A Green councillor has accused Labour of failing to do enough to tackle transphobia.
Her remarks followed criticism levelled at a Labour councillor over tweets that pre-dated her election to Brighton and Hove City Council in May.
Councillor Alison Thomson retweeted posts by or supporting Harry Potter author JK Rowling and the feminist Germaine Greer.
When details emerged last month, Councillor Thomson apologised unreservedly and the Labour council leader Bella Sankey said: “I have also taken the decision to remove Councillor Thomson from her lead role on city centre renewal while further investigation is carried out and subject to her completing training.”
But at a meeting this week, Green councillor Chloë Goldsmith asked how Labour would “meaningfully demonstrate” to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning/queer, asexual plus (LGBTIQA+) people that the party would stand up for them in the face of hate and discrimination.
At the council’s Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights Committee, Councillor Goldsmith said: “There is currently a group on the EQuiP (Equalities and Inclusion) Partnership. I understand Labour has been asked not to attend because they don’t believe you (Labour) are taking it seriously.
“In terms of meeting with groups, I have been speaking with a few groups myself.
“I was disappointed to find out that at a meeting of the volunteering community sector organisations on (Wednesday) 13 September, Councillor Sankey didn’t answer various questions from LGBT groups but promised a written answer by (Friday) 29 September.
“As of (Wednesday 11 October), when I last spoke to them, they still had not received a response, just an apology with a future commitment.”
She said that two round-table sessions promised to the Clare Project, a transgender support group, with Labour councillor Leslie Pumm, who chairs the Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights Committee, had also not happened.
The committee’s deputy chair, Labour councillor Maureen Winder, read from the statement issued by Councillor Sankey when Councillor Thomson’s posts on Twitter, now known as X, came to light.
Councillor Sankey said that the Labour council stood in “solidarity with our trans, non-binary and intersex communities” and said that anti-trans sentiment would not be tolerated.
After the committee meeting at Hove Town Hall on Friday (13 October), Councillor Pumm said: “As your Labour council, our commitment to TNBI equity and inclusion is unwavering.
“As chair of the Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights committee, I am fully committed to continue working with the trans sub-group of the city’s equality and inclusion partnership to bring about change and improve outcomes for our TNBI residents.
“We have made a commitment in the corporate plan to develop a gender equality strategy and this must be inclusive of the inequities experienced by TNBI communities.”
Councillor Pumm said that the last Labour government introduced the 2004 Gender Recognition Act which enabled trans people to legally change their gender for the first time.
He also said that Labour introduced the 2010 Equality Act which protects those who have undergone gender reassignment from discrimination and harassment.
Councillor Pumm added: “We are proud that Labour was the party to bring in these changes. Now, in 2023, we have a much better understanding of the barriers trans people face and that is why Labour has committed to modernising the Gender Recognition Act when in government.
“This will modernise, simplify and reform the gender recognition law to a new process.”
While we’re at it can Ms Goldsmith ask Sian Berry where she stands on the whole trans thang? And in particular, Aimee Challenor
Happily I posed that very question to Sian Berry during my interview with her for this month’s RadioReverb’s Politic Show, which you can listen to right here: https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/the-politics-show-2nd-october-2023/
Could also ask the Greens how they stand on disability discrimination in the light of Gardner St and the lack of consultation with the disabled re cycle lanes
Last time I looked everyone is protected under the law.
The council is there to run the city.
The police and courts enforce the law.
Political grandstanding to score points is cheap.
Chloe hasn’t held a single public surgery so far.
Cllr Thomson is well known for having meetings with Regency electorate and being there for them.
If Labour want to get into government they’re going to have to dump all this LGBT nonsense. This councillor had every right to support JK Rowling, and to meekly accept to be re-educated is a sign of her weakness or wanting to advance her own ends. Incidentally in all I’ve seen it’s the trans people who are bigoted and full of hate, probably because the truth hurts. Most of us are quite happy to let trans people to live how they want but don’t try and brainwash the rest of us and especially our children. Of course this is Brighton, sad for Brighton.
Every political party needs to properly examine the irreversible harm we are potentially doing our children- especially those with mental health alongside gender identity issues, and the impact on freedom of speech and actual evidence and science if everyone who raises a legitimate concern is deemed transphobic and cancelled.
War in Palestine, war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis here but we should all be bothered that a councilor shared a tweet that may have been transphobic, but they have apologised unreservedly for. This local Green Party seems to have learnt nothing in defeat.
What an utter shambles. Cllr Thomson is now too scared to leave her home and for what, accepting that the differences between women and men are real and that there are real world implications for this? Of course trans people deserve protection but when did biology become bigotry? And for those TRAs for whom this position isn’t enough what is? Public executions for thought crimes. I’m a dyed in the wool Socialist but I’d rather have Tories running this city than any of the Labour or Green shower.
This ‘community’ is fast becoming one of the most intolerant and dogmatic movements in the country – unwilling to listen to any criticism, and demonising anybody who disagrees with them.
Trying to get Labour Councillor Thomson pushed out to force an election in Regency to get a Green colleague in?
Cunning Chloe. You really ought to keep your voice down in a public place.
Which way will Labour jump now?
Yet another cunning stunt from the Green Party.
subject to her completing training
Sounds rather sinister and North Korean
On the upside, Phelim has managed to find gainful employment after his fall from power, advising an architectural firm. Wonder if they know his history over the i369 and the massive hole in the city budget?
Read this quick before Frank takes it down 🥰
When details emerged last month, Councillor Thomson apologised unreservedly and the Labour council leader Bella Sankey said: “I have also taken the decision to remove Councillor Thomson from her lead role on city centre renewal while further investigation is carried out and subject to her completing training.”
Training meaning brainwashing, of course. Orwellian Brighton, Orwellian Britain.
I can’t imagine why Chloe might still be banging on about this a month after Cllr Thompson apologised. Nothing to do with trying to bully her into a by-election in Regency I’m sure.
Perhaps journalists should check out the social media of the Trans extremists Chloe is in league with. They believe there is a “trans genocide” and that Keir Starmer hates trans people and would lock them up if elected.
Trans Liberation Front Brighton embarrassed themselves at Pride. Straight men in masks yelling at Eddie Izzard that Labour were transphobic.
The Council has far more pressing issues then attention seeking from the Green Party, which clearly learned nothing from its crushing defeat in May.
Completely. I am sick to death of all this horse****. He said, but she said, but they said. They will end up alienating everyone to their cause.
Think we’ll all be Transphobic before long and a good thing to. Just get on with your lives and shut up.
If you call yourself Mary but your real name is Seamus, get in the men’s bogs were you belong, absolutely sick to the hilt with it all, majority of women don’t want you anywhere that says female, sorry but it’s the way it is, messing with reality is against the grain.
……………or have the surgery.
I’ve been speaking to a lot of lesbians and gay men about the trans activism issues and most were in complete agreement that the trans platform can now stand on its own two feet. Being a lesbian, gay man or bisexual person is a matter of sexual orientation. Being trans is a matter of gender identity. It’s time to remove the TQQIA+ and let them fight their own battles.
I also wonder how trans people feel about trans activism, non-binary and gender queer movements?
Nobody wants this BS.