MPs claim single-sex guidance is hostile to trans people

Labour MP Sarah Owen, chairman of the Women and Equalities Commission, has joined a dozen fellow MPs in claiming the government-approved single-sex guidance creates a “hostile environment” for trans people.

The House of Commons held a debate on the new code of practice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Monday. The code of practice was revised after the Supreme Court decision last year that under equality legislation, the definition of gender is based on biological sex. A dozen backbench Labour MPs used the debate to criticise the new guidance.

Sara Owen said during the Commons debate: “I really wish that there was a better beginning to Pride Month than what we are discussing. Although the code is marginally different from its draft, it is still a trans-exclusionary one at its core, and unfortunately not inclusive…”

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, joined her by saying: “It effectively pushes trans people out of public life.” Cat Eccles, MP for Stourbridge, added: “The proposed code of practice represents a major and worrying change in how equality law may operate in practice for trans people and service providers.”

The Minister for Equalities, Seema Malhotra, responded to the criticism by saying: “We will continue to ensure that we provide single-sex spaces where needed, and also ensure that trans people have access to services to support their needs, in an environment of dignity and respect for all”.

This comes after the new Health Secretary, James Murray, said this week that he had changed his mind on the definition of gender. He had previously stated that “trans women are women” but has now changed what he would say, stating, “I wouldn’t say that phrase any more.”

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Labour backbencher Jonathan Hinder decried the complaints, saying: “Are we for working-class people or are we obsessed with certain middle-class hobby horses… Or are we actually focusing on the hard-working majority in this country? … Look at what was going on in Parliament… We had dozens of Labour MPs standing up to talk about how they didn’t like the law which says men can’t go in women’s changing rooms. Dozens, today.”

He continued: “There are a lot of problems this country faces and I’m sorry to say the Labour Party is not meeting the moment and if we don’t sort it out this summer, acknowledge the challenge and actually confront it head on, then we’re going to die.”