Politicians respond to the SC judgement

[ArabellaScott]

A thread to gather politicians' responses to yesterday's Supreme Court judgement.

1. Stella Creasy. She's rather unhelpfully posted a pdf, (and turned off replies), so archive below.

https://archive.ph/8T1Yl

https://x.com/stellacreasy/status/1912609872430133697

It was minority parties day on the Today programme. After having the Greens on, they then had Nigel Farage. Nick Robinson didn't ask him if transwomen are women.

Even if they were from historic marches, why is nothing being done?

This is shameful.

Reform have gone from a minority party to leading in the polls thanks to nonsense like TWAW.

That’s not going to go down well with many in the party I imagine.

Jonathan Hinder MP (Labour) Pendle and Clitheroe

'Sex matters'

https://x.com/JonathanHinder/status/1914753635059442129

And:

"Sex is the ONLY factor which distinguishes men from women, beyond that you should be able to live without conforming to those stereotypes."

I'm waiting for the pearls of wisdom from my MP. He's one of those on this now-classic Twitter thread.

Oh, gosh, has anyone heard from Dawn Butler?

Edit: I checked.

https://x.com/DawnButlerBrent/status/1914741400802828347

'The 2010 Equality Act has been clarified, not changed. Single-sex spaces have and always have been protected under
@UKLabour
. Those who provide a valuable service at women's refuges use their discretion. That should not be put under threat through this ruling. '

She posts her speech from HoC, too. I'll find Hansard.

Atcually, the whole Hansard from yesterday will probably be useful for the thread.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-04-22/debates/31A6C620-BC92-41EE-B375-E37E84B45DA7/%E2%80%9CForWomenScotland%E2%80%9DSupremeCourtRuling

Christine Jardine (LD) Edinburgh West

'....does the Minister think it would be acceptable to see trans women forced into men’s toilets, to face goodness knows what sort of aggression, and potentially violence, there? '

Shivani Raja
(Leicester East) (Con)

Will the Secretary of State take action to ensure that policies and lessons in schools are not led by external organisations that have been captured by contested gender ideology?

Bridget Phillipson

As I set out in my response to the Leader of the Opposition, we will publish revised guidance for RSHE. It is an important principle that parents should understand what is being taught to their children at school, and we will ensure that that is maintained.

Charlotte Nichols
(Warrington North) (Lab)

'Far from clarity, the verdict raises as many questions as it answers. Indeed, it has been referred to by the civil servant Melanie Field, who oversaw the Equality Act’s drafting and passage, as having significantly reinterpreted Parliament’s intentions. These questions are primarily about the purpose now of the gender recognition certificate and whether exclusion from single-sex spaces is merely lawful or required. But in protecting women’s spaces such as toilets from predatory men pretending to be trans women, what exactly stops those same men from now accessing them by pretending to be trans men?'

Bridget Phillipson

The basis for NHS provision, and the basis for single-sex services of all kinds, will be on the basis of biological sex.

Kirsty Blackman
(Aberdeen North) (SNP)

I appreciate the Minister’s words about reducing the temperature. An awful lot of people are hurting a huge amount this week as a result of the announcement. I appreciate the commitment to reduce the temperature and hope that everybody will sign up to that. The SNP welcomes the clarity offered on the definition in the Equality Act, notes the judgment’s points of interaction between the 2010 Act and the Gender Recognition Act 2004, and notes the commitment of the Minister and the EHRC to deliver as quickly as possible the guidance on the new code of practice. I would like to ask her if and when she will be replying to the letter, sent by the Scottish Government, seeking an early meeting with the UK Government. I urge her to undertake that meeting as soon as possible, please.

Dawn Butler
(Brent East) (Lab)

I do not know whether anyone else in the House has butch lesbian friends and has been with them when they have been told to get out of women’s toilets, but I have—it is not pleasant; it is not nice. The people who are using this as a political football again should be ashamed of themselves. People do not understand: they are saying that trans women have to use men’s toilets and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington North (Charlotte Nichols) said, trans men then have to use women’s toilets, but how will they stop them? Will they ask to see their genitalia? It makes no sense. Is my right hon. Friend aware that service providers for refuges, which provide a vital service for women in desperate need and often use their discretion, are now fearful that they will no longer be able to use their discretion when providing those services?

