LGBTQ+ Rights

I hope my public record shows I have always tried my very best to stand up for the rights of all my constituents, and I am so proud of my work championing the queer community here in Islington. Whether that is fighting historic injustices that led brave servicemen and women to lose their careers simply because of who they loved, to co-sponsoring Stonewall’s Parliamentary Reception for Pride Month this June, I know that despite the enormous progress made since I became an MP over twenty years ago, Islington’s queer community still faces real challenges. 

As I have said publicly, including recently on BBC Political Thinking, we have got to stand loudly and proudly for the trans community. I have met personally with a number of volunteers from Switchboard – an LGBT+ helpline based here in Islington – and I have raised their concerns directly with the Equalities Minister, which you can read here. I feel strongly that we do not need to pit the rights of cisgender women against transgender women, and I want to see EHRC guidance approved that allows everyone to live with safety, dignity and respect. Policing the toilet use of trans people is not the solution to the very serious problem of violence against women.