Same reason why oil execs consult on environmental policy.

especially an author who hasn’t been relevant or written anything decent in over a decade

Money

It’s always money

all you need is a billion dollars and all of the sudden you’re an important government policy maker…

She recently publicly called out Starmer, who has otherwise only said and done transphobic things, for doing something completely out of character and calling out one of his own party for saying that only women have a cervix (Saying this isn’t always the case, but has also said shit like man=penis woman=vagina, so it’s not like he’s an ally or anything, just a broken clock).

In return, instead of telling her to fuck off and mind her business, Starmer has gone right in to terf appeasing mode and has assured her that “women’s rights” are his “top priority” (A joke in its own right but more importantly not a word about trans rights), and in a “twist” that should come as no surprise to anyone paying any attention, he is now making extra effort sucking up to her and getting her on side (more like confirming he’s on hers), making it clear (once again, as if it wasn’t already) that he doesn’t give a shit about trans people.

He only wants to win, not lead, he doesn’t care one iota about anyone but himself. Letting us choose between red bigot and blue bigot is barely even an illusion of choice anymore, and ensures one thing and one thing alone - that rich bigots will continue running the country, no matter who we elect.