Labour Shelves Plans for Gender Law Reform Amid Rising Political Pressures

Labour has halted plans to reform gender recognition laws, The Times reports, in response to political pressures and a surge in polling by Reform UK. The party previously promised to simplify the process of obtaining gender recognition certificates, which some criticised as “self-ID by the back door.”

Sources suggest the reforms, while not officially dropped, are no longer a priority. Amending the Gender Recognition Act would have allowed individuals to change legal gender with a single doctor's approval and without the two-year waiting period. However, the move is seen as politically risky.

One insider linked the decision to polling concerns, calling it “catnip” for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, while others warned it could ignite further criticism from figures such as Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Labour is also navigating challenges on issues like winter fuel payments and inheritance tax.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has recently taken a firmer stance on biological sex after past controversies. Wes Streeting, Health Secretary, has criticised the removal of “woman” from NHS documents and maintained an indefinite ban on puberty blockers for children.

Helen Joyce, of the charity Sex Matters, said “If this news is correct, we welcome it with great relief. We’ve long argued that any change that makes it easier to obtain gender recognition certificates risks introducing self-ID through the back door.

“The next step, once the Supreme Court has ruled in the case of For Women Scotland concerning the meaning of the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act, is for the Labour government to make good on its manifesto pledge to protect single-sex spaces.”

Labour's manifesto commitments to gender reform remain officially intact, but the issue was notably absent from the King’s Speech.