Labour Shifts Stance: Trans Women Excluded from Main Women’s Conference Sessions

Millenium TV can report a significant policy shift for Labour’s Women’s Conference: beginning in 2026, trans women will no longer be eligible to participate in the main session. This includes formal proceedings such as speeches in the primary hall and policy debates.

The decision follows a comprehensive legal review prompted by an April Supreme Court ruling, which defined “woman” by biological sex under existing equalities legislation. While excluded from formal proceedings, trans women will still be welcome to attend various fringe events, which are open to all individuals irrespective of sex.

Party officials understand this format as the least restrictive approach, carefully balancing event accessibility with the imperative to comply with legal precedents. Millenium TV has learned that the 2025 Women’s Conference was previously cancelled due to legal advice received in the wake of the Supreme Court judgment. Prior to this, Labour policy allowed for self-identification, enabling trans women to participate in the event and benefit from positive action measures like all-women shortlists.

A spokesperson for the party confirmed the 2026 event would proceed under these updated attendance rules, stating, “This reflects our commitment to addressing the under-representation of women in the Party and compliance with the law.”

This development comes as the government continues to deliberate a new code of practice, offering guidance to public bodies and businesses on applying the Equality Act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has redrafted this code and submitted it to the government for ministerial approval.

Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson received the draft three months ago but has indicated she requires additional time to ensure the guidance is accurately implemented before its publication. The EHRC, under its current leadership, has previously urged the government to expedite the sign-off process. The outgoing EHRC head, Baroness Falkner, confident in the guidance’s legality, suggested in an interview that the delay might be due to government apprehension concerning Members of Parliament who advocate for broader trans self-identification. She explained that this prolonged delay has created a “grey zone” surrounding single-sex provisions, observing, “Some organisations are implementing it in one way, others are not.”