Government expected to indefinitely delay plans to make it easier for people to change their gender legally Government insiders do not expect the reforms promised by Theresa May to be brought forward

Gender Recognition Act reforms have been kicked into the long grass as ministers fear trans laws are too divisive, i understands.

Those involved in drawing up reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) no longer expect them to be enacted, following a backlash from Conservative MPs and activists.

Theresa May had previously promised to drop the existing requirement for transgender people to get a medical note, wait two years and pay a fee if they want to change their gender in the eyes of the law.

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Instead anyone would be able to “self-declare”, which trans groups say would make it much easier for people to start living their lives openly as their preferred gender without being constrained by red tape.

Trans row

Critics, including some feminist campaigners, claim the reforms could make it easier for men to claim they are trans in order to gain access to female-only spaces. They also fear that a less strict regime could encourage children to undergo irreversible treatment which could prove inappropriate.

A Government source said that the consultation into the GRA commissioned by Mrs May, which closed 18 months ago, was unlikely to result in the planned reforms going ahead. “Boris Johnson just doesn’t want that fight,” the source said. “We just won’t talk about it.” The delay is not related to the coronavirus epidemic.

One minister involved in the plans said they had not heard an update since Mr Johnson became Prime Minister. Another Tory MP predicted the party would become increasingly divided on social issues thanks to the influx of dozens of young, liberal MPs at the last election.

A Government Equalities Office spokesperson said: “It is vital that the next steps on any potential reform of the Gender Recognition Act are carefully planned, and have the right backing.

“We had more than 100,000 responses to our consultation, and will announce more details on our proposed next steps in due course.”

Laura Russell from LGBT charity Stonewall urged the Government to see the GRA reforms through. She told i: “Trans people have waited far too long for equality and to be recognised for who they are. Reforming the Gender Recognition Act will simply make it easier for trans people to live their day to day lives, by making it less complicated to get the right gender on their birth certificate.”

But Nicola Williams of Fair Play for Women welcomed the delay, saying: “Women quite rightly said no to this bad law and we are thankful this Government has listened and understood. Women’s rights matter and they are not the Government’s to give away.”