EHRC to ‘ignore 50%’ of trans consultation responses, claim Good Law Project

It is alleged that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is set to ignore 50% of responses to its recent public consultation on trans issues, after internal memos were leaked.

The consultation regarding proposed updates to statutory Code of Practice for public functions and single-sex spaces ran from 20 May to 30 June 2025.

It follows the Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 that the words ‘sex’, ‘woman’ and ‘man’ under the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex, and that a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) does not change a person’s legal sex under the Act. The proposals will affect gender-diverse people’s access to same-sex public spaces.

Over 50,000 took part in the consultation; it is the first time trans and gender-diverse members of the public were permitted to take part in the legal process.

“This wasn’t a consultation, it was a joke”

However, representatives for the Good Law Project have now claim the EHRC is planning to “not to read 50% of consultation responses.”

They allege that, “instead of reviewing all the submissions, AI will determine whether people’s stories will be heard. They’ve essentially opened the door to trans voices, only to close it in their face again.”

A statement on the Good Law Project website continues: “The EHRC never took the consultation seriously: they proposed an unrealistic two week window, they published transphobic interim guidance in the middle of it and then refused to consult on their legal position. Now, they’re refusing to read responses they did get. This wasn’t a consultation, it was a joke. We are instructing lawyers to take immediate action and write to the EHRC, and will let you know as soon as we know more.”

The allegations are based on internal messages written by EHRC staff on Microsoft Teams, obtained by the Good law Project.

The EHRC declined to comment on the matter when approached by Attitude today (4 August 2025).

The alleged leaked messages

“Just wanted to let you know that EHRC is only analysing 50% of code consultation responses from organisations because it is overwhelmed by volume and board wants redraft by 18 August.”

“This approach may mean we do not capture insightful but singly /infrequently made points but there is no way that we could action 50,000 individual points in any case (it’s simply impractical and the Code would end up being enormously long if we tried to).”

Responding to the news, Jude Guaitamacchi, founder of Trans+ Solidarity Alliance (they/them), said: “The EHRC have treated this entire process like a game from the start, with the objective of removing fundamental rights from trans people in this country. This flies in the face of all normal practice when dealing with consultations, and leaves the commission’s credibility in ruins.

“These revelations destroy any ability the EHRC has to claim it is a fair arbiter of equality and human rights for all. It rushed through a consultation as quickly as the courts would let it, and we now know it doesn’t even intend to read all the responses.

“If implemented as currently drafted, its proposed Code of Practice would turn the Equality Act into a bathroom ban – mandating the exclusion of trans people across public life. The EHRC has shown it cannot be trusted with our human rights, and it is time for urgent action to stop it from destroying them.”