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Minister blames 'slow' EHRC for trans guidance delay

59 replies

IwantToRetire · 07/01/2026 21:21

Asked why the publication of the guidance had been delayed, Phillipson told the BBC: "I asked the EHRC for information that I needed to inform that decision.

"That unfortunately was slow in being forthcoming."

She added: "I asked for the information you would expect routinely as part of this process, for example an equalities impact assessment, that the EHRC just checks that this doesn't mean a burden on business.

"This doesn't have to be a long and drawn out process. I'm determined to do this properly but I absolutely am committed to making sure that women, whether it's in rape crises centres, women's refuges, or in access to other provisions and accommodations, have got what they need to feel safe."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr4k61dqnzlo

Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson

Minister blames 'slow' watchdog for trans guidance delay

The EHRC has urged Bridget Phillipson to speed up her approval of the guidance, which was submitted in September.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr4k61dqnzlo

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KnottyAuty · 11/01/2026 16:49

Igneococcus · 10/01/2026 06:51

Baroness Spielman (formerly Ofsted) in the Times:
https://www.thetimes.com/article/7cfb80b5-b8d7-4159-8d31-41a4cc00f80f?shareToken=eb9c61605c3a27888eb02d29003da60e

“According to Spielman, Badenoch, now Tory leader, wanted to “get the guidance out”, but Keegan was “nervous about pushback from lobby groups and potentially from the school sector”.”

Why are they not worried about the pushback from people who believe in biology?

I think we need to get a letter writing campaign underway. All with the same coloured envelopes so they can’t deny the deluge

Schools trans guidance: use ‘extreme caution’, says Gillian Keegan

Gillian Keegan asks teachers to be careful during long wait for new guidance

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/uk-trans-school-guidance-gender-gillian-keegan-2023-06vccl8p2

UtopiaPlanitia · 10/01/2026 04:05

Given how much proposed statutory guidance Phillipson is sitting on at the minute, she's basically a glorified paperweight 🙄

Ereshkigalangcleg · 10/01/2026 03:53

UtopiaPlanitia · 10/01/2026 02:13

I thought Phillipson was being a real bitch to say that about Baroness Falkner - a woman who stayed at her post through vile abuse from TRAs, while undergoing treatment for cancer, because she felt honour bound to see this guidance through to the finish with the aim of bringing clarity to, and undoing an incorrect (and damaging) interpretation of, the law.

Phillipson should be ashamed to get on her moral high horse when criticised about her shoddy behaviour - she hasn't half the honour and diligence that Falkner showed during her tenure at the EHRC.

Show quote history

Agree. Phillipson is awful.

UtopiaPlanitia · 10/01/2026 02:13

IwantToRetire · 09/01/2026 17:29

Not unexpected, but just part of the dirty politics of the Labour Party.

They implied it before now Phillipson is basically saying the problem was Lady Falkner.

Labour women really are the lowest of the low, particularly towards other women:

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Ms Phillipson admitted there were “difficulties in the past” in the Government’s relationship with the equalities watchdog but backed Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, its new chairman.

She continued: “We have a new chair that has taken up [her] post at the EHRC. I think she is going to do a fantastic job, and I have every confidence in her.

“We have experienced difficulties in the past. I’ll be up front about that. I hope now we can move into a phase where we can crack on.

On departing her post last month, Baroness Falkner claimed Labour had “completely abandoned” women over issues including trans rights because ministers were “terrified of their MPs”.

She also claimed Sir Keir Starmer’s Government had failed to stand up for “oppressed and vulnerable” women and girls over the issue of grooming gangs.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/08/dont-blame-me-phillipson-trans-guidance-delays-drags-on/

Can be read in full at https://archive.is/Y2yFR

I thought Phillipson was being a real bitch to say that about Baroness Falkner - a woman who stayed at her post through vile abuse from TRAs, while undergoing treatment for cancer, because she felt honour bound to see this guidance through to the finish with the aim of bringing clarity to, and undoing an incorrect (and damaging) interpretation of, the law.

