'Ideological madness!' Labour fails to stop left-wing councils defying trans rules after fury erupts

Labour has failed to stop a series of left-wing London councils defying new trans guidance which looks to protect women's spaces.

Last week, six Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat-led authorities pledged to flout the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance and keep their services "inclusive".

Lambeth, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham, Southwark and Waltham Forest councils all said the guidance was "harmful to the rights of trans people", adding that enforcing the rules would put staff in an "impossible position".

But the six authorities have not faced any pushback from the Government, according to the Telegraph.

The Tories have now urged Andy Burnham to "show some leadership" and "send a message" to groups flouting the rules.

Women's groups have also called on Bridget Phillipson, Equalities Minister, to "use her authority" and make rebel councils fall in line.

While Suella Braverman, Reform UK's Equality Spokeswoman, has said her party would do everything it can to ensure local authorities are compliant with the guidelines.

In a letter written to EHRC chairwoman Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, she said "defending the safety of women and girls" was of the highest priorities for Reform UK.

"I want to be very clear: transgender men are women and transgender women are men", she said.

"Transgenderism has no basis in science or reality and any attempt to erase female only spaces is a crime against women who do not want to share changing rooms or toilets with men."

Ms Braverman urged the EHRC to use "all statutory available powers open to it ensure that local authorities fully comply with the law" and launch a probe into the London councils.

"If local authorities fail to uphold the law and protect sex-based rights, they should be fined with 'pro-trans' politicians held personally liable for costs awarded by the courts," she said.

Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory chairman, said the 2025 Supreme Court ruling which clarified that the Equality Act referred to biological sex was clear, urging Conservative councils to follow the guidance.

He said: “As chairman of the Conservative Party, I will make sure all Conservative-run councils are complying with the law.

“Conservatives across the country will hold Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens to account to ensure they do the same.”

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He later added: "The Supreme Court was unambiguous: sex means biological sex.

"Protecting single sex spaces is not optional. Yet with left-wing councils in open revolt and refusing to enforce the law, Andy Burnham is sitting on his hands and failing to act.

"Under Kemi Badenoch's leadership, Conservative councils will apply the law and protect women's rights. Burnham should show some leadership and send a message to councils who don't."

Separately, Fiona McAnena, the director of campaigns at Sex Matters, said Ms Phillipson needed to "use her authority and reply to those councils telling them they are wrong".

She said: "Council leaders are putting their staff in an impossible position by declaring that they intend to defy.

"Female staff have a legal right to male-free toilets at work. Customers of council-run facilities like leisure centres who use changing rooms marked 'female' quite reasonably expect there will be no men in there.

Bridget Phillipson should remind these councils that they could face unlimited fines if they recklessly and knowingly encourage their employees to breach the Equality Act."

EHRC chief Dr Stephenson previously said: "It's not usually going to be proportionate to have somebody outside the door of every single public toilet asking people their sex before they come in.

"We are assuming that in most cases people will follow the rules because that’s what we do anyway and that’s how our society works – we don’t have police officers under every traffic light, for example, but people still stop.

"Most of us can tell somebody’s sex straight away, and service providers will have to make a decision about whether they question somebody, whether or not to believe them.

"We can and do take action to enforce the Equality Act. We do that all the time."

GB News has approached the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.