Labour Women's Declaration at Lab Conference 2024 - STALL! - Reem Alsalem [UNSRVAW], Sonia Sodha and Dr Anna Hutchison

[fromorbit]

For years LWD have been fighting to get a stall at conference. Finally they have been allowed inside with a stall at the Labour Annual Conference in Liverpool.

That is not all they now have two events inside the conference, but on the fringe. Remember when the women were banished to an outside venue and TAs hammering on the windows only a few years ago.

LWD Fringe Event – Sunday 22nd September 1.30 – 3pm “Labour Women’s Declaration – where next?” [INSIDE the conference zone]
We have warmly welcomed the government’s clear commitments to protecting single-sex spaces & services, halving violence against women & girls and full implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations.
What strategies are now needed in order to deliver these 3 commitments?”

Speakers panel includes:
Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences
Sonia Sodha, Chief leader writer, The Observer
Dr Anna Hutchison, Clinical psychologist, specialising in adolescent mental health and physical health with a particular interest in gender related distress in young people. She is part of the team providing induction training to all clinical staff who will be working in the new Children & Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Services in England
https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/lwd-fringe-event-sunday-22nd-september-1-30-3pm-labour-womens-declaration-where-next/

[Amazing lineup which will have the TA faction inside Labour fuming especially as Dr Hutchinson is an actual medical expert.]

Full details on the other event to follow it also sounds great:
Mon 23 Sept 7pm 'Unions for Women'

The battle against sexism within Labour and the Trade Union movement is going up another notch. Open debate it seems is the way forward. It is going to be tough it is certain the TAs are going to use every underhand tactic they have, but more and more people are coming forward to back the reality of biology within the party. However now more than ever there is a chance to fight back and push Labour in the right direction.

How strong the pro-woman faction inside Labour is will be seen at the Labour Women's Conference preceding the main conference. LWD are running two Women’s Conference Arrangements Committee (WCAC) Candidates Dr Louise Irvine and Lynne Troughton to be voted for with the backing of 15 local Constituency parties. Labour party members please lobby to back them. Details here:
https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/dr-louise-irvine-womens-conference-arrangements-committee/

Any apology yet to the women expelled for not having the correct views, or indeed to RD?

I don’t know. I think violent screaming masked up protestors with their abusive placards would now provide a useful vision of what they are about - especially when contrasted directly against Starmer’s rhetoric about ‘far right’ and the actions of the police there.

Few more details on the other LWD event:

UNIONS FOR WOMEN
Monday 23rd I 19:00 I Meeting and reception I Venue TBA nr CONFERENCE
Labour’s commitment to improving trade union rights and representation in the workplace benefits all workers. Many policies are of significant benefit to women, such as maternity rights; women’s health at work; tackling pay discrimination; developing flexible working policies; training and education for women at work; and working for freedom from sexual harassment, violence and exploitation in the workplace. But too many women still remain disengaged or inactive in their unions.
Join us to discuss how to protect rights already won, and how to build a trade union movement that really works for women.

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/fringe-event-unions-for-women/

No further signs of TAs organising to protest the conference so far.

Pride In Labour still has very followers on social media and its calls for a revolt seem to be going nowhere. Now LGBT Labour's X account has restarted that whole fuss was a deadend. That division however is useful.

The fight over gender, conversion therapy etc inside and outside Labour is entering a new stage. We have a huge advantage in that open debate always favours our side. Doesn't mean victory is certain, but things are looking better.

In the conference program.
https://x.com/LabWomenDec/status/1832477956062507082/photo/1

Tonia is chairing this too on ending sex trade exploitation.

In the conference program

Wow. Anyone kicking off yet?

Full details on the second event:

UNIONS FOR WOMEN

Chair: Ann Henderson

Tracy Gilbert MP Edinburgh North and Leith
Dr Sara Reis Women’s Budget Group
Kiri Tunks FiliA Unions for Women Project

Labour's commitment to improving trade union rights and representation in the workplace benefits all workers. Many policies are of significant benefit to women, such as maternity rights; women's health at work; tackling pay discrimination; developing flexible working policies; training and education for women at work; and working for freedom from sexual harassment, violence and exploitation in the workplace.
But too many women still remain disengaged or inactive in their unions.
Join us to discuss how to protect rights already won, and how to build a trade union movement that really works for women.

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/fringe-event-unions-for-women/

Good to see Tracy Gilbert MP on the panel . She is one of the pro-women Scottish Labour MPs just elected that replaced the SNP. LWD is getting stronger, but how strong remains to be seen in conference and upcoming votes.

The following 6 new Labour MPs elected in July all had the support of Labour Women's Declaration in their campaign.

