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‘Will no one think of straight white men?’ Labour defends equalities conference ban
Labour has defended its decision to ban heterosexual white men from its equality conference. The party is facing a backlash for saying attendees must self-define as disabled, LGBT, a woman, or from an ethnic minority background.
The one-day event will allow delegates to vote for women’s, black and ethnic minority (BAME), disabled and LGBT representatives to the Young Labour National Committee.
Heterosexual white men are not allowed to vote in any of these categories, as rules state only women can vote for the women’s representative, and only LGBT members can vote for the LGBT officer.
“There is nothing new about spaces for people with protected characteristics meeting to discuss the inequalities and obstacles they face,” a Labour spokesperson said in a statement to RT. “The purpose of this conference is to ensure that members from disadvantaged groups are able to elect representatives to Young Labour's National Committee. All other positions on the Committee are elected online, via a ‘one member one vote’ system.”
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