Lib Dem members criticise ‘trans-exclusionary’ rule change for party elections
Liberal Democrat members have reacted angrily to an unexpected change in rules governing the party’s internal elections to reflect the supreme court’s ruling on biological sex.The party’s LGBT+ group described the move as “explicitly trans-exclusionary” while Young Liberals said the changes were “unacceptable and untenable”.The official women’s body for the party, Lib Dem Women, have expressed “grave concerns” at both the substance of the announcement and the manner it was communicated.Some Lib Dem MPs are understood to be perplexed at the sudden turnaround.Voting in elections for posts on internal committees as well as the role of Lib Dem president began on Tuesday.
Members were informed on Monday that after legal advice the rules governing quotas in place to ensure fair representation of women on those committees were changing.A statement on the Lib Dem website said this was necessary “to make them compliant with the Equality Act 2010, in the context of the supreme court judgment”.The quotas now apply to sex at birth rather than lived gender, meaning women’s quotas now exclude transgender women and men’s quotas exclude transgender men.A party spokesperson said that the changes would include quotas for LGBT+ people including trans people on three larger committees.The Guardian understands that at least five transgender or non-binary candidates will be directly affected by this decision and that one is seeking legal advice.
In a letter to the Lib Dems’ chief executive, Mike Dixon, the returning officer David Crowther and the party leader, Ed Davey, the LGBT+ group registered their strong objections, stating: “The party has taken a stance here which is explicitly trans-exclusionary.This is a clear contradiction of the views expressed by the party at multiple successive conferences.”Lib Dem Women have also written to Dixon, reaffirming their commitment to inclusive feminism.Chair Donna Harris wrote: “We stand firmly for the right of all women to participate equally in the party and society.” While acknowledging the legal advice received by the party, Harris added that she believed the response was “disproportionate and unnecessary.
”At September’s Lib Dem conference, delegates voted not to debate a motion from the group Liberal Voice for Women that called for a similar rule change to reflect the supreme court judgment,A spokesperson for Liberal Voice for Women said: “We are pleased the party has sought legal advice about diversity quotas following the supreme court ruling,Women are routinely under-represented on Lib Dem committees and it is important places expressly reserved for women do not go to male candidates,”“Whilst we think there are some remaining issues with the quotas, the fact the party has changed these quotas - despite some strong opposition - cements the position that the Lib Dems accept April’s supreme court ruling,”The chair of LBGT+ Liberal Democrats, Charley Hasted, said they were disappointed that the party had not explored alternative solutions such as suspending the use of quotas until there was legal clarity.
Lucas North, on behalf of Young Liberals, condemned the changes, which they said “were announced on the eve of poll and are in conflict with the clearly expressed wishes and values of Liberal Democrat members”.The MP group is also understood to have been unhappy at the handling of the decision and perceived lack of consultation with the wider membership.Writing in Lib Dem Voice, the MP for Eastbourne, Josh Babarinde, said it was “gut-wrenching” to see how the supreme court ruling was reverberating through the party.“We’ve got to do more to support our trans and non-binary candidates and ensure they feel safe and valued making contributions to public life,” he said.A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Liberal Democrats will continue to champion the rights of trans people and allow them to live their lives free from fear and discrimination.
Like all organisations, we’re waiting to see the new guidance from the EHRC,We have urged the government to publish it quickly and provide much needed clarity,”
Thunder guard Nikola Topic, 20, undergoing treatment for testicular cancer
Oklahoma City Thunder say their 2024 first-round draft pick, Nikola Topic, is undergoing chemotherapy to treat testicular cancer.Thunder’s general manager, Sam Presti, said on Thursday that doctors are “extremely positive” about Topic’s outlook.“Our only expectations for him are to focus on this,” Presti said. “This is his most important priority. He’ll be back playing basketball when he’s able to, but we’re not putting any time length or expectations on that obviously
Breeders’ Cup 2025: all-conquering O’Brien arrives with sights on new record
Aidan O’Brien’s gallop towards an extension of his record for Group One wins in a season has slowed a little in recent weeks, but there was still a shield-beating sense of theatre about the scene as his team for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup meeting at Del Mar this weekend made its way to the track for morning exercise on Wednesday.Unlike 2024, when City Of Troy was being aimed at the Classic, there is no obvious headliner in the O’Brien lineup, but plenty of the horses trotting past in a well-ordered single file have banked at least one Group One already this season and four are expected to set off as favourite.Minnie Hauk, the Arc runner-up and a three-time Group One winner over the summer, heads the market for the Turf on Saturday, while Gstaad (Juvenile Turf), Precise (Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) and True Love (Juvenile Turf Sprint) are also all likely favourites for the three turf events on Friday’s card for juveniles. Other runners from the yard at single-figure odds include The Lion In Winter (Mile) and Havana Anna (Juvenile Turf Sprint), and the Ballydoyle squadron is, as so often, at the heart of the European challenge at the meeting.O’Brien needs a single success this weekend to take sole control of the record for Breeders’ Cup with 21, one more than the late D Wayne Lukas, who died in June
England’s Ashes debacle and review was meant to change everything. Did it? | Raf Nicholson
England have been knocked out of a World Cup after losing a match they were expected to win, thanks to a one-off innings which nobody saw coming. Sound familiar? That’s because it describes two events involving England which took place almost exactly a year apart: on Wednesday, their 50-over semi-final exit at the hands of South Africa; a year ago, their loss in a must-win group stage match against West Indies in the 20-over version.In the interim, a 16-0 Ashes debacle and a post-series review which was meant to change everything. Did it? Time to delve a little more deeply into those two World Cup exits. In 2024, England fell to pieces, dropped five catches, and allowed a bish-bash-bosh innings from Qiana Joseph to win the day
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Harry Brook has admitted that he is flummoxed by England’s inability to get consistent results in recent one-day internationals, saying that some of the supposedly stellar talents in his squad – which includes up to seven batters he insists “would get into any team in the world” – “just haven’t performed well enough”.“It is disappointing, isn’t it?” England’s white-ball captain said, as he looked ahead to the third and inal fixture in an already-lost series against New Zealand. “You go round every single player there and you think: ‘Bloody hell, there isn’t many teams that they don’t get into in the world.’ It’s disappointing we haven’t performed as well as we could. Sometimes you’ve got to hold your hand up and say they’ve been the better team
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‘Bats out for Benny’: teenager killed by cricket ball honoured amid debate over neck guards
Australia’s cricket community have begun to put their bats out in a gesture to remember teenage cricketer Ben Austin after he was killed by a ball hitting his neck in a practice session, in an incident in Melbourne on Tuesday described as similar to the death of former Test player Phillip Hughes in 2014.The 17-year-old was wearing a helmet but not a neck guard, and while the incident is likely to trigger calls to make such protection mandatory at the community level – as it already is among elite players – cricket officials said the priority must be around supporting Austin’s family and the boy who threw the ball with a training tool known as a sidearm or “wanger”.Austin’s cricket club, Ferntree Gully, posted on Facebook on Thursday calling on people to “put your bats out for Benny”, replicating the gesture that followed Hughes’ death. Dozens of other posts under the hashtag #batsoutforben have followed, highlighting the impact the incident has had on Australia’s cricket community.Cricket Victoria’s chief executive, Nick Cummins, was emotional in addressing media on Thursday
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