Labour leadership contenders mired in row over trans rights

VETERAN Left-wing feminists have become embroiled in a row with Labour leadership contenders after a women’s rights group was branded a hate organisation.

A pledge card calling on the party to expel “transphobic” members has divided opinion between leadership candidates, and feminist and trans rights groups. Leadership contenders Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-bailey signed the 12-point pledge card by the Labour Campaign for Trans Rights (LCTR) which calls on signatories to “organise and fight against transphobic organisations such as Woman’s Place UK, LGB Alliance and other trans-exclusionist hate groups”.

But Woman’s Place UK, which believes women need separate spaces in society, along with other activists, hit back, stating it was “concerned by the scurrilous mischaracterisation” of its campaign. Woman’s Place UK was cofounded by Ruth Serwotka, whose husband Mark Serwotka is head of PCS, the civil service union.

She tweeted: “Personally, I think that because [Ms Long-bailey has] called a women’s rights organisation a hate group she has no chance [of becoming Labour leader].” She added: “We do not do harm to trans people. Absolutely defamatory comment.”

The LCTR card launched this week with a warning that the Labour party had “failed to act as transphobia has gained ground”, despite the party’s manifesto supporting trans equality and gender recognition.

However, Dr Jane Hamlin, president of the Beaumont Society, run by and for the transgender community, said: “We believe trans rights are human rights, and that women’s rights are not diminished by defending the rights of trans people.” Emily Thornberry also signed the pledge, but “voiced concern over the use of the term ‘hate group’”.