Phillipson should be ashamed to get on her moral high horse when criticised about her shoddy behaviour - she hasn't half the honour and diligence that Falkner showed during her tenure at the EHRC.

moto748e · 09/01/2026 17:53

Put BP and Baroness Falkner side by side, and I know who is vastly the most impressive woman. You've got some front, Bridget, I'll give you that!

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 09/01/2026 17:29

Not unexpected, but just part of the dirty politics of the Labour Party.

They implied it before now Phillipson is basically saying the problem was Lady Falkner.

Labour women really are the lowest of the low, particularly towards other women:

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Ms Phillipson admitted there were “difficulties in the past” in the Government’s relationship with the equalities watchdog but backed Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, its new chairman.

She continued: “We have a new chair that has taken up [her] post at the EHRC. I think she is going to do a fantastic job, and I have every confidence in her.

“We have experienced difficulties in the past. I’ll be up front about that. I hope now we can move into a phase where we can crack on.

On departing her post last month, Baroness Falkner claimed Labour had “completely abandoned” women over issues including trans rights because ministers were “terrified of their MPs”.

She also claimed Sir Keir Starmer’s Government had failed to stand up for “oppressed and vulnerable” women and girls over the issue of grooming gangs.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/08/dont-blame-me-phillipson-trans-guidance-delays-drags-on/

Can be read in full at https://archive.is/Y2yFR

Don’t blame me, says Phillipson, as trans guidance delay drags on

Women and Equalities Secretary claims Government not at fault for failure to sign off guidance

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/01/08/dont-blame-me-phillipson-trans-guidance-delays-drags-on/

OP posts:
singthing · 09/01/2026 16:59

IAmAHomewardBounder · 09/01/2026 00:33

I'm not so sure. People do love a bandwagon to hop on these days. Look at all the people that started protesting for Palestine Action and not Palestine after the government proscribed it. That went on(and is till ongoing) for months.

Transactivists have already called in death threats and bomb threats, disrupted women gathering by releasing insects and forced cancellations of anything they deem transphobic. As well as using bodily wastes in dirty protests. That's not even going into the doxxings and general abuse hurled at anybody that put their heads above the parapet. I can see widespread tantrumming for a fair bit longer than a week. I think you're right that most people will get on with life but I can see a significant amount of protestors being more long term. Labour are not going to want all their social media being flooded with messages of hate towards them.

Look at JK Rowling and all the abuse she still gets. I still can't get my head around the fact that people thought putting dick picks on her Ickabog posts that children were participating in was acceptable. Imagine stuff like that on every MPs page. I genuinely think Labour are scared of the blowback. At this point, I can't see any other reason for them delaying publishing the guidance, other than fear of the reaction from one side in particular.

Show quote history

yeah bandwagons are for sure very popular - Palestine is (and I am not trying to be blase or cruel or whatever here) - far away and involves little kids being murdered. I just can't see the same level of conviction about ensuring dodgy men can go in womens spaces - its very un-British. Although I am constantly befuddled as to why some organisations are so hooked on it.

As for all the heinous abuse and everything else that is wreaked upon women, I am not at all convinced these people actually vote. They are so damn entitled I imagine it would seem beneath them. To argue the other side, maybe Labour are terrified they'll all vote Green and then they'll be out (they have already started cancelling local elections!).

As my garbled posts show, none of this makes any logical sense.

singthing · 09/01/2026 16:54

teawamutu · 09/01/2026 08:54

Good column by Sonia Sodha in the Times this morning, making the point that a leadership contest in the near future is reasonably likely.

Phillipson might well be hanging in there to keep in with captured backbenchers.

Edited
Show quote history

BP was outraged by that suggestion on the TV show. Let's see how things unfold if the leadership contest comes to pass 😆

teawamutu · 09/01/2026 08:54

IAmAHomewardBounder · 09/01/2026 00:33

I'm not so sure. People do love a bandwagon to hop on these days. Look at all the people that started protesting for Palestine Action and not Palestine after the government proscribed it. That went on(and is till ongoing) for months.