Joani Reid, MP for East Kilbride & Strathaven
Imogen Walker, MP for Hamilton & Clyde Valley
Kirsteen Sullivan, MP for Bathgate & Linlithgow
Tracy Gilbert, MP Edinburgh North & Leith
Richard Baker, MP for Glenrothes and Mid Fife
Alison S Taylor, Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP

TA opposition to LWD is muted within the party as far as I can see, there is little sign of huge support for the new group Pride in Labour, but no doubt there are more serious undercover moves. TAs outside are continuing their Starmer is Hitler and Streeting is Goebbels style approach which actually helps LWD in the internal fight.

Basically LWD need to play for time. Delay any genderist legislation, because their case gets weaker the more scrutiny it receives. The Doctors rebellion against the TAs is gathering steam and Cass clearly changed the game.

Glad to hear we have some sensible Labour women in Scotland. I thought they'd all gone after Johann Lamont and a couple of others stood down a few years back.

It is very difficult to stop Scottish women doing things. Johann and Anne Henderson and many others have been busy and they have many local parties backing them.

Hence they passed this motion at Scottish Labour Women's Conference last year:
https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/successful-motion-at-scottish-labour-womens-conference/

It was later blocked at the Scottish Lab Conference by the unions. Many ordinary delegates were pro-women.

So good to hear, thank you.

Sunlight.

Developments:
Jess Phillips MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) - (Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls). is now on the trade union panel.

LWD are running a huge series of pop events at the stall on everything from Sports, Cass Review, local government, education to sex matters in Wales/Scotland:
https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/pop-up-policy-briefings/

Ask policy experts why sex matters in policy & law
The LWD stall will be hosting a range of sector experts, here to answer your questions about why sex matters in policy and law.

Never in the field of human conflict has so much time and energy been wasted in proving that sex matters.

To correct any ambiguity, the time and energy need to be spent, but it's sad to think of what could be achieved if that blasted distraction could be removed.

Agreed it is insane to consider these things need to be said. The fact we are celebrating women openly saying sex is real is absurd. However 5 years ago in 2019 this is what was happening at a Labour conference:

Women's meeting besieged by raging crowd
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/wpuk-fringe-report

Labour do not get to memory hole that. A formal apology is yet to be issued. Jewish members got one.

LWD at conference is really the bare minimum for a party which has big issues. We shall see how actual members behave this weekend. Labour have made big promises, so far are failing to deliver.

Sounds like the LWD presence is going to be well thought out and packed with t useful info and opportunities for dialogue. I hope to god that Labour delegates and the leadership can all demonstrate an ability to engage with this and not tell offensive lies about the LWD presence making people "feel unsafe".

It could be a watershed moment, and it could be a moment of renewed despair and alienation from Labour

Sounds like the LWD presence is going to be well thought out and packed with t useful info and opportunities for dialogue. I hope to god that Labour delegates and the leadership can all demonstrate an ability to engage with this and not tell offensive lies about the LWD presence making people "feel unsafe".

It could be a watershed moment, and it could be a moment of renewed despair and alienation from Labour

I know which of those things I think it's going to be nearer to.

here's a link to the live stream of the first event at the conference at 1.30 pm today with a great lineup:
Labour Women's Declaration - Where Next?
https://youtube.com/live/CfSRqPQv66M?si=M3amfm9Tuz8qVMxN

LWD have warmly welcomed the government’s clear commitments to protecting single-sex spaces & services, halving violence against women & girls and full implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations. What strategies are now needed in order to deliver these 3 commitments?

Speakers will focus on Labour’s 3 commitments listed above, and will cover: The need to clarify sex in law in order both to safeguard single-sex protections eg in women’s sport and refuges, and also to clarify the protected characteristic of same-sex sexual orientation Single-sex protections vs making gender recognition certificates easier to obtain Implementation of the Cass Review and potential chilling effect of the proposed Conversion Practices Ban Bill.

speakers
Reem Alsalem UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences

Sonia Sodha Chief leader writer, The Observer

Dr Anna Hutchinson Clinical psychologist, specialising in adolescent mental health and physical health with a particular interest in gender related distress in young people. She is part of the team providing induction training to all clinical staff who will be working in the new Children & Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Services in England
Tonia Antoniazzi MP (chair)

"this video is private"

I can see it ok

Maybe try a different browser?

For me too (youtube app on phone)
Appreciate the link though. Just hope there's a way to access it!

That's weird, I could get it when @newtlover couldn't but now I can't get back in after closing it and reopening.

wierd, I've got it but paused for later

noooo its gone now

Still not working. Perhaps they released it and have taken it down again temporarily to re-edit?
Will keep an eye on here.
Really want to watch it!