The Stevenage Labour Party has passed a motion in support of the transgender community, following a campaign from a passionate councillor in response to “anti-trans” groups.

A councillor for Stevenage's Bedwell ward, Lizzy Kelly, put forward the transgender solidarity motion, which will look to tackle the disproportionate number of trans people affected by a number of issues, including homelessness and hate crime.

She told the Comet: "I've seen some groups popping up, and people are talking about the "danger" of children learning about gender and thinking about the difference between sex and gender.

"A few local Labour parties have passed motions in support of these groups recently, as the trans community has started to get some visibility. Sadly, it's come with a bit of push back.

"I don't see a contradiction with trans rights and women's rights or between trans rights and gay rights."

The motion was seconded and passed at a Labour Party meeting on Thursday last week, where a friend of Lizzy's and the LGBT+ officer of Peterborough Labour Party, Arthur Webber, spoke to members about his personal experience.

The motion statement said: "The Labour Campaign for Trans Rights has been founded by transgender and non-binary Labour members in order to advance trans liberation through the Labour Party.

"Trans people today are disproportionately affected by the evils of homelessness, unemployment, poverty and hate crime."

As a result, the Stevenage Labour Party will support the Labour Campaign for Trans Rights' pledges, which includes accepting "the material reality that trans people are oppressed and discriminated against in British society, facing a rising risk of hate crime, and difficulty accessing public services, healthcare, housing and employment".

Lizzy continued: "What I'm hoping will happen is more local Labour parties will pass motions like this and show their support.

"The anti-trans groups are a vocal minority, and I'm hoping that this motion will help trans members to feel safe in the Labour Party. I think these motions of solidarity will help with that."