“Farewell to Britain’s standing on LGBTQ+ rights”: Trans rights groups bring message to Labour conference ahead of PM Andy Burnham's speech

Three leading UK trans rights organisations have staged a protest outside the Labour Party conference, displaying messages addressed to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and warning of a decline in the UK's standing on LGBTQ+ rights.

TransActual, Trans+ Solidarity Alliance and Scottish Trans unveiled a large billboard carrying the message “Farewell to Britain’s standing on LGBTQ+ rights” ahead of Burnham’s conference speech on Tuesday (29 September).

The display features messages written by supporters during a mass parliamentary lobby for trans equality earlier this month, alongside a graph charting the UK's fall in the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map rankings.

Campaigners say the action is intended to highlight what they describe as a worsening climate for trans people in the UK and to urge the Labour government to take action to reverse recent setbacks in trans rights.

The groups argue that the UK’s declining position in international LGBTQ+ equality rankings has accelerated following last year’s Supreme Court judgment and subsequent guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). They are calling on ministers to reform legislation and provide greater protections for trans people.

Among the messages displayed on the billboard is one reading: “Dear Andy, Under Labour, there has been the biggest rollback in trans rights in recent history. Don’t let that be your legacy as PM.”

Another states: “Dear Andy, I am the mother of a teenage trans son. I am worried about his safety, his dignity, and his future. Please help. Bonnie.”

Conference attendees were also handed postcards bearing the slogan “Farewell to Britain’s standing on LGBTQ+ rights”, urging the government to act to halt what activists describe as a decline in LGBTQ+ equality.

Nora Padilla, policy manager at TransActual, said: “Last year’s Supreme Court ruling turned trans people’s lives upside down. But the stress, fear and harm that trans people are facing as a result is a political choice that the UK Government has the power to change.

“We’re at the Labour Conference to send a message to the Prime Minister and the Government: that they should restore our international standing on LGBTQ+ rights, by fixing our broken laws.”

According to ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Index, the UK now ranks 22nd in Europe for LGBTQ+ equality laws, having topped the rankings as recently as 2015. Campaigners also point to the UK’s position on legal gender recognition, where they say it now ranks 44th out of 49 European countries.

The protest comes as the UK prepares to host the international IDAHOT+ Forum in 2027, a major European gathering focused on LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion. The government announced plans to stage the event earlier this year, with organisers expected to bring together ministers, officials and equality advocates from across Europe.

Activists said the contrast between the UK hosting the forum and its recent fall in international rankings underlined the need for action to improve protections for LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans communities.