Allies of Keir Starmer claim he has the backing of Labour’s grassroots over his stance on sex- and gender-based rights after a new poll of members suggested they support the party’s updated position on the issue. The party shifted its stance in the summer, abandoning its support for self-identification – which would allow people to legally change gender without a medical diagnosis. It announced the move alongside support for making the process of obtaining a gender recognition certificate far simpler and less invasive, as well as continuing to ensure some single-sex services and places could only be accessed by biological women. While the issue remains a controversial one within the party, Labour Together, a group closely associated with Starmer, said a new YouGov poll of Labour members it commissioned showed broad support for the leadership’s new line. A majority of Labour members (62%) said they believed there are some cases in which transgender women should be excluded from single-sex services and spaces, with 22% disagreeing. Two-thirds (67%) approved of Labour’s new policy to streamline the securing of a gender recognition certificate by removing a panel of doctors and lawyers from the process, allowing a single doctor to diagnose “gender dysphoria”. The party has said that continuing to require a diagnosis “upholds legitimacy of applications and confidence in the system”. Labour Together argued that the results showed the Labour membership’s views on the issue were broadly in line with that of the general public. In January this year, another poll found the public supported the continued involvement of doctors in the process to legally change gender: 58% backed the idea, while 30% opposed. “Far from being ‘out of touch’ with Labour members, these results show that Keir Starmer speaks for [them],” said its director, Josh Simons. “On sex and gender rights, there is little difference between the attitudes of Labour members and the attitudes of voters. Keir’s position is not just in line with voters, but members, too.”
Senior Labour figures believe the Tories will attempt to use trans rights as a “culture war” topic during next year’s general election campaign. They hope the shift over the summer will help the party deal with the issue during the campaign, though they expect Starmer and his shadow team to be repeatedly asked about their views on trans rights. Labour Together’s research director, Christabel Cooper, said: “The Conservatives are trying to exploit the issue of gender identity to create division. But our polling shows that Labour members are united behind the leadership’s balanced and sensible position on this issue – a position which is shared by most of the general public.” YouGov polled 1,101 members of the Labour party online between 24 and 27 October.