JK Rowling has issued an ultimatum to the Labour Party, saying she will only accept the leadership’s offer to meet to discuss women’s rights if they first meet with campaigners depute leader Angela Rayner has previously said are “hate groups”.
The news comes after Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said during a visit to Scotland that the party would meet the Harry Potter author to provide her with “assurances” over the protection of women-only spaces.
That in turn came after Rowling claimed that Labour had “abandoned” her and others campaigning against trans women's inclusion in single-sex spaces.
Rowling has become known as a fierce advocate for the rights of biological women after speaking out against Scottish Government proposals to introduce self identification for transgender people.
While gender recognition reforms were passed by Holyrood, the legislation was never implemented after being blocked by the UK Government.
Reports suggest a Labour government could make it easier for people to legally transition by removing the need for them to prove they have lived as their preferred gender for two years.
The Times newspaper said this will be replaced with a two-year “reflection period”, with the party also set to drop the number of doctors needed to approve a person’s gender recognition certificate – which recognises them in their preferred gender – from two to one.
Reeves, however, insisted protection for single sex spaces for women would “absolutely stay”, adding: “We’re really happy to talk to JK Rowling to give her assurances about that.”
Keir Starmer echoed her remarks, saying on Monday that he would “of course” meet with the author.
Sharing the shadow chancellor’s comments on social media, Rowling said she would meet the Labour leadership only after they met with five campaign groups, two of whom Angela Rayner had previously called “hate groups”.
Rowling wrote: “I'll be happy to meet after @NoXYinXXprisons, @LesbianLabour, @WomensRightsNet, @Womans_Place_UK and @AllianceLGB have been given in person meetings with the Labour leadership.
“I'd also like to know whether @AngelaRayner still considers the last two organisations hate groups – asking on behalf of female survivors of domestic violence and gay people who don't subscribe to gender identity ideology.”
I'll be happy to meet after @NoXYinXXprisons, @LesbianLabour, @WomensRightsNet, @Womans_Place_UK and @AllianceLGB have been given in person meetings with the Labour leadership. I'd also like to know whether @AngelaRayner still considers the last two organisations hate groups -… pic.twitter.com/vNDTH0U9as
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 24, 2024
The reference was to a 12-point pledge card drawn up by the Labour Campaign for Trans Rights in 2020, when Rayner was running to be the party’s depute leader.
Rayner backed the pledges, which included promises to “organise and fight against transphobic organisations such as Woman's Place UK, LGB Alliance and other trans-exclusionist hate groups” and “support the expulsion from the Labour Party of those who express bigoted, transphobic views”.
In April, Rayner’s spokesperson declined to apologise for her support for the pledge card.
