Welsh Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant in spat over Supreme Court ruling on trans rights

Martin Shipton

Welsh Labour MP and UK Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant has been pilloried on social media after endorsing another MP’s criticism of the head of Britain’s equality watchdog for backing a Supreme Court ruling that biological males cannot legally be women.

Sir Chris, the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, took part in a Labour LGBT WhatsApp group discussion about the judgement that has been leaked to Mail Online.

The WhatsApp messages referred to comments made by Baroness Falkner, who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. She said the court ruling about the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 – that a woman is defined by biological sex – clearly meant trans women could not use single-sex female facilities or compete in women’s sports.

Steve Race, the Labour MP for Exeter posted a message on WhatsApp stating that Lady Falkner’s words were ‘pretty appalling’, to which Sir Chris replied: ‘Agreeed’ [sic].

Test

The Observer’s chief leader writer Sonia Sodha raised the matter on X, stating: “Nothing to see here, just Lab MP Steve Race calling the law that protects women’s rights – provisions of the Equality Act that were passed by a Labour government – “pretty appalling”. And a minister, Chris Bryant agreeing. Whether or not he faces this down is a test for Starmer.”

Sir Chris then had a spat with Ms Sodha in which he accused her of misrepresenting him. Ms Sodha responded: “Apologies if I’ve shared reporting that you feel misrepresents you. But if it wasn’t Kishwer Falkner’s explanation of equalities law as set out by the Supreme Court that you agreed was appalling, what was it? She’s a public official who’s received awful abuse for doing her job.”

Sir Chris went on to state: “Sonia you have misrepresented me. I have never said the equality act was appalling. Nor do I think it’s appalling. I support it.”

Another contributor, Colin Wight, sprung to Ms Sodha’s defence, stating: “She never said that you said that the equality act was appalling.”

Many others piled in, demanding that Sir Chris clarify what he found appalling, including the Wales Women’s Rights Network which posted a message on X stating: “Come on then, @RhonddaBryant. What did you mean when you stated ‘It’s appalling’ in a conversation about the Supreme Court judgement on the Equality Act and the meaning of ‘woman’? We have members who are your constituents who would like to know.”

‘Catastrophic’

Dame Angela Eagle, the Border Security Minister, also took part in the WhatsApp chat, stating that guidance from the EHRC that will follow the ruling could be ‘catastrophic’ for transgender people. She has arranged a meeting with fellow Labour MPs to ‘decide a way forwards’ and ‘organise’. The MPs will then seek a meeting with the relevant equalities minister to promote trans rights in the new context following the Supreme Court judgement.

Mims Davies, the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities who is also the Shadow Secretary of State of Wales, said: “In public Keir Starmer and his Cabinet pretended they supported the Supreme Court judgment. But in private we know Labour are seething, as these texts prove.

“Like so many brave women, Baroness Falkner has suffered terrible abuse for standing up for the rights of women and girls. Now we know Labour will do all they can to undermine her work.

“The Prime Minister needs to come out and say he will support the EHRC guidance when it comes out. Anything less will be Labour betraying the rights of women once again.”

Later Downing Street said no action would be taken against Sir Chris Bryant or Dame Angela Eagle, stating they were not trying to undermine the Supreme Court ruling.