The Labour Party launched its Manifesto 2024 on Thursday 13 June, setting out its plans for government if Labour wins the election on 4 July.
The manifesto contains many strong commitments which will profoundly improve women’s lives. Our analysis here centres on those relating to sex and gender, as these areas are the focus of our declaration.
The manifesto contains neither a clear statement on the difference between sex and gender, nor a commitment to clarify these terms in government. Many of Labour’s commitments that relate to women and women’s rights are seriously undermined by a lack of clarity about the definition of sex in the law as it stands.
Labour Women’s Declaration deeply regrets that only some aspects of our detailed policy briefings have been heeded by the party. As a result several manifesto commitments are out of step with new evidence, and contradict and undermine other policy improvements.
Positives
- Maintenance of single-sex exceptions
- Implementation of the Cass Review recommendations
- No return to previous gender self-identification policy
- Omission of any reference to removing the spousal exit clause
- Focus on ending male violence against women and girls
Concerns
- No reference to the need to clarify ‘sex’ in law
- A ban on so-called ‘conversion practices’, despite Dr Cass’ warnings
- Making Gender Recognition Certificates easier to obtain and confusing this with access to healthcare.
- Combining separate protected characteristics into the one acronym “LGBT+” risks poor law and policy making
- “Equalisation” of hate crime, risking unintended consequences
The full response from LWD can be read at
https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/lwd-responds-to-the-2024-labour-party-manifesto/