Transactivists have already called in death threats and bomb threats, disrupted women gathering by releasing insects and forced cancellations of anything they deem transphobic. As well as using bodily wastes in dirty protests. That's not even going into the doxxings and general abuse hurled at anybody that put their heads above the parapet. I can see widespread tantrumming for a fair bit longer than a week. I think you're right that most people will get on with life but I can see a significant amount of protestors being more long term. Labour are not going to want all their social media being flooded with messages of hate towards them.

Look at JK Rowling and all the abuse she still gets. I still can't get my head around the fact that people thought putting dick picks on her Ickabog posts that children were participating in was acceptable. Imagine stuff like that on every MPs page. I genuinely think Labour are scared of the blowback. At this point, I can't see any other reason for them delaying publishing the guidance, other than fear of the reaction from one side in particular.

Show quote history

Good column by Sonia Sodha in the Times this morning, making the point that a leadership contest in the near future is reasonably likely.

Phillipson might well be hanging in there to keep in with captured backbenchers.

Skyellaskerry · 09/01/2026 08:46

The “safe spaces” language is really bugging me, it’s not even accurate as single sex spaces are obviously for far more than safety. Weasel words during the election that persist today.

moto748e · 09/01/2026 01:30

KitWyn · 08/01/2026 20:38

It is shocking that a lawmaker has such a blatant contempt for the rule of law. Phillipson is a disgrace. She is unfit for office.

If Phillipson remains determined to block an updated EHRC Code of Practice, that confirms women-only spaces must exclude all men (however they identify), we will make this brutally clear via case law.

Bring on the court cases.

Show quote history

Couldn't agree more, and am a bit surprised that some some PP seem to give her the benefit of the doubt, but it sounds like the same old weasel words to me.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 09/01/2026 01:27

LizzieSiddal · 08/01/2026 23:48

She was Women’s minister and did absolutely nothing to ensure women’s rights were respected by every organisations in the country. Fuck all!

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That's rubbish and has been discussed on many other threads.

She had actually done a lot of preparatory work on safeguarding women's sex based rights, and then Sunak suddenly called a General Election and everything she had done was dumped.

Not as if the Labour party would have taken it up, even if she was about to present something they agreed with.

I cant imagine if KB was still Minister for Women we would be having the Government sabotaging a Supreme Court ruling.

It just is so tedious when poster just drag out cliched comments like this.

As has been the case all along, for whatever reason the Tories have been more supportive of women's sex based rights.

And as you are on FWR, and read threads particularly around the time of the GE this was discussed.

Do keep up.

OP posts:
IAmAHomewardBounder · 09/01/2026 00:33

singthing · 08/01/2026 21:20

I think part 1 of your comment is spot on.

But for part 2, this much feared reaction would really only amount to a (yes, arguably epic) toddler tantrum, but then what? While they might superficially agree, people outside the blue hair rentacause contingent don't really care that much - at least the ones who actually, physically vote and therefore matter to BP and co. Men for sure won't give a shiny shit, they never have.

I think it could easily be a big wah-wah! for a week and then we all just get on with the cost of living, and rolling our eyes over the latest gov u-turn/scandal/resignation, and who the Traitor was and so on. We (collectively) just don't have the bandwidth for this load of old tosh.

Do we really think that the Jolyon, India, Webberley and their anime hangers-on will get traction from The People when it has to be proactive and tangible, not just liking a FB post or Tweet? And those clowns at Bashback are doing a superb job of shooting themselves in the foot so they'll probably implode soon too.

Show quote history

I'm not so sure. People do love a bandwagon to hop on these days. Look at all the people that started protesting for Palestine Action and not Palestine after the government proscribed it. That went on(and is till ongoing) for months.

