UK Political Parties' Manifestos Fail to Provide Adequate Safeguards for the LGBTQIA+ Population
Next week, the UK will head to the polls for the general election. All major parties have released their manifestos, focusing on economic legislation, education commitments, and immigration, as well as sustainability and climate change. However, when it comes to LGBTQIA+ rights, the parties have nuanced but clear positions.
Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace scored the manifestos of the three biggest parties and the Greens out of forty on four key areas. The Greens scored the highest at 39, followed by the Lib Dems at 31.5, Labour at 20.5, and the Tories at 5.
The Conservative Party's manifesto includes a promise to implement the recommendations of the Cass Review, which involved a cautious approach to child and adolescent gender care and enacted bans such as on puberty blockers. This indicates a more restrictive stance on transgender healthcare.
Labour pledged full implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations, which were generally welcomed as improving gender identity services for young people. However, there was some caution expressed from LGBT+ Labour activists about the review's reception in the trans advocacy community.
The Green Party initially released a statement on the Cass Review adopting a cautious approach, but it was quickly withdrawn following pushback from their LGBTIQA+ members, highlighting internal conflicts about transgender rights within the party.
Sinn Féin, historically supportive of transgender healthcare access, accepted the UK's ban on puberty blockers extending to Northern Ireland in 2024, reflecting some restrictions consistent with Conservative policies.
The Lib Dems offer asylum to people fleeing the risk of violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identification. They also pledge gender recognition reform and a ban on all forms of conversion therapies and practices.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, pledges to ban "transgender ideology" in Primary and Secondary Schools, similar to the Republican Party's attacks on "gender ideology" and "critical race theory."
The Green Party promises tailored mental health services for various minority groups, including the LGBTQIA+ communities. They also support self-ID for legal transition, ending the spousal veto, and adding an "X" gender marker for non-binary and intersex people.
The SNP promises to improve equality in law and society and champion LGBTI equality internationally if they gain independence. They have faced struggles in the Scottish Parliament regarding self-ID and reforming the gender recognition act. Labour plans to modernize, simplify, and reform the gender recognition law, and promises a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy.
JK Rowling wrote a front-page op-ed for The Times criticizing Keir Starmer for being too liberal on promises around trans rights. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has also faced backlash from some left-wing voters over trans rights, with supposedly left-wing voters seeing a conflict with the rights of women.
In many countries, LGBTQIA+ rights are a left/right split, but the UK is peculiar for bucking this trend, with trans rights becoming a battleground. If you want granular scoring or a comparative index of all UK political parties on LGBTQIA+ rights for 2024, that data may require looking into specialized UK LGBTQ advocacy groups or election analysis organizations for that election cycle.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the 'Let Them Die Act', potentially jeopardizing the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals, while the Communist Party supports the right of trans people to medically transition and access healthcare. The Lib Dems also pledge diplomatic support for promoting the decriminalization of homosexuality and advancing LGBT+ rights worldwide.
Politics surrounding LGBTQIA+ rights in the UK general election are complex, with each major party presenting nuanced positions. The Green Party, Lib Dems, Labour, and Sinn Féin have varying stances on transgender healthcare, with the Greens and Lib Dems advocating for more inclusive policies and access to mental health services. On the other hand, the Conservative Party and Reform UK have proposed more restrictive measures, while the SNP plans to champion LGBTI equality internationally, facing backlash from some left-wing voters over trans rights. General news outlets and advocacy groups may offer granular scoring or a comparative index of party manifestos on LGBTQIA+ rights for a more nuanced understanding of each party's stance.
