Labour in terf war as Rayner slaps down Duffield

Whether it’s scum-gate, party democracy, membership expulsions or the minimum wage you’d think Labour had had enough splits this conference. But to add to that (growing) list of disputes is the issue of transgender rights in the wake of Rosie Duffield’s decision not to attend conference, as first reported by Mr S. 

Tensions have played out within the Parliamentary Labour Party and in the wider conference too, between those supporters of transgender rights and gender critics whom the former label TERFs – or trans-exclusionary radical feminists. A transgender woman was stopped on Sunday trying to enter a ladies’ toilet, leading to an ugly and distressing stand-off. On the conference floor this afternoon one Labour delegate received shouts of ‘shame!’ and boos after she told the hall that she stands with Duffield and the right to express her views.

And tonight a planned event in Brighton by Labour Women’s Declaration featuring Tonia Antoniazzi – the Private Parliamentary Secretary to shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves – will not announce its location until the last moment for fear, they say, of aggressive picketing.