Gender row erupts at Lib Dem conference as women's group faces backlash

A gender row has erupted at the Lib Dem conference over a women's group promoting single-sex spaces.

Liberal Voice for Women was blocked from last year's gathering but was given a stand in Brighton this year after the party received legal advice.

But Lib Dem President Mark Pack claimed some people would feel "unhappy and unsafe" at the conference as a result.

The group's presence also sparked a protest outside the conference centre and from other stalls inside.

Liberal Voice for Women chairwoman Dr Zoe Hollowood said: "After allowing Liberal Voice for Women a stall this year at conference, senior Lib Dems could have made the positive, liberal case for platforming women advocating for single-sex spaces.

"Instead, the President, Mark Pack, told conference we were unwelcome saying, 'alas, the law is not as we would wish'.

"He also implied our protected beliefs, worthy of respect in a democratic society, were out with Lib Dem values.

"He told conference goers he ‘regrets’ the decision to allow us a stall and finds equality law ‘frustrating’. This is despite the fact the Lib Dems signed up to the Equality Act in their recent manifesto.

"The Lib Dems should be a natural home for those who recognise the importance of freedom of expression and belief. It would seem on this particular issue though some senior members are 'liberal in name only'."

Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns at gender-critical group Sex Matters, added: "Time and time again, when women raise concerns about their rights, politicians come back with 'trans rights', meaning that the views and voices of women are ignored.

"Here’s the President of the Liberal Democrat party, Mark Pack, making it all about his strong support for 'trans rights' when talking about a group focused on the rights of women.

"Party groups like Liberal Voice for Women have been sidelined from conferences for a number of years, and the ludicrous suggestion from Pack that delegates might feel 'unsafe' just exacerbates the hostility these women face when participating in the political environment."

Mr Pack told party members yesterday: "We are required by law to be consistent in how we handle views that are protected under equality law.

"I personally find it very frustrating the law does not give us greater scope to make political judgements over what we want to happen at our events.

"We could choose to ban any stand at our conference that disagrees with party policy, but that would require us to ban the Young Liberals, for example. We really wouldn't want to have to go down that route.

"I regret that - when the legal advice is clear, we need to follow that. We do allow people into our events who disagree with some of our stances - there will be some people who feel unhappy and unsafe at this event as a result."

He added that members would have the chance "to express where the overwhelming majority view is in the party, which is our strong support for trans rights" at the party's spring conference next year.

A Lib Dem spokesman said: "We are proud to be a liberal party where our members have a range of views on all sorts of issues, but come together to discuss them in a friendly and constructive way. That's what Lib Dem conference is all about."