Tonia Antoniazzi
(Gower) (Lab)

Since I have been in this House, I have felt the force of the lobby that has made people and MPs across this House stand there and say that trans women are women. Last week the Supreme Court said that sex in the Equality Act is actually biological sex, and I welcome that. What is the Minister going to do to deal with the type of damage that Mermaids and Stonewall caused to a generation, during 14 years of a Tory Government? What steps will she take to rectify the damage that they have done to a generation of trans and gender-questioning children?

Bridget Phillipson

I recognise my hon. Friend’s long-standing interest and campaigning in this area. She is right that the Supreme Court judgment provides clarity on biological sex. When it comes to support for gender-questioning children, when we are talking about children and young people, this has to be about their wellbeing. We are often talking about young people who are very vulnerable and experiencing real difficulties in their lives. The Hilary Cass review made it clear that young people in that situation need support and protection. That is why we will also publish revised gender-questioning guidance for our schools this year to provide that necessary further clarity.

But in protecting women’s spaces such as toilets from predatory men pretending to be trans women, what exactly stops those same men from now accessing them by pretending to be trans men?'

Well, that’s a new one, I think. At least to me.

Liz Saville Roberts
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)

While the Supreme Court ruling brings clarity to some, it brings undeniable fear and uncertainty to others. The Minister’s statement today still leaves vulnerable trans people lost in a maze of complex equalities law. She talks about dignity and respect. Let us look at our prison system, which is just one setting for which her Government are responsible. It is dangerously dysfunctional. What safeguards will now be strengthened so that no trans person is placed in greater danger as a direct result of this ruling?
Bridget Phillipson

I am afraid that I disagree with the right hon. Lady that the ruling was complex. It was straightforward and very clear, and has provided clarity that has been sadly lacking for many years. Of course it is important that vulnerable prisoners receive the support they need, but single-sex spaces are determined, as the Supreme Court has ruled, on the basis of biological sex. Where there are vulnerable prisoners, different situations may need to be put in place, separate from that arrangement.

Chi Onwurah
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West) (Lab)

.... The judgment clarifies that single-sex spaces do not have to offer services to trans women, but can my right hon. Friend the Minister say whether they are obliged to refuse services to them?

Bridget Phillipson

Spaces that operate on a single-sex basis must do so on the basis of biological sex, but of course providers can offer inclusive services, should they choose to do so, so long as they are clear about who they are offering their services to.

Bridget Phillipson

...we are working with the Home Office to deliver our commitment to equalise all existing strands of hate crime to make them aggravated offences. We will also bring forward a draft conversion practices Bill, in line with the King’s Speech and our manifesto, that will be trans-inclusive. We are clear that that ban must not cover legitimate psychological support, treatment or non-directive counselling, but we are clear that conversion practices are abuse and we will legislate to stop them.

Well if they were going to come in either way, at least all the other men will be out of that space.

Which will be a very big step in the right direction in terms of women's dignity, privacy, safety and equality of access.

I look forward very much to seeing how they decide to clarify this and make it work, so far every other group that has begun to look at it has realised all the issues and kicked it back deep into the long grass.

I'm just going through and pulling out quotes that may indicate any future productive actions from the government. I'm ignoring many dafter questions and whole chunks that consist of:

<much bickering and finger pointing, sniping, cries of hatred and nastiness>

from one side of the house or the other.

Mr Richard Holden
(Basildon and Billericay) (Con)

... should women have to rely on a court ruling, followed by guidance at some point from the EHRC, rather than the clear view of this House? What would be the Government’s view of having primary legislation in this area rather than relying on a court ruling?

Bridget Phillipson

The Supreme Court’s ruling was that the Equality Act, which was passed by this House, is the basis for the protections that exist in law on the basis of biological sex.

The same magic fairy dust you wanted to use to shut up women.

What was that about Lia Thomas again?

Jim Allister
(North Antrim) (TUV)

Given that article 2 of the Windsor framework ridiculously requires Northern Ireland to be in dynamic alignment with EU equality directives, which include embracing self-identification, what steps will the Government take to ensure that this common-sense ruling of the Supreme Court is applied consistently and without adulteration across the whole United Kingdom now and always?
Bridget Phillipson

I will review the hon. and learned Gentleman’s question and write to him with a full response.