Transactivists have already called in death threats and bomb threats, disrupted women gathering by releasing insects and forced cancellations of anything they deem transphobic. As well as using bodily wastes in dirty protests. That's not even going into the doxxings and general abuse hurled at anybody that put their heads above the parapet. I can see widespread tantrumming for a fair bit longer than a week. I think you're right that most people will get on with life but I can see a significant amount of protestors being more long term. Labour are not going to want all their social media being flooded with messages of hate towards them.

Look at JK Rowling and all the abuse she still gets. I still can't get my head around the fact that people thought putting dick picks on her Ickabog posts that children were participating in was acceptable. Imagine stuff like that on every MPs page. I genuinely think Labour are scared of the blowback. At this point, I can't see any other reason for them delaying publishing the guidance, other than fear of the reaction from one side in particular.

LizzieSiddal · 08/01/2026 23:48

selffellatingouroborosofhate · 07/01/2026 23:08

Didn't Kemi try to table a Friday morning bill to make sex mean biological sex whilst a back-bencher, which Labour MPs promptly blocked by filibustering?

Show quote history

She was Women’s minister and did absolutely nothing to ensure women’s rights were respected by every organisations in the country. Fuck all!

singthing · 08/01/2026 21:20

IAmAHomewardBounder · 07/01/2026 22:17

Funny how they were able to make everything mixed sex without bothering with impact assessments but now it's vital.

I think the delay is because they're scared of the reaction from certain parties if single sex spaces are explicitly protected.

I think part 1 of your comment is spot on.

But for part 2, this much feared reaction would really only amount to a (yes, arguably epic) toddler tantrum, but then what? While they might superficially agree, people outside the blue hair rentacause contingent don't really care that much - at least the ones who actually, physically vote and therefore matter to BP and co. Men for sure won't give a shiny shit, they never have.

I think it could easily be a big wah-wah! for a week and then we all just get on with the cost of living, and rolling our eyes over the latest gov u-turn/scandal/resignation, and who the Traitor was and so on. We (collectively) just don't have the bandwidth for this load of old tosh.

Do we really think that the Jolyon, India, Webberley and their anime hangers-on will get traction from The People when it has to be proactive and tangible, not just liking a FB post or Tweet? And those clowns at Bashback are doing a superb job of shooting themselves in the foot so they'll probably implode soon too.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/01/2026 20:57

Not forgetting the fact that in many instances it will be businesses or whatever just reverting back to what was normal every where up until a couple of decades ago.

All those businesses moaning should have thought a bit harder before being Stonewalled.

Although I expect it has nothing to do with businesses, they are just being used by Labour as an excuse to not follow the law.

Not even an apology to women for making them wait longer than they should have to, to get their rights back.

OP posts:
ProfessorIDareSay · 08/01/2026 20:39

nicepotoftea · 08/01/2026 20:28

The equalities minister has told the EHRC it must assess the financial impact of its guidance before it can be approved, despite the regulator arguing that such costs arise from the law itself rather than its interpretation of it.

Is there a caveat where you don't have to obey the law if it is too expensive?

Show quote history

Well if there is I’ll cancel my car insurance tomorrow as it is far too expensive, not to mention my council tax and HMRC bill.
Sure I can find many more items I no longer need to cough up for as obeying laws seems to be optional now if there may be expense.

KitWyn · 08/01/2026 20:38

IwantToRetire · 08/01/2026 20:17

Single-sex spaces guidance delayed as Phillipson waits for costings
Details will not be released for four months as minister demands to know what it will cost businesses
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/single-sex-spaces-guidance-delayed-phillipson-fsw2m6kx3
And in full at https://archive.is/XPCEC

Worth reading for all the weasel word excuses they are making up.

Do they mean 4 months from now?

Wont that make it about a year from when the judgement was given.

I have nothing but contempt for their games.

It is shocking that a lawmaker has such a blatant contempt for the rule of law. Phillipson is a disgrace. She is unfit for office.

