Keir Starmer admits SNP’s meltdown over gender recognition laws led him to U-turn on his past support for self-identification for trans people as he says Labour now wants to ‘keep it a medical process’
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Sir Keir Starmer today admitted Labour had ‘reflected’ on the fierce row over gender recognition reforms in Scotland as he confirmed a U-turn on self-identification for trans people.
The Labour leader outlined how, if his party wins power at the next General Election, he will seek to ‘modernise’ gender recognition laws.
But Sir Keir stressed he now wanted to ‘keep it a medical process’ and did not think ‘self-identification is the right way forward’.
It marks a reversal on the Labour leader’s past support for the introduction of self-identification for those seeking legal recognition of a new gender.
Sir Keir’s new stance also puts him at odds with Scottish Labour, who have said they continue to back the ‘de-medicalisation’ of gender recognition in Scotland.
Sir Keir Starmer admitted Labour had ‘reflected’ on the fierce row over gender recognition reforms in Scotland as he confirmed a U-turn on self-identification for trans people
Nicola Sturgeon, the ex-SNP leader, last year introduced the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in a bid to make it easier for trans people to legally obtain a new gender
But there was a fierce backlash against Ms Sturgeon’s proposed reforms and, while it was passed by MSPs at Holyrood, the bill was blocked from becoming law by Rishi Sunak
In 2021, Sir Keir Starmer used a video marking Pride to say Labour was ‘committed to updating the GRA (Gender Recognition Act) to introduce self-declaration for trans people’
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Sir Keir conceded the controversy over the Scottish Government’s recent attempts to change gender recognition laws had forced his rethink.
Nicola Sturgeon, the ex-SNP leader and former Scottish first minister, last year introduced the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in a bid to make it easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate, which is legal recognition of their acquired gender.
The legislation attempted to introduce a system of self-declaration for obtaining a GRC and remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
But there was a fierce backlash against Ms Sturgeon’s proposed reforms and, while it was passed by MSPs at Holyrood with Scottish Labour’s support, the bill was blocked from becoming law by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The row over the bill was also accompanied by widespread fury at high-profile cases of transgender prisoners in Scotland being held in women’s jails.
Sir Keir this morning denied he had attempted to ‘sneak out’ Labour’s new stance on self-identification through a Guardian article written by party chair Anneliese Dodds this week.
‘Firstly, a woman is an adult female, so let’s clear that one up,’ he said.
‘Secondly, in relation to the process – we had by-elections last week… we finished that and then we went to Nottingham for a three-day national policy forum.
‘It’s where the Labour Party grinds through its policy and at the end of that we have agreed policy… on a whole range of issues, including on gender recognition.
‘It gave us the chance to reflect on what happened in Scotland recently in relation to gender recognition and to be clear that we want to modernise the legislation.’
Quizzed about Scottish Labour’s continued support for the ‘de-medicalistion’ of gender recognition processes, Sir Keir replied: ‘We don’t agree. We don’t think that self-identification is the right way forward.
‘We’ve reflected on what happened in Scotland.’
The Labour leader admitted the row over transgender prisoners in Scottish women’s jails was an ‘aspect of what was going on in Scotland’.
‘We’ve set out that we want to modernise the process, get rid of some of the indignities in the process, keep it a medical process,’ he added, as he outlined his party’s position.
‘We’ve always said, I’ve continued to say, and Sunday, when we completed our policy forum, allowed us to be clear that there should be safe places, safe spaces, for women, particularly in relation to violence against women and girls.’
Pressed to name his specific concerns about why ‘safe spaces’ are needed, Sir Keir said: ‘I think it’s more that biological women who have been subjected to violence against women and girls want a safe space where they can feel safe.’
Pushed to be more specific, the Labour leader said they want a ‘safe space where they can feel that they are properly supported and protected’.
Scottish Labour said earlier this week that it remained committed to the ‘de-medicalisation’ of the process for trans people to obtain legal recognition in their preferred gender.
Paul O’Kane, the party’s social justice spokesman at Holyrood, said ‘Labour is committed to modernising and reforming the outdated and intrusive Gender Recognition Act, as well as ensuring exemptions in the Equality Act are upheld.
‘Scottish Labour continues to support the de-medicalisation of the process in Scotland.’
In 2021, Sir Keir had used a video marking Pride to say his party was ‘committed to updating the GRA to introduce self-declaration for trans people’.
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