Labour will ban transgender women from its women’s conference next year, as the former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) declared they had “abandoned” women over trans politics.
The party’s National Executive Committee approved the plan on Friday, following a comprehensive legal review aimed at ensuring compliance with April’s Supreme Court judgment.
That ruling determined that under the Equality Act, the term “sex” refers to biological sex rather than self-identified gender.
Biological males who identify as female will consequently be barred from attending keynote addresses, participating in policy discussions, or casting votes on motions and elections for the national women’s committee.
They will, however, retain access to exhibition areas, fringe meetings and an evening reception when delegates convene in Liverpool.
A Labour spokesman said: “The National Women’s Conference will be held in 2026 after a comprehensive legal review.
“This reflects our commitment to addressing the under-representation of women in the party and compliance with the law.”
However, the move has faced intense opposition from the Labour for Trans Rights group, which urged the NEC to reverse the “terrible” decision.
Labour are set to ban trans women from attending its Women’s Conference next year
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“Trans members are being cut out of the democratic processes of the Labour Party when many have given years of service, knocking doors and standing as candidates,” they told The Telegraph.
Conversely, Labour have also been handed a damning verdict over its record with women’s rights relating to trans politics by the former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Baroness Falkner of Margravine, who stepped down from her role last week, said that Labour could no longer claim to be the party of equality and feminism.
In her scathing review, she said the Government had “lost it” and was “terrified of their MPs” over transgender issues.
Trans women will not be permitted from attending keynote addresses and voting on motions
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“What really depresses me about the current state of the Labour Party is that they seem to have completely abandoned women’s rights,” she said.
“The traditional party of rights, in my 50 years in this country, was the Labour Party. The party of feminism.”
The 70-year-old peer accused the government of losing touch with its “fundamental values.”
Baroness Falkner claimed ministers have refused to publish statutory guidance from the EHRC on implementing the Supreme Court’s April ruling because they fear a backlash from their own backbenchers.
The court determined that under the Equality Act 2010, the terms “woman” and “sex” refer to biological sex rather than acquired gender.
“The other explanation simply is that they’re terrified of their MPs who would wish for trans self-identification or trans inclusion to prevail across all areas of society, including Section 3 of the Equality Act, and would wish for the exemptions not to exist,” she told The Times.
Despite the watchdog submitting its guidance three months ago, Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, has yet to release it.
Baroness Falkner expressed complete confidence in the document’s legality: “I’m so certain of the lawfulness of our code that I don’t think I’ve ever been so certain about anything before.”
Baroness Falkner of Margravine said Labour had ‘lost it’ and was ‘terrified of their MPs’ over transgender issues
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The government defended its approach, with a spokesman stating: “We are unapologetic about taking the time to produce legally sound guidance that will guide businesses and organisations, and ensure have the safety and dignity they deserve; the alternative issuing rushed and flawed guidance would be utterly catastrophic and fail women across our country.”
Baroness Falkner also condemned Labour’s response to grooming gangs, arguing the party had failed to defend the most vulnerable women and girls.
She pointed to Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s review, which found disproportionate numbers of Asian men were responsible for child sex grooming gangs, as evidence that external pressure was required to force action.
“When you have Louise Casey having to remind us that there is something profoundly wrong with the fact that it happens in pockets of society where predominantly my co-nationals, Pakistani men, are there, why were the women and girls so misbelieved?” Baroness Falkner asked.
“You would have expected this traditional party to be standing up for women and girls, particularly the most oppressed, the most vulnerable. And it took Louise Casey to remind them of that,” the peer added.