Reform UK will slash central government funding for councils that fail to protect single-sex spaces under new Supreme Court guidance, treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said. Mr Jenrick told The Mail on Sunday that town halls can "wave goodbye to taxpayers' money" if they do not uphold the ruling, which came into force last week.
The guidance states that services must be provided according to biological sex rather than gender identity. Left-wing Lambeth Council in London confirmed it will defy the new rules. Women's rights campaigners hailed the guidance as a victory.
Leaders of five other London boroughs committed to keeping their services "inclusive" and warned the new rules "feel like an attack" on transgender people. "A Reform UK Government won’t tolerate this nonsense," Mr Jenrick said. "If councils won’t abide by the law and respect women-only spaces, they can wave goodbye to taxpayers’ money."
Mr Jenrick added: "Women and girls across the country must know their rights under the law will always be protected. We will stop at nothing to ensure our agenda is delivered." A Government spokesman said last night: "Everyone should follow the law. The rules give service providers the clear, workable guidance they need."
Reform UK plans to make compliance mandatory through Local Government Finance Settlements if elected. This £90billion pot distributes taxes, grants and business rates, forming the primary revenue stream for councils nationwide.
Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick announced that a future Reform UK government would strip central government funding from councils refusing to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex. Reform UK also promised to withhold funds from councils that refuse to co-operate with Home Office immigration raids, following a statement by Lewisham Council last month. A Reform source said the party is "expecting lots more of this", with "Lefty councils trying to subvert the stuff we care about".
Clacton-on-Sea by-election
Mr Jenrick's announcement comes days before the Clacton-on-Sea by-election in Essex, where polls close this Thursday. The vote was triggered after Reform leader Nigel Farage resigned his seat over scrutiny into his finances.
The announcement arrives ahead of the Thursday vote, which features a record-breaking 3-foot-long ballot with 34 candidates, making it the longest ballot paper in British electoral history. The line-up includes 20 independents and Count Binface, who wants to ban eating noisy snacks in cinemas and scrap VAR in football.
Mr Farage billed the contest as an "establishment versus the people" election. Critics warned the strategy might backfire, but Mr Farage is still expected to win the seat.
