UK
Lib Dem women’s group claims it has been banned from promoting event over trans views
A Liberal Democrat women’s group claims it has been banned from advertising an event at the party’s conference due to “clashes” over their position on trans people.
The gender-critical Liberal Voice for Women is hosting a panel near the conference centre in Bournemouth, with former BBC Radio 4 presenter Jenni Murray listed as their headline speaker, to discuss “the importance of the material fact of sex for women and girls”.
But the organisation claims it has not been allowed to promote the gathering due to “censorious forces at work in the party”, which has stopped them from both running events on-site or having a stall in the exhibition area – although a spokesperson for the Lib Dems said the same rules applied to all groups.
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But Zoe Hollowood, who chairs Liberal Voice for Women, said the ban meant party members were being stopped from “learning” about the issue, while Lib Dem MPs were being “sheltered from reality and end up getting in a muddle about women with penises on TV”.
“It is also particularly regrettable from our perspective as it means members don’t get to hear from us directly about what we actually believe. Meanwhile, smears about us continue to go unchallenged within the party,” she added.
“There is an abusive climate that leaders need to get a handle on.”
Rows have erupted on Twitter between Liberal Voice for Women and other members of the Lib Dems, with the former calling for sex-based rights for women, and the latter wanting to protect the rights of trans and non-binary people.
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A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats said: “No groups are allowed to hand out promotional material within the conference centre. This rule applies to everyone.
“Party members submit dozens of motions for discussion at conference and sadly we don’t have time to debate them all.
“We are debating a range of policies to deal with the cost of living emergency and NHS crisis caused by this chaotic Conservative government.”