Trans row threatens to overshadow Lib Dem conference

[IwantToRetire]

Sir Ed Davey faces activist revolt over party rules that allow biological men to take women’s posts

The current rules allow those who “self-identify as women” to stand for party posts set aside for women, which the activists say dilutes the chance that biological women can reach the top of the party.

The vote will be put before conference on Saturday, but it is understood that trans rights activists will try to get it cancelled to avoid embarrassment. This is despite a YouGov poll showing that three-quarters of Lib Dem members do not support the party’s stance on allowing gender self-ID.

Full article at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/09/17/trans-row-threatens-to-overshadow-lib-dem-conference/

Also at https://archive.is/hykSr

Sounds hopeful. I’d love to see reality reasserted in the Lib Dems. I guess if a small minority can hijack small parties, then a bigger minority can take the party back, given the will to do so.

Oh the delicious schadenfreude of trouble at the Lib Dem conference!

Go Lib Voice for Women

Also covered in the Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15102917/Lib-Dems-trans-roles-reserved-women-reform-unlawful-diversity-rules.

Lib Voice for Women website also cover their motion and it includes a link to their legal advice on the Lib Dems which has implications for the Greens and other sexist parties.
https://liberalvoiceforwomen.org/blog/fair-and-lawful-quotas

As well as a stall the also have a fringe event:
https://liberalvoiceforwomen.telltix.com/events/liberalvoiceforwomen/1836661

But won’t them trying to cancel it cause even more ‘embarrassment’ in the long run?
Having a policy which isn’t in line with the equality act is a very bad look. Trying to suppress a democratic vote to restore legality wouod be outrageous.

Yes, it will embarrass them in the eyes of the country. But not at the conference, which is the only thing that counts in their eyes. Like Trump, they like to win.

If you thought that I was a cynical, disillusioned ex Lib Demmer, you'd be right.

It would be great if they saw sense. For those in a constituency where Labour doesn't stand a chance, having a Tory/LibDem choice used to make a vote meaningful.

It will be fascinating to witness the contortions and shenanigans that will be employed to stop this vote from happening.

If Ed Davey had anything about him, he would just change the policy anyway.

Surely, with the Supreme Court ruling, the genderists don't have a leg to stand on?

I would hope whatever the outcome, the media running these stories will lift awareness. My hope is that, it will allow the voices of women to be heard without silencing. But I am not optimistic.

Trans row threatens to overshadow Lib Dem conference

GOOD!

From the article:

“Whenever this constitution provides for the election by party members to a federal committee, not less than 40 per cent… of those elected shall self-identify as men or non-binary people, and self-identify as women or non-binary people respectively.”

That doesn’t make sense. I don’t think it even makes sense if you believe in non-binary.

Rise up women! Hope the Lib Dem women are able to reclaim their party from supporters of male sexual entitlement.

It's indicative of the woeful state of British politics at the moment. How on earth the parties get tied up in knots on issues such as these is beyond me.

All the 🍿

I stopped voting Lib Dem because of their inability to define a woman.

The Party is completely captured. It’s always had a streak of misogyny but the treatment of gender critical women members is particularly horrible.

Thanks for the link to Liberal Voice for Women.

Always important to listen to the women at the coal face.

Hope other Lib Dems will listen to them.

Exactly - I think a lot of the general public who aren’t that engaged with the Greens and the Lub Dems but occasionally give them a vote if they are annoyed with Labour or the Tories won’t realise a vote for them means a vote for all the gender klart. The more stories like this, the better - hopefully it will put pressure on the Lib Dems, at least, to change their ways.

It would be brilliant if the Liberal Demovrats could just manage to be liberal and democratic enough to allow that the 51% of thr population with female anatomy are allowed to self-organise and speak for their rights and needs without being forced to acquiesce to someone with male anatomy muscling in and demanding to speak for them, disenfranchising them on the grounds of "kindness". No problem with the party including a wide range of views but if this vote is successful on Saturday I will no lomger feel politically homeless. I might even actually join them.

Good! I hope they actually examine the issue properly. The emails I have had back from Lib Dem politicians on this subject are just full of barely-thought out nonsense. It’s like they decided from the offset that women don’t matter and there was no need to even properly think about the issue.

Yes - I’m confused, isn’t the legislation that allows them to exclude men from these roles in the EA?

Most of this shit would be wiped out if they bothered to have a membership vote. Same as all the other parties.
They're so out of touch with the general population it's ridiculous. And they allow themselves to be bullied into thinking kind, caring, respectful people who err on the side of realism and biology are fascist bigots.

“We are proud to be a liberal party where our members have a range of views on all sorts of issues, but come together to discuss them in a friendly and constructive way."

How did the spokesman say that with a straight face, they barred a women (Natalie Bird) from standing for parliament because she said there were only 2 sexes, how is that friendly and constructive.

I wish the Liberal Voice for women the best of luck, it's about time the 75% of the membership who don't agree with the genderwangers actually did something to prove it.

I suspect most of the voting public have no idea just how batshit the Lib Dems are when it comes to trans ideology. Some coverage would be a good thing.

The thing is another win at conference is another Pyrrhic victory. Because Lib Dem Voice for Women will be back next year with another vote and every year till the sexes are equal again. Every year. They are not going to stop.

Lib Dems are in a bind because they claim to respect the Supreme Court judgement while secretly hating it. The Lib Dems know legally they CANNOT win. They folded in the Natalie Bird case and allow Lib Dem Voice for Women to speak. Unlike the Greens they acknowledge reality that much. Yet TAs inside the Lib Dems want to to fight against it, while at the same time knowing they can't silence women without betraying everything they stand for. The idea of freedom of expression never meant that much to Greens or Labour. Without it what is Liberalism?

Look at what happened recently a letter trying to undermine the EHRC signed by about half the part's MPs:

Liberal Voice for Women
https://x.com/LibVoice4Women/status/1967094605909721380

This letter by LisaSmartMP LibDems Spokesperson Women & Equalities) is signed by 40 LD MPs. Letter talks about the concerns of trans ppl, trans ppl feeling anxious & excluded, how trans ppl deserve clarity, dignity & safety re EHRC guidance. Women? Not mentioned once.

This sexist letter is representative of the trap they are in. Sooner or later they will lose.

Are they really planning to go into future elections saying women don't exist? In public ? With Labour, Tories and Reform all saying they are real. They are trying to find a middle ground which can't exist if you have women and men pointing out their nonsense. It maybe the TAs will be reigned in at this conference, but if not now it will happen in 2026, 2027, or 2028.