Members of a Labour MPs’ LGBT+ WhatsApp group have expressed concerns about the impact of this week’s Supreme Court ruling on the trans community. The contributions from some of the group’s ministerial members highlight divisions within the Labour Party on the issue and hint at potential tensions once the practical implications of the judgement are realized.
Leaked messages to the Mail on Sunday include Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle downplaying the ruling’s impact but expressing concerns about the EHRC guidance. Culture minister Sir Chris Bryant agreed with another MP’s criticism of the EHRC chair’s comments on trans women’s access to facilities and sports.
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Gender ruling – How it happened
Government sources downplay these messages as not indicative of a plot or revolt against the Supreme Court’s ruling. Nevertheless, they pose uncomfortable questions for a party that has navigated a complex path on the issue.
Under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour supported self-identification, a position abandoned in 2023. Sir Keir Starmer’s views on the matter have also evolved, leading to tensions within the party.
Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield, now sitting as an independent, has requested an apology for past remarks, highlighting the changing landscape of social attitudes toward the issue.
The Conservative stance on this issue has also shifted, with Theresa May’s support for gender self-identification abandoned under Boris Johnson.
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A police investigation is under way over graffiti left by trans rights protesters.
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As the Conservatives’ equalities minister, Kemi Badenoch has led the UK government’s opposition to Scotland’s gender recognition policies. She has called for an investigation into Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s remarks in response to the Supreme Court ruling, pointing out inconsistencies in her statements on single-sex spaces based on biological sex.
The government’s official stance emphasizes support for single-sex spaces based on biological sex and welcomes the ruling for providing clarity and confidence to women and service providers.
The government asserts that single-sex spaces are protected by law and will continue to be safeguarded.