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Labour has announced that trans women will not be permitted to enter the main hall or vote at next year’s Labour women’s conference, effectively excluding them from the core proceedings. Under the plan, all delegates – including trans women – may attend only the fringe events, as the party attempts to strike a balance it believes reflects the supreme court’s ruling on gender while still trying to show inclusivity.
As first reported by LabourList, this means trans women will not be able to vote on motions, take part in policy debates, elect members to the national women’s committee, or listen to speeches inside the primary conference venue. However, the fringe sessions, an evening reception, and exhibition areas will remain open to everyone.
A spokesperson for Labour for Trans Rights criticised the move as “terrible,” urging the party’s national executive committee to rethink, arguing that long-serving trans members who campaign and stand for election are now being excluded from the party’s internal democracy.
Meanwhile, a representative of the gender-critical Labour Women’s Declaration welcomed the party’s decision to “follow the law,” but said any workshops focusing solely on women or single-sex issues must also be organised strictly in line with Equality Act requirements.
This year’s women’s conference, planned to take place before Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool in September, was cancelled while the party awaited clearer guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) following the supreme court ruling. The EHRC’s interim advice indicated that voluntary organisations should apply a biological women-only standard.
A Labour spokesperson said the next national women’s conference is scheduled for 2026, after a full legal review, reflecting the party’s commitment to improving women’s representation and ensuring it complies with the law.
Separately, the former chair of the EHRC, Kishwer Falkner, accused Labour of abandoning women on issues such as gender identity and grooming gangs. Speaking to the Times, the crossbench peer said the party has drifted away from its “core values” and can “no longer call itself the party of equality and feminism.” She also claimed ministers have delayed publishing statutory guidance after the supreme court ruling because they fear MPs who support “trans self-identification” across society.
Responding to Falkner’s remarks, a government spokesperson told the Times that ministers would not apologise for taking time to prepare legally robust guidance that protects safety and dignity, saying rushed or flawed guidance would be “catastrophic” and would ultimately fail women across the country.
