The Minister for Women and Equalities has confirmed that The Government will not carry forward plans to rewrite the Equality Act 2010, designed to protect single-sex spaces (The Telegraph).
Anneliese Dodds said Labour has no plans to change the legislation which the Conservatives had promised to reform ahead of the general election.
Critics say the decision dilutes women’s safety, exposing them to ‘potential abusers’ in single-sex spaces.
The Tories planned to rewrite the act to clarify that “sex” in the legislation means “biological sex” rather than “gender identity”.
In practice, this would have allowed public bodies to stop transgender women from entering women’s lavatories or changing rooms. It would also prevent transgender women from joining all-female sports teams.
In a written parliamentary question, John Glen, the shadow paymaster general, asked whether the Government intended to amend the legal definition of what a woman is.
Ms Dodds replied: “We are proud of the Equality Act and the rights and protections it affords women. The Government does not plan to amend legal definitions in the act.”
Mims Davies, the shadow minister for women and equalities, warned that the governments refusal to rewrite the act could create further “loopholes” for abusers.
“Labour simply cares more about appeasing woke ideologues than delivering on women’s safety,” she said.
“We introduced this change to provide much-needed clarity in the law to stop potential abusers exposing loopholes and acting in stopping the diluting of women’s safety.
“Only by legally enshrining the importance of single-sex spaces can this Labour Government give biological women the clarity, dignity, privacy and safety we need.”
Shortly before polling day, Starmer hinted that he would abandon these Conservative plans. During an election campaign visit, he told reporters: “I don’t think the Equality Act does need to be amended in that regard.”
Worth reading in full.
