Amy🌹

As always, if anyone has anything they think needs raising at a meeting - be it a question, concern, or just something that went well locally that you think more branches could benefit from - please do let me know!

The meeting focused on the Regional Director’s report and local government re-organisation, as well as the parliamentary update and stakeholder reports. Director’s Report Mayoral selections for Sussex and Hampshire and the Solent have now started, with applications currently being opened. Councillor selections are also in progress, being largely completed in some areas. Some issues exist around these with uncertainty around the impact of local government re-organisation on elections’ timing. An issue was raised about the impact of the likely loss of Labour Group Observers after a rule change to be voted in at national conference. There was specific concern about the impact on Local Government Committees (LGCs), which often have observers who are able to coordinate between the LGCs and Groups, but it was noted that observers also sometimes had issues with leaking information and the regional office is able to help LGCs that may face issues. Concerns around communication between the leadership and membership, particularly around making local representatives aware of ministerial visits, were also expressed. It was accepted that this communication needed to improve although this had also been an issue under the previous Labour government. Frustrations around delays to local elections from both residents and campaigners were also noted. It was explained that the local government re-organisation is a complex process, and a decision on delays to local elections had to be made for all councils rather than picking and choosing based on the expected results. Committee members also raised that the benefits of re-organisation had to be more clearly explained. The saved money and reduced bureaucracy is generally well received when well explained but messaging needs to be cleaner. Some councillors have also been concerned this will lead to them losing their roles, and work needs to be done to allay this fear. Parliamentary Update There was a focus on the positive work done by th…

Stakeholder Reports In advance of the meeting I submitted a stakeholder report on issues facing LGBT+ members in the South East, in which I raised concerns about falling confidence in the Labour Party leading to us not being able to attend a large number of Prides as an organisation. I also raised issues with LGBT+ Labour, one of the affiliated socialist societies, indefinitely suspending their AGM, which I'm concerned harms internal democracy and the representative nature of the organisation. I also raised my concerns about LGBT+ Labour's internal democracy in the meeting, but due to their nature as an affiliated society they are largely self running so the REC isn't able to intervene. Conference We were told about work the regional office had been doing to prepare for conference, including around helping first time delegates understand the conference process. Gemma Furnivall, the Disability Rep, has also been working with the regional office on an online session to help those with accessibility needs for conference. Other Business South East Young Labour recently held their AGM, which saw over a hundred registrations to attend and a large number of candidates running for the executive committee. SEYL has also been supporting smaller Young Labour groups, including Hampshire Young Labour which I'm proud to have helped start as the LGBT+ Officer on its committee. It was also suggested that it could be useful to create a regional resource to help contact speakers for events. It was also commented that online meetings can make speakers easier to reach by reducing the burden on them to travel, particularly for more rural branches.

LGBT+ Stakeholder Report The past few months saw LGBT+ Pride events across the south east, including in Brighton, Reading, and in Southampton. As normal they were a fantastic celebration of community and inclusion that mark how far we have come in terms of LGBT+ rights in the UK, and I had a really nice time at Pride personally and have heard from a lot of members across the South East who had similarly positive experiences. Unfortunately, unlike previous years, Labour Party branches were generally not allowed to attend many Pride events. Organisers expressed concerns about the recent backsliding on many LGBT+ issues leading to a lack of trust in the Party. I've heard and seen a variety of views on this from different members of the party, largely frustrated that this was the case. A lot of members I heard from were worried that this is a sign that the LGBT+ community has lost the confidence in our Party that we've long enjoyed. This also mirrors my personal experience of talking to LGBT+ people outside of Labour, who are largely angry at recent decisions around policy and communications, particularly on the Party’s commitment to protecting and upholding trans people's rights. I've heard from a large number of members who've been concerned about LGBT+ Labour's decision to indefinitely postpone its AGMs for the South East and London Region and nationally. Members have also expressed concern about the robustness of the reasoning given for the decision to postpone the AGM, particularly as the events that the committee stated had caused the delay occurred and were widely reported well in advance of the announcement of the AGM, making it unclear why the decision to postpone was taken so late. The AGM was originally set to be held on the 19th of July, and members received an email indicating that it had been postponed a week before. Since, there's been no indication as to when the AGM will be rescheduled to, which is incredibly worrying. After learning that the AGM ha…

