Supreme Court Sex Definition Ruling Has “Major Impact” – Morgan

First Minister Eluned Morgan has stated that the UK Supreme Court’s ruling defining women by biological sex under equalities law will have “significant implications for public services” across Wales. 📊

Speaking to the Senedd during her first question time since the unanimous ruling, Morgan pledged that her government would act “with respect, compassion and kindness” while taking the court’s judgement “seriously”.

“We will take our time now to work through the implications of this,” she told MSs. “There are significant implications for public services.”

The First Minister also referenced Lord Hodge’s statement that the ruling should not be seen as “a triumph for one group over another” and acknowledged that “there’s a lot of fear and uncertainty in many places”.

In a written statement, the Welsh government confirmed it “respects the decision of the Supreme Court” and will “take the steps required to meet our obligations under the Equality Act 2010 as clarified by the ruling”.

The statement emphasised: “Discrimination and harassment against all people with one or more protected characteristics are neither legal, nor in any way acceptable.”

Conservative MS Laura Anne Jones welcomed the ruling as “a victory for women and girls across Wales, and for common sense”.

“In the years I’ve tried this has never been about anti-anybody, despite the smears,” she said. “It is about protecting women and girls and ensuring fairness.”

Jones described the Welsh government’s written statement as a “welcome turn around from this Labour government, albeit through gritted teeth”.

Labour MS Hannah Blythyn shared concerns from constituents: “I have been approached in the last week and a half by many members of the LGBTQ+ community who are both tearful and fearful about the consequences of what this might mean for them.”

The Welsh government has delayed a planned consultation on guidance for schools supporting trans children, stating it has been “delayed to ensure the draft guidance is fully informed by emerging evidence and is taken forward in a way that is sensitive to the needs of children and young people and also reflects the voices of parents.”

Morgan confirmed the government will report further on the implications of the ruling “later in the summer”. 🗓️