Sefton Council Faces Pressure to Rethink Stance on Transgender Identification

At this week’s Sefton Council meeting at Southport Town Hall, Sefton Conservatives have put forward a motion calling for Sefton Council to reverse the position taken by the council back in May 2022, that “trans men are men and trans women are women.”

This follows a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court earlier this year, which confirmed that the protected characteristic of “sex’ under the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex.

Conservative Group Leader, Mike Prendergast, said “This motion is about ensuring Sefton Council operates within the law. We cannot allow any confusion around policy and, right now, the publicly stated position of Sefton Council conflicts with the Equality Act and the confirmatory judgement of the Supreme Court.”

“There is, and always was, a clear distinction between biological sex and gender identity. There were a vocal minority of us who made these points back in May 2022, from across the political spectrum, and I know there are councillors in all parties on Sefton Council who still hold those views.”

“I and, I’m fairly certain, all other elected councillors on Sefton Council respect any individual who chooses to identify as a gender different from that at birth. Trans people have the right to live their lives free from prejudice and discrimination and should be afforded all of the protections under the law that everyone has.” 

“The fact is though that Sefton Council, through the previous position that was adopted, has caused a problem for itself. The council is not a rule maker where primary legislation is concerned, it is a rule taker. As such, we can’t choose to hold a position when we know it is not in keeping with the law of the land.”

Councillor Sir Ron Watson CBE, a long serving member of Sefton Council and former local health chair, added, “There is no doubt that the Council acted with good, though misguided, intentions in 2022, but the legal landscape has now changed.” 

“The Supreme Court has provided essential clarity. As elected representatives, we have a duty to ensure that all Council policies reflect the law of the land. This is especially important in areas such as safeguarding, healthcare, education, and women’s services, where precise definitions matter.”

The motion will be debated at the next full Council meeting. Cllr Prendergast is urging councillors from all parties to support this common-sense, legally grounded approach.