Trans women will be excluded from formal participation in the main sessions of the Labour Party's Women's Conference starting next year. This decision follows a legal review prompted by an April Supreme Court ruling that defined a woman by biological sex under equalities legislation.
New Structure for Conference Attendance
Under the new rules, trans women will not be permitted to take part in formal proceedings such as delivering speeches in the main hall or engaging in policy debates. However, they will be allowed to attend fringe events, which will remain open to all individuals regardless of sex. The party views this format as the least restrictive way to balance accessibility with legal compliance.
Background and Legal Review
The Labour Women's Conference, typically held the day before the party's annual conference, was cancelled for 2025 after the party sought legal advice following the Supreme Court decision. Prior to the ruling, Labour had operated under a self-identification policy, allowing trans women to attend the conference and benefit from measures like all-women shortlists. A party spokesperson confirmed a "comprehensive legal review" was launched after the court's decision, leading to the new attendance rules for the 2026 event.
"This reflects our commitment to addressing the under-representation of women in the Party and compliance with the law," the spokesperson stated.
Broader Context and Government Guidance
The move occurs as the government continues to consider a new code of practice for applying the Equality Act in light of the same ruling. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has redrafted the guidance for public bodies and businesses and submitted it to ministers for approval. Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson received the draft three months ago, stating she would take the necessary time to "get this right" before publication.
The EHRC has previously urged the government to approve the guidance swiftly. Outgoing EHRC head Baroness Falkner of Margravine told the Times she was "so certain" of its lawfulness and suggested the delay might stem from the government being "terrified of their MPs who would wish for trans self-identification or trans inclusion to prevail across all areas of society." She warned the holdup has created a "grey zone" around single-sex spaces, with organisations interpreting the ruling inconsistently.
A government spokesperson responded that it was "unapologetic about taking the time to produce legally sound guidance," adding that "rushed and flawed guidance" would be "utterly catastrophic and fail women across our country."
Similar Moves by Other Organisations
Labour's announcement follows similar policy changes by other major UK organisations. Earlier this week, the Women's Institute stated it would no longer offer membership to transgender women. This came a day after Girlguiding UK announced that trans girls would no longer be permitted to join its groups, both citing the need to align with the Supreme Court's interpretation of the law.
