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Labour has announced that trans women will be excluded from participating in the main sessions at its Women’s Conference next year. This decision comes after a legal review prompted by the Supreme Court’s April ruling, which determined that a woman’s legal definition under equality laws is based on biological sex. As a result, trans women will be prevented from joining formal activities such as speeches in the main hall and policy debates. However, they will still be allowed to attend fringe events, which remain open to all individuals regardless of sex. The party believes this approach strikes a balance between ensuring accessibility and complying with legal requirements.
The Women’s Conference, traditionally held the day before Labour’s annual conference at the same location, was cancelled for 2025 following legal advice linked to the Supreme Court judgment. Before this ruling, Labour permitted self-identification of womanhood, allowing trans women to participate fully and benefit from initiatives like all-women shortlists. In response to the court decision, Labour undertook a comprehensive legal review of the rules governing its Women’s Conference. A party spokesperson confirmed that while the 2026 conference will proceed, it will do so with new attendance guidelines firmly in place. The spokesperson emphasized that the party is dedicated to addressing women’s under-representation and ensuring adherence to the law.
This move coincides with ongoing government efforts to draft a new code of practice informed by the Supreme Court ruling. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has redrafted guidance for how public bodies and businesses should apply the Equality Act and submitted it to ministers for approval. Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson received the draft three months ago and expressed her intention to take the necessary time to finalize the document carefully before making it public. The EHRC, under its current leadership, has urged the government to expedite the approval process.
Baroness Falkner of Margravine, the outgoing head of the EHRC, told the Times that she is confident in the legality of the proposed guidance. She suggested the holdup in government signoff might stem from concerns over dissent among MPs who favor broad trans inclusion and self-identification across society. According to Baroness Falkner, this delay has created uncertainty around how single-sex spaces are regulated, resulting in inconsistent application of the ruling by different organisations. “Some organisations are implementing it [the ruling] in one way, others are not,” she stated
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