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

Apparenlty the members did vote.

They voted not to have a vote!

Dr Zoe Hollowood, a member of campaign group Liberal Democrat Voice for Women, wanted a debate - and then a binding vote - on updating party policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling that a woman should be defined by biological sex.

But Lucas North, treasurer of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, argued that the debate was a "sham" and urged conference-goers to "reject the idea that trans identities are up for debate".

The call was supported by two-to-one in a vote in the Bournemouth conference centre hall.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0vvle9w7zo

Sadly these men will ignore women's protected rights no matter what. 😣

So, trans identities are not up for debate, but female people are not even allowed to debate whether they exist or not?

And it is out of the question for Lib Dem policies to reflect the actual law?

What a shit show. So glad I wasn't coerced into voting for them.

So Tim Farron was entirely wrong in asserting that the Liberal Democrats wouldn’t vote for anything that didn’t uphold the law.

Trainwreck interview on GB news

‘If you go down the biological route, you will uncover a minefield’

Liberal Democrats in England Former Chair Lucas North says the Liberal Democrats have been ‘very clear’ that the view of the party is ‘trans-women are women’.
https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/1969441398479843674

Telegraph

Lib Dem conference descends into trans row
Pro-trans activists quash vote on biological men taking female roles within first hour of party conference
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/09/20/lib-dem-conference-trans-row-ed-davey-bournemouth/

Quote from Zoe Hollowood in that article:

She added: “People laughed in the hall when I said free speech is under pressure - then they voted for no debate.

Ditto. If they eat themselves, the only people I'm concerned about are some of thr hardworking local activists and the people they serve.

The paid wonks and the spineless leadership can do one. I left because they refused to answer a single one of my entirely reasonable questions about things like prisons, sports and safeguarding.

The lack of what used to be called moral fibre appalled me.

Oh god I can’t believe I was considering rejoining..

Idiots.

The state of him 🙄

Yes it is not a sustainable position. Back in the days when Labour supported trades unions , their MPs were constantly being asked if they would condemn law breaking by , eg , workers on picket lines. Even if the interview was about the middle east or the NHS or the price of a pint.

But is the media as keen to defend women's rights as it was to destroy the unions ?

I still am. But currently I'd be ashamed to be associated with them, because of the absolute hogwash they are coming out with.

So I've now watched Zoe's speech and the speech of Lucas whatshisname, who basically said that Zoe's motion was bigotry. And he got much more applause and support than Zoe did. It's truly depressing, and despite having the law firmly on our side, it shows what a long, long way we have to go.

I'd already left over their refusal to support May's Brexit in name only. I thought it was utterly foolish and vainglorious to do this, as it would lead to a worse Brexit and Boris Johnson (it was blatantly obvious - I don't claim clairvoyancy). I regret this as it prevented me from flouncing over this later issue.

But for me the point is that the Libs and Lib Dems were primarily a party that stood for principles I believed in which the Tories and Labour didn't. A "non socialist party of the left" as they called themselves. I voted for them because of these principles as I saw the Tories as greedy, corrupt and incompetent and Labour as narrow, bureaucratic and authoritarian.

But the Lib Dems have now been revealed as politically immature and, well, just not very good. Which is a shame, as you said, as there are some excellent people in the party.

So they are very clear that the view of their party is in conflict with the law then.

Useful to get that clarity. For anyone who was thinking of legal action.

Oh please please let someone take them to court. I’d be so happy to support a crowdfunder (think I’ve already said so, but never mind).

This is true. I have much more respect for the ones who understand this is what would be needed than the ones who think they can guidance an SC ruling away.

You can watch the footage of the conference here;
https://x.com/treesey/status/1969343678654148959

Note Lucas is willing to debate the issue on gbnews a right leaning station but not in the conference.

Bit odd.

I feel like they ought to change their name, since they are clearly neither liberals nor democrats.

Lib Dem conference wave flags which have been widely associated with the Far right and Nazis by the British media :)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjd11n14zz1o

I totally agree with Tim Farron that these are our flags, we should never have turned the other cheek while they were being appropriated by the far right (when that term actually meant something) and now we have to reclaim them.

They're ours.

I still wouldn't dream of having anything to do with the Lib Dems though.

Overshadowed by the trans issue? I gathered from the media that it was going to be overshadowed by the immigration issue. That's a lot of overshadowing....

‘If you go down the biological route, you will uncover a minefield’'

I would say this level of stupidity was very male, if so many women didn't express similar views.

He apparently lives in a world where nobody knows their sex so nobody can tell whether copious bleeding from your nether regions is a sign that you have your period or are minutes from death.