Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is facing intense criticism for a 17-month delay in publishing crucial guidance for schools on how to support gender-questioning children, with warnings that the hold-up is putting young people and teachers 'at risk'.
Schools Left in 'Impossible Position' by Policy Vacuum
In a letter to the schools' watchdog Ofsted, Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said there was no excuse for the further postponement of guidance that has been sitting on Ms Phillipson's desk since the last government. Ms Trott argued that the continuing delays have left schools in limbo, resulting in a confusing and inconsistent 'patchwork' of different rules being applied across the country.
'Such inconsistency places children at risk and leaves staff exposed to legal and professional uncertainty,' she stated. The guidance was originally drawn up under the previous Conservative administration but was not enacted before the general election.
Pressure Mounts Over Single-Sex Spaces Ruling
The Education Secretary has been under growing pressure to act since April, when the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released new guidance on protecting single-sex spaces, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling. That ruling clarified that in law, a woman is defined by her biological sex.
Ms Phillipson, who is also the designated Cabinet minister for equalities, is facing separate calls to approve this wider EHRC guidance for businesses and public bodies. Failure to do so means many organisations have yet to implement the court's ruling, which would bar biological males from using women-only facilities like toilets and changing rooms.
The EHRC's new chief, Mary-Ann Stephenson, expressed frustration at the delay yesterday, stating that the draft guidance was already 'legally sound' and based on extensive legal advice.
Downing Street Denies Blocking as Critics See 'Betrayal'
Downing Street has defended the delay, insisting Ms Phillipson is dealing with a 'complex area' and is determined to 'take the time to get it right'. Government sources denied she was blocking the guidance, saying she needed to ensure the 'incredibly complicated' issues were legally watertight.
However, critics have accused her of deliberately dragging her heels. Reports last month suggested Ms Phillipson had described the proposed EHRC guidance as 'trans-exclusive' in a court submission, leading Conservative MPs to accuse her of a 'betrayal of women and girls'.
Ms Trott has now urged Ofsted to formally acknowledge the 'safeguarding implications' of the continued lack of clear direction and to underline that single-sex spaces are paramount to the safety of young people in school.
