Councillor Resigns From Labour With An Attack On Party's 'Backwards' Approach To Trans Rights

A councillor has quit the Labour Party over its stance on transgender rights.Dylan Tippetts was elected to Plymouth City Council in 2022, when Labour won on a majority, and became the region’s first openly transgender councillor.But in a post on X on Friday, Tippetts explained he was leaving the party because Labour has “thrown transgender people under the bus and has taken us backwards decades”.It follows last month’s Supreme Court ruling, which declared that a woman – and sex itself – is only defined by biology, not gender, under the equalities law.Despite previously saying trans women are women, Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson then confirmed the prime minister had U-turned in April, and no longer believes transgender women are women.A row over which public toilets trans people are supposed to use followed, with ministers suggesting individuals should use facilities according to the sex they were born with.Writing on social media on Friday, Tippetts explained he was resigning from the party membership, and therefore as the Labour whip on Plymouth City Council and the chair of taxi licensing committee.He wrote: “The Labour Party nationally has thrown transgender people under the bus and has taken us backwards decades.“Everyone deserves the right to live peacefully and the Labour Party continues to deny transgender people that basic right.“I cannot continue to represent a party that does not support my fundamental rights. I cannot as a trans person continue to support the Labour Party.”He added that there are a “few people” he respects within the party, but he will be sitting out his final year on the Plymouth City Council as an independent councillor.“To be clear and upfront, I will not be seeking reelection next year.”pic.twitter.com/nv80p9AUOy— Cllr Dylan Tippetts (@Dylan4Compton) May 9, 2025A spokesperson for Plymouth Labour Group told HuffPost UK that they were “very disappointed” at the news.They said: “We are very disappointed that Cllr Tippetts has taken the decision to resign from the Labour party after he was informed on Thursday evening that he was being replaced as chair of the Taxi Licensing Committee. “The residents of Compton ward deserve three committed councillors so we hope Cllr Tippetts will work hard to represent them during his final year in office.”Local MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, as well as the minister for Armed Forces, Luke Pollard wrote on X: “I’m disappointed by Cllr Dylan Tippetts’ decision to resign the Labour whip last night.“I understand his reasons and that he has been discussing leaving for some time. Though disappointed, I wish him well for his future.”Tippetts’ remarks come after education secretary and equalities minister Bridget Phillipson claimed the Supreme Court judgement “brings welcome clarity”.Speaking in April, Phillipson said: “This ruling brings welcome clarity and confidence for women and service providers, single-sex spaces must be protected.“This government will continue as before, working to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex, now with the added clarity of this ruling.“We will continue our wider work with commitment, with compassion, to protect all of those who need it right across society. Because this is a government that will support the rights of women and trans people, now and always.”She added: “This government will offer trans people the dignity that too often they were denied by the party opposite, too often a convenient punch bag, too often the butt of jokes made… in this place by the party opposite.”Related...Tories Accused Of 'Dystopian' Attack On Trans CommunityPaapa Essiedu Raises Eyebrows By Calling For Trans Support After Joining Harry Potter SeriesLesbians Have Always Stood With Trans Women – Our Safe Spaces Should Too

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