This lack of communication is consistent with concerns members have raised about a lack of vital information for the running of LGBT+ Labour. One member has been left waiting for months for a response to a request for a copy of the constitution to the committee, making it difficult for members to ensure it's properly followed. The Labour Party's affiliated organisations should always seek to uphold its values of internal democracy, and it's deeply worrying that members have been denied the opportunity to hold its committees to account. I hope that through work with members of the committee these issues can be resolved, although it remains a serious issue that the problems have gotten to this state and that there's no indication that the committee is currently working to resolve them. Recently Kent County Council - now controlled by a Reform UK majority - took the decision to require council buildings in the county not to fly LGBT+ Pride flags among others. Members in the region expressed concern about the impact this has had on LGBT+ people in the county’s feelings of safety and inclusion. I've been glad to see Labour councillors and MPs speaking out against the decision, and I believe it's important that Labour members, particularly elected representatives, continue to speak out against the scape-goating and demonisation of minorities by Reform and tackle their populist politics.

Was great to attend another meeting of the South East REC today, where we discussed local government re-organisation and preparations for conference. I also raised members' concerns about Labour not being able to attend local Prides and @LGBTLabour 's ongoing delays to it's AGM.

I'm running for Vice Chair of South East Young Labour!

Now especially, it's essential that we have a Vice Chair who will work to bring young people across the South East together, help them develop the political beliefs, and stand up and be a voice for young people's concerns

It's essential that Labour's leadership changes course and does more to listen to its membership and the public, otherwise I worry that we'll lack the support necessary to campaign and win elections locally and nationally and deliver the change that people across the UK need.

Like many students and young people in Labour I've been increasingly concerned by the lack of engagement with democratic input and the move away from the Party's founding socialist principles. Members have felt voiceless and have been increasingly disengaged and burnt out.

We, as Chairs and Presidents of University Labour Clubs and Societies, note with sadness Warwick Labour Movement’s decision to sever ties with the Labour Party. We thank the Warwick Labour Movement and their members for their work within the Labour Party and wider labour movement in the struggle for a more equal and progressive Britain. Whilst we continue to believe the right place for the struggle for socialism within the UK remains within the Labour Party and its affiliated trade unions, we share the concerns expressed by the chair of Warwick Labour Movement regarding the leadership’s recent policies around cutting spending for vulnerable people, the poor state of internal party democracy, and the UK’s involvement with international issues which we do not believe are consistent with the Labour Party’s founding democratic socialist values. We are also concerned that Warwick Labour Movement is the latest in an increasingly worrying series of defections and losses that have left Labour Students and Young Labour’s memberships at a fraction of what they once were. We therefore call on the Labour Party’s leadership to commit itself to the substantive policies needed to change the UK for the better and reinvigorate communities’ trust in our Party to stand up and deliver for them. We also hear and feel the concerns around internal democracy in the Party, and further call for opportunities for the membership’s concerns and suggestions to be heard and meaningfully engaged with, including increased transparency and a more democratic policy making process. The Labour Party has a rich history of working with and for working class and minority communities, and as students and young people we look to continue to build upon that legacy to build a freer, more open, and more equal society for those who come after us. That can only come through meaningful collaboration underpinned by a commitment to a principled decision making process.

Signed by: Amelia Tamblyn, President, Southampton University Labour Society Thomas Roberts, Chair, Sheffield Labour Students Jaiveer Chadda, Chair, St Andrews Labour Society Alexy Neelesh King, Chair, Nottingham Trent Labour Students Oliver Mousley, President, Derby Labour Society Stephen Bellars, Co-President, Exeter University Labour Society Emily Belt, Co-Chair, University of Liverpool Socialist Labour Students Lusungu Nkhoma, President, Lincoln Labour Society

Statement from Labour Club Chairs and Presidents following Warwick Labour Movement’s disaffiliation from the Labour Party

Jamie's an absolutely fantastic advocate and I've been honoured to work with him on LGBT+ rights work in Labour. It's a real shame that so many in our party have felt pushed out by the current policy direction - if Labour aren't the space for social progressives what are we?

I prosecute and defend the most serious sexual offences in our courts.

