Tory ministers look poised to shelve major reforms making it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender.

A source claimed big changes to the Gender Recognition Act will be delayed indefinitely after they became embroiled in a row.

The government vowed in 2017 to end the need for trans people to get a medical diagnosis to change their legal gender.

Then-PM Theresa May said changes would "streamline and demedicalise" the process, which currently orders people to "live full time in their acquired gender for at least two years" and present two medical reports proving "gender dysphoria".

Mrs May said: "Being trans is not an illness and it shouldn't be treated as such."

(Image: HOLLIE ADAMS/EPA-EFE/REX)

But that sparked a backlash from critics who emphasise biological sex and say "women-only" spaces must be protected.

Nearly 18 months after a consultation closed there has been no announcement.

And a source with knowledge of the process predicted: “It will stay that way.”

“ Boris Johnson just doesn’t want that fight,” the source said.

“We just won’t talk about it. If anyone asks the response will be, ‘we’re thinking about it’.”

Another source said some reforms - such as improving healthcare - are under way, but the wider picture is unknown.

A consultation closed in October 2018, and July 2019 Tory ministers said they were hoping to publish plans within weeks.

But ex-Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt was then ditched by Boris Johnson in a reshuffle and replaced with Liz Truss.

(Image: PA)

In October 2019 LGBT campaigners lined up to criticise the government and Ms Mordaunt urged her successor to be "brave".

Five months on from that speech Ms Truss has still made no announcement.

Laura Russell of LGBT rights campaign group Stonewall said: "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.

"It’s important the UK Government remains committed to trans equality and to reforming the Gender Recognition Act."

The plans went down badly with many Tory MPs. A poll in 2018 found just 9% of them backed self-identification of gender.

Reform backers say self-identification will grant trans people the freedom to be who they are. But Nicola Williams, the director of campaign group Fair Play for Women, claimed such plans would "drive a cart and horses through women's hard won rights".

She added: "Women quite rightly said no to this bad law and we are thankful this Government has listened and understood."

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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."