Keir Starmer has welcomed the landmark ruling that biological sex should determine whether people can use same-sex spaces.
In his first comments since the verdict, the prime minister said he was “really pleased” that the Supreme Court announcement has given “much-needed clarity” on gender issues.
The UK’s highest court, delivering its judgement last Wednesday, ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act “refer to a biological woman and biological sex”.
On a visit to a school in south-west England, Starmer told the BBC: “I welcome the decision of the Supreme Court, which has given us clarity, much-needed clarity, and I think for those that are now drawing up guidance, it’s a much clearer position.
“So I’m really pleased that the court has now clarified the position. We can move on from there and I think that’s been very helpful, and I would welcome that.”
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Asked further whether this means he does not believe a trans woman is in fact a woman, the PM said: “A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear.”
Starmer also suggested guidance needs to be shared to public bodies to ensure all organisations following the ruling.
“We need to move and make sure that we now ensure that all guidance is in the right place according to that judgment”, he told ITV West Country.
Bridget Phillipson, the equalities minister and education secretary, is expected to give a House of Commons statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling as parliament returns from Easter recess on Tuesday.
The prime minister had faced criticised for not commenting or issuing a statement on the court’s ruling since it was unveiled on Wednesday.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Conservative spokesperson Chris Philp said the prime minister should apologise “to the country” and to a former Labour MP for his previous comments on gender identity.
Philp, the shadow home secretary, told Sky News: “Keir Starmer has been all over the place on this. He claimed a year or two ago, that women could have penises, which is ridiculous.
“He even drove Rosie Duffield out of the Labour Party for taking a common sense view of this issue, which has now been vindicated by the Supreme Court judgement.
“So Keir Starmer should apologise to the country for what he said a few years ago. He should particularly apologise to Rosie Duffield for driving her out of the Labour Party on this issue. So I completely welcome the Supreme Court judgement.”
Philp added: “Keir Starmer has been totally silent on this issue, for the last 6 or 7 days since that ruling came out.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on Bluesky here.
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Source: Politics