The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative.

Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.

It’s always “Ladies, if you are alienated by overwork, drop out of the public sphere and become a tradwife” and never “Ladies, if you are alienated by overwork, form a union.”

Finally, I'd like to express solidarity with Steph Richards who's faced attacks in the media for standing as women's officer despite being a woman. She should have been able to expect support from an LGBT+ organisation, not silence and uncertainty.

As has already been pointed out by other members, this will be particularly bad for those from outside the south east who've had to plan transport and accommodation that's now not going to be used - yet another argument for hybrid or online AGMs.

I'm really concerned that LGBT+ Labour have postponed their AGM, creating unnecessary uncertainty around when and where the meeting will be held, and leaving trans members unclear as to whether their identities will be respected at the AGM.

I first got involved with the Labour Party after seeing local candidates and activists campaigning in local elections during my first year at uni. Seeing people working together to improve their community brought back a faith in party politics that I’d lost after growing up in a small town under austerity. I’ve always been a passionate advocate for LGBT+ rights, and in Labour I found a community of people who were open-minded and welcoming, and made connections with other LGBT+ people and allies involved in politics working towards a more inclusive future. Unfortunately, since the election I’ve been disappointed to see LGBT+ voices not included in the Labour government’s decision making: from extending the Tories’ cruel and unsound ban on puberty blockers to the embrace of an interpretation of the Equality Act that makes trans people less safe and less able to be involved with public life. I’m a strong believer in what the Labour Party can be - my experience of the membership has consistently been of a group of people who are dedicated to social justice and improving access to opportunities, and I’m standing for Co-Chair for LGBT+ Labour because I want to help our movement be the best version of itself it could be: supporting the Party when it gets it right and helping it improve where it falls short. Amy Tamblyn, Trans Rights Alliance candidate for Co-Chair

Introducing Amy… one of our fantastic candidates for Co-Chair of LGBT+ Labour 🏳️‍🌈​🏳️‍⚧️

Vote for Amy and the rest of the Trans Rights Alliance slate at the LGBT+ Labour AGM on Saturday 19th July. If you’re a member, sign up before 5pm this Saturday 12th!

“In order to effectively fight against the rollback of trans rights, win policies that would materially improve the lives of trans people, and change our political culture, it is crucial that we work together across Labour Party factions and have trans members’ voices in the room. That’s why I’m proud to endorse the Trans Rights Alliance for the LGBT+ Labour elections. "I urge you to support them at the AGM on Saturday 19th July." Nadia Whittome MP

Thank you for the endorsement @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social, you're an LGBT+ superstar and we're so happy to have your support 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

If you're an LGBT+ Labour member, register now for the AGM on Saturday 19th July.

The deadline to register for the AGM on the 19th July for existing LGBT+ Labour members is at 5pm on the 12th - get registered, make a plan to attend, and vote for the Trans Solidarity Alliance on the 19th of July! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

to voicing members' concerns and advocating for their interests as the LGBT+ rep on the South East REC, I've always worked to create a politics which is open, compassionate, and stands up for the most vulnerable.

Over my time in Labour I've always worked to make the Party as inclusive as possible, from working to keep members safe as a Welfare Officer at my Uni's Labour Society to tabling motions against trans exclusion as my CLP's LGBT+ Officer...

I'm very excited to be running alongside a fantastic slate for LGBT+ Labour's Committee - it's essential that LGBT+ Labour works within the Labour Party to advocate for the rights of all LGBT+ people and stand up against bigotry in politics.

If anybody has something they think needs raising at the next meeting (especially around LGBT+ issues) please feel free to reach out - whether it's questions, criticism, or just something that's worked out locally that you think other branches in the south east could learn from!

