Party to delay women’s conference and exclude trans people from women’s officer roles over Supreme court ruling

Labour is set to indefinitely postpone its national women’s conference and limit  women’s officer roles and all-women shortlists to biological women while it reviews its policies in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement,  sparking attacks from trans and gender-critical activists alike.

LabourList has seen a paper circulated to members of the party’s national executive committee, which warns of a “significant risk of a legal challenge” – as well as “protests, direct action and heightened security risks” if the women’s conference goes ahead as initially planned in Liverpool this September on the basis of attendee self-identification.

The gender-critical campaign group Labour Women’s Declaration, which welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, said shelving the conference would be “wrongheaded”, shortsighted”, “exceptionally disappointing” and a “knee-jerk reaction”.

Meanwhile LGBT+ Labour’s trans officer Georgia Meadows and two Labour trans rights campaign groups said they “unreservedly condemn” the wider party changes, warning limiting trans people’s participation will exacerbate trans people’s under-representation in politics more widely.

READ MORE: LGBT+ Labour breaks ranks with government over trans ruling as Duffield says PM should apologise

It comes ahead of a crunch vote on the decision tomorrow by the party’s governing body. A majority of NEC members are broadly supportive of the party leadership, meaning votes typically pass.

The paper warned that the party would face a “significant risk of direct and indirect discrimination claims succeeding” if it continues to use positive action measures based on self-identification.

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The paper reads: “There will be significant scrutiny on how the Party reacts to the judgment, and recent events have shown that there are highly motivated and well resourced groups with a range of different views that are prepared to issue legal claims in relation to the application of the Act.”

It states: “Pending a wider review, all positive action measures relating to women in the Party’s rules and procedures shall be interpreted on the basis of biological sex at birth. Guidance shall be issued to all Party units and relevant stakeholders to this effect.

“The Party will work with individuals and local parties affected by the judgment to resolve specific cases with sensitivity and compassion, acknowledging the significant effect the judgment will have had on many people.”

READ MORE: Government welcomes ‘clarity’ but Labour tensions flare

It adds on women’s conference:  “The NEC urgently needs to make decisions in relation to National Women’s Conference 2025 owing to impending contractual commitments for services in connection with the event that involve significant expenditure.

“We are also conscious that we need to provide urgent clarity to CLPs and prospective delegates, who will be making logistical plans to attend
conference.”

The NEC will be asked to extend the terms of current National Women’s Committee members “until such a time as it is possible to hold a
conference to allow elections”.

“On a longer term basis, it is recommended that the Party should conduct a review of the provision of positive action measures in our rules and procedures with the objective of ensuring that those measures may proportionately address underrepresentation and disadvantage, and comply with the statutory requirements.”

‘Knee jerk reaction to cancel’

A Labour Women’s Declaration spokesperson said: “We are of course pleased that the party is finally aware that it must comply with the Equality Act. However, cancelling our conference for fear of protests against a women’s event, is not the answer.”

“We feel it would be a knee jerk reaction to cancel.  We call on the NEC to consider very carefully such an incendiary action as cancelling the single major policy-making conference of the party which focuses on issues affecting women.

“We are shocked that hundreds of women in the Labour Party might be prevented from meeting at conference because the NEC would prefer to disadvantage all women rather than to exclude the very small number of trans-identified men who may wish to attend the women’s conference.

READ MORE: ‘The Supreme Court Equality Act ruling raises more questions than it answers’

“The party should not act in fear of threats and demonstrations. We have held fringe meetings for years, often in the teeth of violent threats from trans activists, which we have managed carefully and kept everyone safe.

“It would be exceptionally disappointing if our Party, which strives to be a grown-up and serious political force, and a strong government, could not find the courage to run this conference as planned and run it in accordance with law which was introduced under a Labour government. Women deserve better.”

They also note it would stop women being able to send motions to the main conference floor, a chance to shape party policy. “That’s not ok”, the spokesperson added.

‘Move will make trans people feel unwelcome’

Georgia Meadows, trans officer of the party’s official affiliate, LGBT+ Labour, issued a joint statement with the campaign groups Labour for Trans Rights and Pride in Labour, warning the plans would “further harm trans people’s ability to engage with the democratic process” and make them feel “unwelcome”.

“We urge all Labour NEC members to vote this paper down and for the Labour Party to adopt meaningful policies to combat transphobia within the party. The Labour Party must set an example and stand on the right side of history,” the statement read.

“Now more than ever, we desperately need LGBT+ Labour to act: the LGBTQ+ community is under attack like never before.”

“We unreservedly condemn the content of the leaked paper due to be discussed by Labour’s National Executive Committee tomorrow. The proposals to restrict trans members’ engagement in internal democratic procedures – including by blocking trans women from standing in All Women’s Shortlists, excluding them from National Women’s Conferences, and preventing them standing as Women’s Officers – are not effective ways to “clarify” anything.

“There are no trans or gender non-conforming MPs, and our community is underrepresented both in the Labour Party and across devolved and local governments.”

A Labour for Trans Rights spokesperson added that cancelling women’s conference was a “total overreaction”, saying: “All women members – trans and cis – should be entitled to their Conference as per the rule book.”

The party will still hold some kind of smaller event on the day women’s conference would have happened in Liverpool, however. “To replace it with a canape and wine reception which is not even described as a women’s event is a joke, surely,” said the LWD spokesperson.

“For delegates who were planning to solely attend National Women’s Conference and cannot cancel travel and accommodation arrangements, or for delegates that plan to attend both Women’s Conference and Annual Conference, the Party shall make arrangements for a reception or event to take place on Saturday 27 September 2025.”

The government has said previously it welcomes “clarity” around the ruling, and the party has signalled it will respect the judgement and comply with statutory guidance once published. Ministers will also consider the Equality and Human Rights Commission code of practice when a draft is submitted.

Labour and LGBT+ Labour were approached for comment.

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