As the UK heads to the polls for local elections, trans rights activists are worried that despite the predicted Tory losses, their hopes for progress on trans rights may not materialize. The latest polling from Ipsos indicates that Labour is expected to win almost twice the number of votes as the Tories, which some believe may signal a shift away from the Conservative Party’s apparent weaponization of trans rights to drum up support among voters. However, the Labour Party has also come under criticism for its stance on trans rights.
Charley Hasted, the chair of LGBT+ Lib Dems, stated that “it takes one of the big two because we don’t have an electoral system that will allow us to take power.” Hasted is concerned that even if the Tories lose, they will double down on their attacks on trans rights and try to push through legislation. Despite this, Hasted also notes that trans rights are not a deciding issue for most voters, with the vast majority choosing to vote on other pressing concerns such as sewage in rivers, council tax, social care, and the NHS.
Many Labour members, including Jamie (name changed to protect their identity), are conflicted about the local elections. While they believe Labour is the best option for LGBTQ+ voters in the UK, they are disappointed by the party’s position on trans rights. They criticize politicians for using trans people as a human shield to mask their failures and believe that the transphobic culture war is unlikely to end even if Labour makes significant gains in the local elections.
Regardless of the outcome, the local elections have brought concerns over trans rights in the UK into sharp focus. With both major parties having shifted their position on trans rights in recent years, it remains to be seen how the issue will be addressed in the future. Trans rights activists are urging politicians to prioritize the issue and resist the urge to use it as a political football in the ongoing culture wars.