The meeting focused on the report from the Regional Director, local election results, and selection processes, as well as the parliamentary and TULO's reports. Director's Report - The lack of cohesion in some motions grouped together for compositing at regional conference was raised - Concern around Reform was also raised by multiple members, as well as the need to do more outreach. Apparently there has been a "strategic shift" to deal with Reform post May elections. - Need for input from equalities reps on relevant issues was raised. We were told there were mechanisms to do this through the REC. Fears caused by uncertainty from messaging around disability benefits changes was also raised as a specific issue. We were also told that public communications issues had also been raised through the NPF and NEC. Local Elections - Largely discussion around countering Reform. - The large impact of national issues on the local elections (particularly for swing voters) was mentioned. - Also the fact that turn-out was very different from normal - a lot of traditionally Labour voters didn't vote in the elections, and a lot of people who normally don't vote turned out for Reform. - There was also discussion around Reform's often toxic social media presence, and their use of misleading material in some areas. Selections - Discussions were had around the upcoming local and mayoral elections. Members were told that selection processes had started for local elections and the process for mayoral elections was still awaiting sign off by the NEC.

Parliamentary Update - The positive impacts of the Labour government were emphasised although we were told that people need to see and feel the change that the government is bringing. We were also told the South East PLP has been engaging on issues around industrial strategy. TULO Update - We were told about the organising of events to educate trade union members about the effects of the New Deal, and to try to get more women involved in trade unionism - Pushes to further the impact of New Deal legislation by trade unions were mentioned. - The growth of pro-Reform sentiments among trade union members was mentioned but not meaningfully engaged with by most other members. - A member also raised the effects of cancelling women's conferences on engagement with party structures and trade unions. I also raised concerns about other impacts of recent NEC decisions on women's engagement with equalities issues, particularly the banning of trans women from being delegates at women's conferences or representing their CLPs as women's officers. Alongside contributions in the meeting I also submitted a report on the impacts of the recent Supreme Court decision and the subsequent NEC decisions around trans people's engagement with the party, but was told that as this is an issue of national policy it would be sent to the NEC instead of being discussed by the REC. I continue to be concerned that the decisions will harm trans people’s ability to engage with public activities, including political organising, and will do what I can to advocate for progressive change around this.

I've written up a report on last month's South East Regional Executive Committee meeting - some good stuff to be happy about, lessons to learn from the local elections, and pushes for more inclusive party organising.

Robert Jenrick's video is disgraceful. He's a lawyer who knows better. As a human rights law scholar, I know that if there aren't human rights for the worst people, there aren't human rights for anyone. Jenrick wants these rights – yours and mine – destroyed.

Very good meeting today of the SE Regional Executive. Lots of discussions on local election results, responding to Reform, 2026 elections preparation and devolution amongst other topics. @sharon-mintoff.bsky.social @atamblyn04.bsky.social

I really, strongly believe that boycotting the consultation is a bad idea. They have to see us fighting back. The public needs to see us fighting back. We need to see us fighting back! Especially when we know that the recent backlash against the EHRC HAS had a positive effect

Ireland has had provision for self-declaration of gender for 10 years. Isn't it time we followed?

#TransRights

We have joined @georgiameadows.bsky.social and @labour4transrights.bsky.social in this joint statement condemning the contents of the leaked paper due to be discussed by Labour’s National Executive Committee tomorrow. (1/2)

www.prideinlabour.org.uk/post/joint-s...

I think motions "that the question now be put" are better described as a vote on ending debate than on whether to vote. It's how you counter the risk of fillibusters faced by legislatures like the US' Congress whilst still allowing MPs to continue debate if they wish to.

Slope chart showing the UK's decline from 1st in the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Europe ranking in 2013 to its current place of 22nd in 2025.

I've been following @ilgaeurope.bsky.social's Rainbow Europe data for a few years now. Today's release is a stark reminder that LGBTQIA+ people need to be ever-vigilant protecting our rights and that progress is never linear. 🧵

Just ten years ago the UK was top of the list - the best place in Europe for LGBT rights. We are now 22nd

The only country to drop faster in one year than us is Hungary

The government needs to act in a major way before this becomes their entire legacy

The devastating impact of the Supreme Court judgment | Good Law Project We asked the trans community how they have been affected after the Supreme Court ripped up the Equality Act. The response has been chilling.

NEW: We asked the trans community how they have been affected after the Supreme Court ripped up the Equality Act.

The response has been chilling, writes @jessothomson.co.uk:
goodlaw.social/b5hx

Just out! Our peer-reviewed critique of the Cass Review has been published by BMC Medical Research Methodology. Please read and share. We show that the Cass Review is fatally flawed and should not be the basis for policy or practice in transgender healthcare.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...