The UK Labour Party has announced that transgender women will not be permitted to attend its 2026 Women’s Conference, a decision taken following a legal assessment prompted by the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year that the term “sex” in the Equality Act refers to biological sex rather than gender identity.
According to reports on Saturday, Labour’s National Executive Committee approved the new rule on Friday.
Under the revised policy, transgender women, categorised as biological males, will be barred from attending keynote sessions, participating in policy debates, or voting on motions and committee elections.
However, they will still be allowed access to exhibition stands, fringe events, and the evening reception scheduled for the conference in Liverpool.
A Labour spokesperson stated: “The National Women’s Conference will be held in 2026 after a comprehensive legal review. This reflects our commitment to addressing the under-representation of women in the party and compliance with the law.”
The decision has sparked strong criticism from Labour for Trans Rights, which appealed to the NEC to reconsider.
The group described the move as “terrible,” arguing that dedicated party members were being unfairly shut out.
“Trans members are being cut out of the democratic processes of the Labour Party when many have given years of service, knocking doors and standing as candidates,” the group told The Telegraph.
Further controversy emerged as Baroness Kishwer Falkner of Margravine, who resigned last week as chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, accused Labour of caving in on women’s rights amid internal party pressure.
“What really depresses me about the current state of the Labour Party is that they seem to have completely abandoned women’s rights,” she said.
“The traditional party of rights, in my 50 years in this country, was the Labour Party. The party of feminism.”
Baroness Falkner claimed the party had become “terrified” of dissent from MPs who support broader transgender inclusion and oppose legal exemptions that distinguish between biological sex and gender identity.
She also criticised the government for delaying the publication of statutory EHRC guidance on interpreting the Supreme Court ruling, saying ministers fear internal backlash.
The guidance was submitted three months ago, and she insisted it is “watertight.”
A government spokesperson defended the delay, stating: “We are unapologetic about taking the time to produce legally sound guidance… The alternative issuing rushed and flawed guidance, would be utterly catastrophic and fail women across our country.”
Baroness Falkner also took aim at Labour’s historical handling of grooming gang cases.
Citing Baroness Louise Casey’s review, she highlighted findings that disproportionate numbers of Asian men were involved in child sexual exploitation.
She questioned why victims were repeatedly dismissed: “You would have expected this traditional party to be standing up for women and girls, particularly the most oppressed, the most vulnerable. And it took Louise Casey to remind them of that.”
