Labour bans trans women from 2026 Women's Conference

The Labour Party has confirmed that trans women will not be permitted to attend the main sessions of its Women’s Conference in 2026, following a legal review prompted by April’s Supreme Court ruling that defines “sex” under the Equality Act as biological rather than self-identified.

Under the new rules, only delegates who are biologically female will be allowed to participate in keynote speeches, policy debates, and voting on motions and committee elections. Trans women will still be able to access fringe events, exhibition spaces, and an evening reception, which will be open to all attendees regardless of sex.

The decision, approved by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) last week, comes after the 2025 conference was cancelled amid concerns over legal compliance and security risks. Prior to the court ruling, Labour had operated on a self-identification basis, allowing trans women to attend and take part in measures such as all-women shortlists.

A Labour spokesperson said: “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 move has sparked fierce criticism from trans rights advocates, including Labour for Trans Rights, which called trans women’s exclusion “terrible”, urging the NEC to reconsider. “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 controversy comes as the government delays publishing statutory guidance on implementing the Supreme Court ruling, leaving what former Equality and Human Rights Commission chair Baroness Falkner called a “grey zone” around single-sex spaces. Other organisations, including the Women’s Institute and Girlguiding UK, have recently announced similar restrictions on trans membership.

The Labour Women’s Conference is scheduled to take place in Liverpool in September 2026, the day before the party’s main annual conference.