The shadow paymaster general has welcomed the supreme court rulling yesterday on gender recognition, and called for the government to codify it in law to protect the decision against future court action. Speaking to GB News, Richard Holden, hailed it as “a very sensible ruling”, and was at pains to point out that it echoed concerns that had been in the Conservative manifesto at the 2024 general election. He told viewers: I think it’s a very sensible ruling. It’s something which was in the Conservative manifesto the last general election that we would ensure that the Equality Act in legislation would be defined properly as biological women. That’s exactly what we would have done. The court seems to have done it for us. I hope that the government reinforces that with legislation as well as we would do, but I think it’s a victory for common sense. I think that now that guidance is going to be absolutely crucial, and they have to get it right on this to ensure that single sex spaces can protect women. I still think that, rather than relying purely on a court judgment, actually, we should also go further and ensure that is enshrined in legislation like we proposed in the Conservative manifesto too. Belt and braces it. Because I don’t want a court in future to change its mind in this area, although I think the unanimous ruling of the supreme court gives a very clear sense of direction and actually really helps people as well to understand what the thinking is around biological sex. A minister has said she hopes the outcome of the supreme court’s ruling on the legal definition of the term woman will draw a line under arguments over gender recognition. Asked if she welcomed the ruling, health minister Karin Smyth told Sky News: “Yes. I think it’s good that we have clarity for women, and the women who brought this case, and for service providers providing services.” Asked whether she thought the ruling would further inflame arguments, the minister said: “No, I really hope that it does draw a line under it by clarifying what sex means, by clarifying that people have different protected rights under the Equality Act and being very clear to all organisations what that means.” Questioned on what she would say to trans people worried about the ruling, Smyth said: Rights remain enshrined in the Equality Act. There are protected characteristics for trans people under the gender recognition part of the Equality Act. If there are changes to be made, that needs to be looked at carefully with the guidance, but this law was about women’s rights and rights under the Equality Act for sex and for service providers making sure they are compliant with that. Good morning, and welcome to our rolling UK politics coverage for Thursday. Here are your headlines … Health minister Karin Smyth has said she hopes the outcome of the supreme court’s ruling on the legal definition of the term woman will draw a line under arguments over gender recognition Shadow cabinet member Richard Holden called for the government to pass legislation to codify the judgement in Ministers are having an “active conversation” with UK pharmaceutical firms about the potential impact of US tariffs People are being warned of Easter disruption to the rail network, with over 300 engineering works being undertaken. National Highways said it has removed roadworks from 1,127 miles of motorways and major A roads in England It is Martin Belam with you again today. You can reach me at martin.belam@theguardian.com if you have spotted typos or what you consider to be errors or omissions.
Author: Martin Belam