MPs are set to renew efforts this week to change the law on single-sex sporting events, with the Conservatives seeking to guarantee that competitors in such events "compete against those of the same biological sex in the interest of fairness and safety".
Under the proposals, all competitors and officials would be entitled to single-sex accommodation, changing facilities and toilets based on their biological sex, with the same right extended to spectators and staff for toilets.
Previous attempt blocked
An earlier attempt to secure these provisions in law was voted down by Labour MPs on October 20, with Liberal Democrats abstaining. The proposed changes to the Sporting Events Bill were blocked at committee stage.
Shadow Culture Secretary Rebecca Paul will lead a fresh charge in Parliament on Wednesday.
Former Olympic swimmer Baroness Davies said: "Women and girls deserve to compete on a level playing field. There should be no ambiguity about protecting female competition in the United Kingdom, especially at the biggest sporting events that are shown around the world. Given the reluctance of some bodies to apply sex-based rules since the Supreme Court’s ruling, our amendment would have made sure major events comply with the law so that women and girls can feel safe in sport once more."
Supreme Court ruling context
The move follows last year’s Supreme Court ruling, which clarified that the definition of a woman in the Equality Act 2010 is based on biological sex. The Act allows separate sporting competitions for men and women where physical strength, stamina or physique are "major factors in determining success or failure".
Ms Paul said: "Women and girls who play sport must be able to compete in a fair and safe sporting environment, and our amendments would have made sure that was the case." She accused Labour MPs of voting "against straightforward measures to protect women and girls’ sport".
Party responses
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "The law already allows for single sex facilities, and the elite sports associations affected by this bill already compete in sex-based categories. The Conservatives are insulting voters by wasting taxpayer money and parliamentary time on performative votes that change nothing. We will not play their games."
However, the Conservatives’ Joy Morrissey, shadow minister for women and equalities, said: "Our amendments would have made sure there was no room for misinterpretations or clever loopholes. In doing so, we sought to safeguard the integrity of women and girls’ sport. They deserve the chance to take part on a level playing field after years of exclusion and preferential treatment against them. Labour and the Liberal Democrats refused to support us."
Labour sports minister Stephanie Peacock dismissed the Conservatives' attempts, saying: "The law is clear: to ensure fairness or safety in sport competitions designated as women’s competitions, participation is determined based on biological sex. That would apply to all events in scope of the Bill as they are all competitive sporting events. An explicit statutory duty in the Bill is therefore unnecessary."
