Labour is embarking on a consultation on the inclusion of transgender women on all-women shortlists for parliamentary seats, after confirming they are welcome to stand without a gender recognition certificate.

Dawn Butler, Labour’s shadow women and equalities secretary, emailed Labour colleagues this week setting out the formal position that trans women can self-certify as women to participate in an all-women’s shortlist.

But she also said that the party had further work to do on the exact wording of the policy and would be talking to people on all sides of the debate to “take into account the different views on this issue”.

Some trans women have already been selected on all-women shortlists for Labour without having to show a gender recognition certificate.

However, the party took steps to clarify its policy after a furious debate among some activists about whether that is the right approach. Jennifer James, a party activist, who raised more than £22,000 to mount a legal challenge to the inclusion of self-identifying trans women on all-women shortlists, was recently suspended from the party over her views. There has also been a heated debate over the role of trans teenager Lily Madigan, who was elected women’s officer at her constituency Labour party in Kent.

Senior figures in the party - including Jeremy Corbyn and Harriet Harman - are strongly supportive of the clarification in policy. A spokeswoman for Harman, the former deputy leader of Labour, said she backed the affirmation that trans women should be able to stand for all-women shortlists without needing a gender recognition certificate. Corbyn said at the weekend: “The position of the party is that where you have self-identified as a woman, then you are treated as a woman.”



But it is understood some Labour MPs are anxious to make sure that there are some safeguards written into the policies to stop, for example, a men’s rights activist attempting to stand as a woman to test the legalities.

In a bid to address questions about transgender policy, Butler circulated a template letter for MPs to send their constituents that states: “The Labour party policy on self-identification is clear. It follows that all-women shortlists are open to all women, including trans women. And that trans women do not need a gender recognition certificate to participate in an all-woman shortlist.



“The party will consult with key stakeholders about the wording of this policy and will issue guidance to CLPs [constituency Labour parties]. The rights of all groups to debate the implications of reforming the gender recognition act should be supported. I very much hope that any discussion on this matter is conducted in a

respectful and inclusive manner.”

In her email to colleagues, Butler added: “The letter includes our current lines on all-women shortlists which remains our formal position. The party will be consulting with a range of stakeholders to take into account the different views on this issue.

“In parliament, the shadow women and equalities team will be holding a series of roundtable discussions with different individuals and organisations.”

The policy on all-women shortlists was clarifed after a debate in the national executive committee (NEC) about guidance for local parties. Alice Perry, who represents local government on the NEC, said: “The Labour NEC will issue guidance to members and local parties about trans women standing in all-women shortlist selections. Trans women are welcome to stand in AWS and we value and support our trans community.”

Jess Phillips, the chair of the Labour women’s parliamentary party, said: “I think there is a reasonable way through this that protects the role of all-women shortlists and ensures trans women are included. It seems the debate around the issue has gone increasingly feral when actually there is reasonableness on all sides.”

A Labour spokeswoman said: “It was confirmed at the NEC that all-women shortlists are and always have been open to all women, which of course includes trans women. The party will consult with key stakeholders about the wording of this policy and will issue guidance to CLPs.”

