Over 100 MPs back bid to block Equality and Human Rights Commission’s trans guidance

More than 100 MPs have signed a motion by Labour backbencher Nadia Whittome to block the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s latest guidance on single-sex spaces.

The bid comes after the EHRC issued its final guidance in May, following the April 2025 UK Supreme Court ruling defining what it means to be a “woman”.

Following the ruling, the EHRC issued interim guidance explaining how organisations should apply the law to single-sex spaces. This led many public services to reconsider their policies involving trans women in settings such as toilets and changing rooms.

The EHRC final guidance raises serious concerns among the LGBTQ+ community

The EHRC carried out several consultations and revisions before producing updated guidance, which was formally laid before Parliament on 21 May 2026, advising that organisations should consider alternative single-sex service options for trans people.

Though the guidance is not law, the EHRC’s policies have raised serious concerns among the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Campaigners say this treats trans people like a “third gender”.

Now, Whittome is among 108 MPs across multiple parties, including Labour, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats, who are calling for the final guidance to be revoked.

Nadia Whittome says the EHRC guidance puts trans people in “increased risk of harassment and violence”

The Women and Equalities Select Committee member condemned the final code of practice in a public statement on social media, outlining the negative effects on trans people.

“The Code will exclude trans people from services and facilities that they have long used without issue, putting them at increased risk of harassment and violence, and effectively pushing them out of public life,” wrote the Labour MP.

“The Code represents a profound rollback of rights, which will affect trans people directly and erode the principles of inclusion, dignity and equality upon which all our rights depend.”

Trans+ Solidarity Alliance called the guidance “unjust, unworkable and unacceptable”

In light of support for the repeal, a spokesperson for Trans+ Solidarity Alliance described the guidance as “unjust, unworkable and unacceptable”.

In a news release, they said: “More than a hundred MPs have signed and made it clear that this code is unjust, unworkable and unacceptable. Trans people across the country are looking to their MP to join this growing chorus to reject the guidance.”

Calling for action, they continued: “The government must hear the scale of rebellion within the Labour benches on this issue. They are able to withdraw the guidance and fix the mess of trans people’s legal protections at any time. A bathroom ban is not how the Equality Act was supposed to work.”

Trans+ Solidarity Alliance urged the UK government to “rethink” how they approach trans equality

“We hope this shows the strength of feeling on this in Parliament and that it helps force a rethink on trans equality. There is nothing in the Supreme Court judgment, under any interpretation, forcing people to police each other’s gender based on physical appearance as this draft guidance recommends.”

The news comes as the chair and CEO of the EHRC appears in front of Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee today (9 June).