Cabinet divided over gender reform in schools

There are fears Rishi Sunak will backtrack from a ban on ‘social transition’ in schools for children who are questioning their gender identity, after warnings that this would leave the Conservatives “on the wrong side of history”.

The attorney-general Victoria Prentis concluded that a ban on social transition - meaning children are able to change their names, pronouns and uniforms at school - would be unlawful under the Equality Act.

Ministers were still considering proceeding by introducing a Bill in the King’s Speech to outlaw it, but it was feared that this would be heavily amended by MPs from all sides of the house and would expose division in the Conservative Party ahead of the run-up to the next election.

However, draft guidance produced for schools would require the obtaining of the parental consent before a child was allowed to social transition, in a step forward for parental rights. It is also expected that the guidance will indicate that doctors should be consulted before social transition.

The Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has previously said that it would be “unreasonable” to stop social transition in schools, but has also backed the importance of parental consent, telling The Times earlier this year: “It’s a tricky subject but I think parental consent is the key driver for this. Schools aren’t there as doctors or parents. They are there as educators. Parental consent is the most important thing. Parents are responsible for their child.”

The Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch is reportedly calling for greater protection for free speech, and is demanding that teachers are not forced to address children by their chosen pronoun.

Guidance had initially been expected by the summer term this year, and is also expected to clear up questions like whether children can use bathrooms designated for the opposite sex, and single-sex sports teams.