Labour Women’s Conference faces boycotts from major unions over trans exclusion

The annual Labour Party National Women’s Conference is facing boycotts from major affiliated unions over the exclusion of trans women.

Unison, Aslef, Usdaw and the Musicians’ Union, all of which are among Labour’s largest financial backers, are shunning this year’s conference.

It was announced in December last year by LabourList that trans women would be barred from formal proceedings, including speeches and policy debates, at the conference on 26 September 2026.

Labour’s National Women’s Conference follows the April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling

The decision followed the April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling, which determined that the term “woman” in UK law refers only to biological women.

Speaking to LabourList last year, a Labour Party spokesperson said: “National Women’s Conference will be held in 2026 after a comprehensive legal review. This reflects our commitment to addressing the underrepresentation of women in the Party and compliance with the law.”

Under the new rules, trans women may still attend fringe events, but they are barred from formal conference business, including speeches and policy debates.

Unison and Usdaw reaffirm their support for trans people

Speaking to Metro ahead of the 2026 Labour National Women’s Conference, Unison, which has donated £43.8 million to Labour over the past 25 years, said: “The union’s decided against sending a delegation to Labour women’s conference this year.

“This is because the party’s restrictions on access run counter to UNISON’s policy on trans equality,” a spokesperson explained.

Usdaw, which has donated an estimated £1.9 million a year to Labour, echoed its fellow union’s position. A spokesperson said: “The union’s decided against sending a delegation to Labour women’s conference this year.

Aslef and the Musicians’ Union condemn Labour’s trans-exclusion

“This is because the party has excluded trans women, which runs counter to Usdaw’s policy on trans equality,” they explained.

Aslef is also refusing to attend, while the Musicians’ Union said it has a “long-standing position of trans inclusion”.

The backlash has also spread to Labour-affiliated groups such as Labour for Trans Rights, which said it was “extremely disappointed” by the decision to exclude trans women.

The 2025 Women’s Conference was cancelled following legal advice after the Supreme Court ruling. Previously, Labour had allowed trans women to attend and participate in positive action measures.

Attitude has reached out to Labour for comment.