A bid to remove trans women from Liberal Democrat diversity quotas has been blocked by party members at their annual conference.
Dr Zoe Hollowood, a member of campaign group Liberal Democrat Voice for Women, wanted a debate – and then a binding vote – on updating party policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling that a woman should be defined by biological sex.
But Lucas North, treasurer of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, argued that the debate was a “sham” and urged conference-goers to “reject the idea that trans identities are up for debate”.
The call was supported by two-to-one in a vote in the Bournemouth conference centre hall.
The Liberal Democrat MPs in the hall all left as the issue was raised, so did not vote in the ballot, which a party spokeswoman said was because they had to attend their daily morning meeting.
Dr Hollowood’s motion set out how women are underrepresented in positions across the Liberal Democrats as an organisation and positive action through diversity quotas remained necessary.
She argued trans women should not be included in diversity quotas for women as they are biological men and self-identification is not recognised by the law.
The motion stated: “Returning males into vacancies expressly reserved for females would be unlawful.”
However, North successfully saw the motion ditched after a plea for the membership “not to platform transphobic views”.
“The motion in front of us is a sham,” they said.
“It misrepresents the legal position, it runs contrary to our values, it seeks to put us at odds with our longstanding support for LGBT+ people.”
Although North said members “could simply vote this down”, they suggested ditching the motion entirely was more appropriate so conference was not “used to legitimise bigotry in the name of a small and extremist faction”.
Opposing North’s move to ditch her debate, Dr Hollowood urged members to “please vote against this suppression” and called on those who disagreed to argue their case.
“We must stop telling people it’s unsafe to hear views they disagree with – that excuse opens the door to censorship, violence and tyranny”.
Claiming that free speech was “under pressure” in the UK, Dr Hollowood suggested that was linked to the recent arrest of comedy writer and outspoken critic of the trans rights movement, Graham Linehan.
There were shouts and groans from the conference audience as Dr Hollowood said Mr Linehan had been arrested “over Tweets”, rather than for inciting violence, and had to be told to “settle down” by the conference chair.
There was already a separate quota for trans identities, Dr Hollowood pointed out, as she urged members to “show we care about the law, we care about equalities, we care about women’s rights, and we care about free speech”.
But Dr Hollowood and the Liberal Democrat Voice for Women did not get enough support for the debate to proceed, with a “clear majority” voting to move to the next item of business instead.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey was asked why his party appeared to be “afraid” of a conversation around trans rights.
Sir Ed replied: “Well we’re not.”
He said a “really thoughtful” debate around on trans issues happened at the party’s spring conference in March this year, “where both sides of the argument were heard”.
The issue had been brought back to autumn conference due to the Supreme Court ruling in April, so Sir Ed was challenged about Dr Hollowood’s supporters feeling they had been shut down.
He said: “Well I’m sorry if they’re cross but I do think the truth is what I’m saying, is that we abide by the law.
“There was a motion that I wasn’t part of to move on to next business but, given we debated these very issues just a few months ago, I think it’s quite reasonable to say we’re the only party engaging with these issues.”