A video of Andy Burnham supporting a more inclusive approach towards trans women using female toilets has surfaced ahead of the Makerfield by-election.
The footage shows the Greater Manchester Mayor arguing that debates around trans rights should be approached with “sensitivity and respect” rather than hostility.
In the recording, Burnham said: “Clearly there is a group of people who feel toilets should be a safe space only for women,” while also indicating trans women should not automatically be excluded from women’s facilities.
The Labour leadership hopeful, who is hoping to win the Makerfield by-election, said in 2019 that trans people should not have to get a sign-off from two doctors before changing gender.
He said the rules led to the “marginalisation of trans and non-binary communities”.
Burnham previously criticised government guidance stating that biological men should be barred from women’s toilets, describing it as “confusing” for trans people.
Opponents, including Reform UK activists, have attempted to seize on the remarks as part of a broader culture war debate around gender identity and single-sex spaces. But Burnham supporters say the controversy is out of step with what most voters care about.
One Labour source close to the campaign said: “Andy’s priority is rebuilding communities, improving transport and raising living standards. He believes people should be treated with dignity and respect, not turned into political punchbags.”
The dispute comes amid continuing fallout from last year’s Supreme Court ruling clarifying that the Equality Act definition of “sex” refers to biological sex, a decision that intensified national arguments over access to toilets, changing rooms and other single-sex spaces.
LGBTQ+ campaigners have criticised what they see as the politicisation of transgender people during election campaigns, warning that debates around toilets are often used to inflame tensions rather than address practical realities.
One equality campaigner said: “Trans people are a small and often vulnerable minority. Most people simply want everyone to be treated fairly and safely.”
Burnham has not publicly repudiated the comments in the leaked footage and allies insist his broader political focus remains on economic reform rather than divisive social issues.
The Makerfield contest was triggered after Labour MP Josh Simons stepped aside to allow Burnham a path back to Westminster, fuelling speculation about a future leadership role.
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