'Safety of women and girls is important

THE rights of women and girls will be better protected under a Conservative government, the Prime Minister has vowed.

- Martyn Brown

Rishi Sunak will strengthen equality laws by making it easier to bar trans people from female sports and single-sex spaces.

He will change the wording of legislation to specify that it protects "biological sex" rather than "sex" if his party wins next month's General Election.

Mr Sunak said: "The safety of women and girls is too important to allow the current confusion around definitions of sex and gender to persist.

"The Conservatives believe that making this change in law will enhance protections in a way that respects the privacy and dignity of everyone in society.

"We are taking an evidence-led approach to this issue so that we can continue to build a secure future for everyone across the whole country." It comes days after the Daily Express exclusively revealed that former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies was challenging party leaders to come clean about their plans to protect women's sport and single-sex spaces.

Ms Davies said: "I'm very pleased, but frustrated it has taken this long.

"It should have been done a long time ago, as was intended when the Equality Act was written."

Mr Sunak said the changes would make it simpler for service providers for women and girls, such as those running sessions for domestic abuse victims, to prevent biological males from taking part.

The proposal comes more than a decade since the last Labour government passed the Equality Act.