If Phillipson remains determined to block an updated EHRC Code of Practice, that confirms women-only spaces must exclude all men (however they identify), we will make this brutally clear via case law.

Bring on the court cases.

nicepotoftea · 08/01/2026 20:28

IwantToRetire · 08/01/2026 20:17

Single-sex spaces guidance delayed as Phillipson waits for costings
Details will not be released for four months as minister demands to know what it will cost businesses
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/single-sex-spaces-guidance-delayed-phillipson-fsw2m6kx3
And in full at https://archive.is/XPCEC

Worth reading for all the weasel word excuses they are making up.

Do they mean 4 months from now?

Wont that make it about a year from when the judgement was given.

I have nothing but contempt for their games.

The equalities minister has told the EHRC it must assess the financial impact of its guidance before it can be approved, despite the regulator arguing that such costs arise from the law itself rather than its interpretation of it.

Is there a caveat where you don't have to obey the law if it is too expensive?

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/01/2026 20:17

Single-sex spaces guidance delayed as Phillipson waits for costings
Details will not be released for four months as minister demands to know what it will cost businesses
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/single-sex-spaces-guidance-delayed-phillipson-fsw2m6kx3
And in full at https://archive.is/XPCEC

Worth reading for all the weasel word excuses they are making up.

Do they mean 4 months from now?

Wont that make it about a year from when the judgement was given.

I have nothing but contempt for their games.

Single-sex spaces guidance delayed as Phillipson waits for costings

Legal limbo for public bodies to continue as minister demands to know what it will cost businesses

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/single-sex-spaces-guidance-delayed-phillipson-fsw2m6kx3

OP posts:
Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/01/2026 17:54

Safe Spaces has been the Labour mantra for years.

Dont forget they were the one who drafted the SSE for the EA that put the rights of trans women above the rights of biological women.

ie the majority group, actually women could only of a few occassions and if it was "proportionate" have acess to services based on biological sex.

and the minority group, TW, were presumes to have the right to access women's services.

Logically in terms of a law, it should have been the other way round.

But right from the start Labour always assumed that the protected characteristic of gender re-assignment would become self identity.

Added to this, or exploiting it we had years of Stonewall "advisint" people that self identity was enough to justify inclusion into single sex services or facilities.

Labour is still so committed to this concept, that they wont (or cant) bring themselves to say they were wrong to begin with.

ie even making out in all their statements that the only important group are trans people. Yet again the implication is that even if actual women have rights, and a court clarifies that. Labour will never put women first.

Women know your place.

At the back of the queue.

OP posts:
ArabellaSaurus · 08/01/2026 15:52

Skyellaskerry · 08/01/2026 13:56

Starmer consistently used “safe spaces” when the subject arose during the last election campaign. Carefully chosen weasel words yes.

Show quote history

I had hoped we'd seen the last of the Sex Fudge.

Shortshriftandlethal · 08/01/2026 15:45

IAmAHomewardBounder · 07/01/2026 22:17

Funny how they were able to make everything mixed sex without bothering with impact assessments but now it's vital.

I think the delay is because they're scared of the reaction from certain parties if single sex spaces are explicitly protected.

The judgment itself was an impact statement, as it went into great detail on the impact of acting as if Gender Identity was the exact same thing as Sex on several protected categories in the equalities act.

CheeseChamp · 08/01/2026 15:31

Perhaps I have put two different points together where she meant, she wants both these things.

"for example an equalities impact assessment, that the EHRC just checks that this doesn't mean a burden on business."

Sometimes I feel like MPs are low level management types who are promoted above their pay grade and don't really understand anything about their job and simply learn certain words from being in meetings a lot and can use enough of those words in the right order to make it look like they are doing something vaguely competent. I can spot it because I have been in a few jobs where thats how I operated, because im lazy and have a life. I wouldnt choose to be an MP because I would expect an MP to be a complete obsessive 24 hours a day about their brief. Am I asking too much? I don't think so.

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