Niblett chews over the law

Samantha Niblett, the Labour MP best known for her campaign to bring dildos into Parliament, has indicated that she is working with trans activist politicians to change the Equality Act 2010.

Asked on TikTok, “How difficult would it be to use a statutory instrument to add the definition of ‘women’ to include trans women (and men/trans men) to the Equality Act?”, the South Derbyshire MP replied:

“I dunno – but I’d welcome it. Discussing with fellow allies.”

The comments follow her appearance on the Lesbian Supper Club podcast, which bills itself as a discussion of “queer culture, sex, feminism”. During the interview, Niblett revealed that there is “a group in the Labour Party of staunch trans allies” who are “doing everything we can to push back on the EHRC guidance”.

She was one of 166 MPs to sign Nadia Whittome’s Early Day Motion calling on Parliament to reject the EHRC’s guidance on implementing the Supreme Court’s ruling.

On the same podcast, the politician lamented “sadly even within my own party we have people who are gender critical”, and argued that Labour politicians should “be mindful” of how hard minority rights had been fought for. Niblett went on to complain that the Equality Act 2010 does not go far enough in protecting the “trans rights” and summarised the Supreme Court’s judgment in For Women Scotland v. Scottish Ministers as meaning “your gender is whatever sex you signed at birth etc.”

As part of her work as a trans ally, Niblett has also boasted of opening her constituency office to Derbyshire LGBT+, allowing the group to hold regular coffee mornings.

Despite frequently claiming to welcome constituents who disagree with her, and emphasising the importance of listening to constituents, Niblett has often been dismissive when challenged over single-sex spaces. After one X user asked whether she would be happy for a young daughter to share a swimming pool changing room and showers with a man simply because he said he was a woman, the MP replied:

“There isn’t a changing room I’ve been in that doesn’t have separate cubicles to get changed in. You people are obsessed with toilets and changing rooms.”

Despite emphasising the importance of listening to the electorate, figures show Niblett’s view is niche even within her own party. YouGov polling in 2024 found that a majority of the public, including Labour voters, supported excluding trans-identified males from female-only spaces and services. 

The MP previously attracted national attention with her proposal for a “Summer of Sex” programme in Parliament, which she said was inspired by the bravery of Eddie Izzard.

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