Lib Dems reject ‘discriminatory and unworkable’ EHRC guidance on trans people

Lib Dem members have passed a motion at their annual autumn conference calling on the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to review its new code of practice on trans people.

The new code of practice, which came into force on 5 August, only allows people to use public spaces based on their biological sex at birth.

An emergency motion submitted to Lib Dem conference by LGBT+ Lib Dems yesterday evening expressed “concern” that the new guidance “bars trans people from facilities aligned with their lived gender”. 

It described the rules as “discriminatory” and “unworkable”, and called for the EHRC to issue a new code of practice that is “inclusive, workable and ensures everybody can safely access public facilities and providers are protected from legal risk”. 

It also called for a dedicated cross-party parliamentary committee “to review how the law should better protect trans people’s rights”.

The motion passed easily on a show of hands. 

One speaker in favour of the motion, Rebecca Jones, said that as a trans woman she was “tired of being a culture war prop”.

She said: “You now fear using public spaces. You fear anyone that looks at you too much in case they hate trans people enough that they put you at risk. All whilst your government repeats the words ‘dignity’ and ‘respect’, whilst doing everything in their power to ensure trans people do not have them.”

Earlier in the day the party leader, Ed Davey, told the BBC he supported the motion, calling the EHRC guidance not “fit for purpose”.

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward