In a significant policy shift, the Labour Party has decided to exclude transgender women from the principal debates and votes at its official Labour Women's Conference for the first time. The move follows a comprehensive legal review prompted by a landmark Supreme Court decision earlier this year.
A Decision Driven by Legal Advice
The party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) approved the plans last week after seeking legal counsel. This decision means that, at next year's conference scheduled for September in Liverpool, only biological women delegates will be permitted to participate in keynote speeches, formal policy debates, and votes on motions and elections for the national women's committee.
The controversy stems from an April ruling by the UK Supreme Court, which clarified that the terms 'women' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act refer to biological sex, not self-identified gender. Labour reportedly feared potential legal action from gender-critical campaigners if it proceeded with a conference that allowed trans women full participation, leading to the cancellation of this year's event.
Balancing Act: Fringe Events Remain Open
In what is being viewed as a compromise, the party has stated that fringe events, exhibition spaces, and a planned evening reception will remain open to all attendees, including transgender women. This marks a change from previous years when the entire conference, traditionally held the Saturday before the main annual gathering, was open to anyone who identified as a woman.
A Labour Party spokesman stated the 2026 conference reflects the party's "commitment to addressing the under-representation of women in the party and compliance with the law." The LabourList website reported that the party considered other options, including limiting the entire conference to biological women or cancelling it for a second consecutive year, before settling on the current plan.
Mixed Reactions and Broader Implications
The decision has ignited strong reactions from across the political spectrum. Gender-critical campaigners have hailed it as a victory. A spokeswoman for the Labour Women's Declaration group welcomed the party's move to "follow the law" and called for single-sex workshops. Directors of For Women Scotland, Susan Smith and Marion Calder, who were involved in the Supreme Court case, celebrated the underlying ruling.
Conversely, trans rights activists within the party have condemned the move. The Labour for Trans Rights group urged the NEC to reverse its decision, labelling the plan 'terrible' and accusing it of "cutting trans members out of the democratic processes of the Labour party."
This development occurs amidst a wider national reassessment following the Supreme Court judgment. Notably, organisations like the Women's Institute and the Girl Guides have also recently announced that trans women and girls can no longer join. Furthermore, senior Labour peer Baroness Falkner, the former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has sharply criticised her party, stating it has "completely abandoned women's rights" and can no longer claim to be the party of feminism.
The Labour Party's new policy for its Women's Conference underscores the ongoing and deeply polarised national debate surrounding gender identity, legal definitions, and inclusion within political and social institutions.
