LABOUR today backed down on its controversial promise to introduce gender self-ID.
Under the policy anyone aged 18 and above could wake up and decide to be legally recognised as the opposite gender.
Labour today u-turned on its policy to introduce gender self-ID laws
The idea has been slammed by feminist campaigners as a huge threat to women.
Risking a civil war, Shadow Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds confirmed the party will now stick with current rules, which require a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to formally transition.
In an op-ed for The Guardian she said: “The requirement to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria remains an important part of accessing a gender recognition certificate.”
The policy puts party chiefs at odds with their own members of Scottish Parliament, who voted overwhelmingly for self-ID north of the border.
The plan, pioneered by ex-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, was shut down by PM Rishi Sunak.
Ms Dodds also finally admitted yesterday that “sex and gender are different”.
And she vowed to protect safe spaces such as domestic violence shelters exclusively set up for biological women.
Labour’s understanding of biology became particularly muddied this year after Sir Keir Starmer declared thousands of women have a penis.
Ms Dodds added: “These policies will not please everyone.
“They will be attacked from all sides, in good faith and bad. But responsible politics is not about doing what is easy, it’s about doing what is right.”
Responding to the screeching u-turn Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson said: “We all know that sex matters. We are born male or female and we cannot change sex.
“It is irresponsible to suggest to vulnerable people, especially to children, that we can.
“Indeed the idea that we have an ‘inner gender identity’ that should be prioritised over our biological sex has caused untold damage.”
