Mick Hartley

The government and the Civil Service are doing all they can to block the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling on single sex spaces – which is, after all, the law. From the Telegraph – Civil Service to hire trans equality chief as Labour dithers over Supreme Court ruling.

The Government is advertising for a senior civil servant to “lead on trans equality”.

A new policy manager at the Cabinet Office will focus on the “implications” of 2025’s judgment, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the term “women” in the Equality Act referred to biological sex, meaning trans women are not women under equalities law.

However, Bridget Phillipson, the women and equalities minister, has continued to block the publication of guidance that would force business and public bodies to protect women-only spaces...

The advert reads: “The post holder will lead on trans equality, ensuring that we are able to take steps to improve outcomes for trans people in the UK, liaising with other departments as necessary.

“The post holder will be part of the OEO [Office for Equality and Opportunity] wide team responsible for handling the implications of the recent Supreme Court case known as ‘For Women Scotland’, leading on the implications of the ruling on trans people.”…

Claire Coutinho, the shadow equalities minister, said: “It is astonishing that, nine months on from the Supreme Court ruling the Government’s only action is hiring another civil servant.

“We have seen too many examples of public bodies across the country, including the Civil Service, failing to uphold the law. That is putting women’s safety, privacy and dignity at risk on a daily basis.

“Yet Bridget Philipson has been sat on the EHRC’s new guidance since September. The best way to protect the rights of everyone would be to approve the guidance and start enforcing the law.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Civil Service has insisted that trans women will be able to use female lavatories in government departments until Ms Phillipson publishes new guidance.

Sir Chris Wormald, the Cabinet Secretary, rejected demands from Sex Matters, a women’s rights group, to withdraw the current advice allowing people to choose which toilet they use.…

Maya Forstater, the chief executive of Sex Matters, said: “We are in the absurd situation that civil servants are advising Bridget Phillipson on the EHRC code of practice while the head of the Civil Service is claiming he cannot tell those staff members what rules are lawful until the guidance is finalised.

“Meanwhile, the Cabinet Office is telling individual government departments to take their own legal advice rather than developing a single, standard policy that follows the law. This is an untenable position. Sex Matters will be considering its legal options.”

Good for them. Civil servants openly breaking the law is not a good look.