.
"This is not an isolated incident in UK schools. In 2022, a Church of England school in the Isle of Wight warned parents that their six-year-old son might be deemed "transphobic" if he questioned another pupil wearing a dress.
The school reportedly told Sally and Nigel Rowe that refusing to use a transgender pupil's adopted name or pronouns would be considered "transphobic behaviour".
A Department for Education spokesperson told The Independent: "All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse."
"The Education Secretary has been clear that she expects school leaders to enforce good behaviour, and we are committed to a comprehensive programme of behaviour support for schools."
GB News presenter Patrick Christys echoed Young's sentiments, warning this is "not an isolated incident" and is "happening up and down the country".
Find Out More...