Keir Starmer tells public sector to get on with implementing Supreme Court trans ruling

Sir Keir Starmer has ordered the public sector to get on with implementing the Supreme Court's gender ruling. The UK's highest court in April confirmed that the terms "woman" and "sex" in the 2010 Equality Act "refer to a biological woman and biological sex".

The decision has been interpreted to mean that transgender women can be excluded from women-only spaces such as toilets and changing rooms. But parts of the public sector have failed to implement the ruling two months later.

Asked as he travelled to the Nato summit in The Hague if hospitals, universities and government departments need to get on with it, the Prime Minister said: "We've accepted the ruling, welcomed the ruling, and everything else flows from that as far as I'm concerned.

"Therefore all guidance of whatever kind needs to be consistent with the ruling and we need to get to that position as soon as possible."

Maya Forstater, CEO of gender critical campaign group Sex Matters, welcomed the Prime Minister's comments.

She said: "This is an important intervention from the Prime Minister, given the huge number of public bodies failing to implement the Supreme Court judgment and therefore operating outside the law.

"Political leadership is essential if women whose rights are being stolen are not to be forced to turn to the courts, where public bodies will end up losing, at great expense to taxpayers.

"It's no coincidence that the private sector has been faster to bring their policies in line with the judgment, recognising what is at stake for the bottom line. Meanwhile most NHS, university and civil service leaders are sitting on their hands.

"The law is clear and there is no need to wait for further guidance from the EHRC or anyone else.

"Unlike the small businesses and services for which the regulator's guidance is intended, public sector organisations have access to specialist legal advice - as well as extra statutory obligations under the public sector equality duty."

The Supreme Court ruling came after a challenge against the Scottish Government by campaign group For Women Scotland.

The equalities watchdog issued interim guidance in May stating that trans women should not be allowed to use women's facilities.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) also launched a consultation on changes to parts of its code of practice for services, public functions and associations, which is due to conclude on June 30.

The Prime Minister said a woman is an "adult female" following the Supreme Court ruling having previously struggled with the question of whether a woman can have a penis.