Parliamentary staff came together to issue a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons calling for urgent clarity
BY NIC CROSARA, IMAGE BY CANVA
On 16 April, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” refer to biological women and biological sex in the Equality Act 2010. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) also released interim guidance. Since then, people across different industries and sectors have been calling for more clarity on the impact of this ruling. Today, a cross-party staff group of Parliamentary staff united to issue a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons expressing urgent concerns about the impact of recent legal and policy developments on transgender employees working within the Parliamentary estate.
Theo Shaw, a trans staffer and named point of contact for the letter’s return, said: “This letter is a request for clarity, and it’s a plea for visibility and respect. Trans people in Parliament, like anyone else, deserve clarity, safety, and dignity at work. As a trade union representative in my workplace I think the issue of dignity at work in particular is of fundament importance.”
Theo’s employer and MP for Northampton South, Mike Reader stated: “I’m really proud of Theo and the many other staff who’ve come together to produce this letter. It’s not easy to speak up, especially in a place like Parliament, but they’ve done it with honesty and strength. They’re asking for clarity and fairness, and in my view that’s the least anyone should expect from their workplace. I fully support Theo and I’m sure that the Speaker will take the concerns raised by him and others, very seriously.”
“As the heart of the UK’s democracy, our job is to ensure that all our staff are welcome, valued and safe. It’s really important that as the Houses of Parliament works through this, that the voices of those affected are heard,” said Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, and deliverer of the letter.
The staff group letter was penned by employees affiliated with the following parties: Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats, Green, SNP, Plaid Cymru, and non-partisan House of Commons staff. It seeks guidance on the following points:
- Which facilities transgender employees will be permitted to access going forward.
- Whether restrictions on access to single-sex spaces are planned, and on what basis such decisions would be made.
- How constituency offices are expected to approach these policies (Whether uniformly or with local discretion).
- The current lack of gender-neutral facilities and the implications for both trans and disabled individuals if accessible toilets are expected to be shared.
The group also called for initiatives to support transgender and LGBTQIA employees at a time of heightened tension across the nation. Concerns were also raised about the risk of forced “outing”, discrimination and the emotional toll of the unclear or exclusionary policies in the workplace.
“There’s been little clarity since the ruling, and trans staff on the estate are genuinely worried about their safety and wellbeing. This is a time for compassion, clarity, and leadership. Parliament must be a workplace where everyone is treated with dignity, regardless of gender identity. We need urgent guidance on how these changes will be applied in practice. Right now, trans colleagues are left in limbo, unsure which facilities they’re allowed to use or what support is available to them. That uncertainty
isn’t just stressful, it’s unfair.”
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