Liz Truss confirms to Parliament that the Government will not amend the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to chose their own legal gender without medical approval. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/response-to-gender-recognition-act-2004-consultation

"We have looked carefully at the issues raised in the consultation, including potential changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004. It is the Govt’s view that the balance struck in this legislation is correct..."

"We have also come to understand that gender recognition reform, though supported in the consultation undertaken by the last government, is not the top priority for transgender people. Perhaps their most important concern is the state of trans healthcare."

My thoughts: 1 Making this announcement in written statement on Lockdown Day shows HMG doesn't want the culture war fight on this issue - yet.

2 Rejecting self-ID and shifting the focus onto healthcare is sensible and right -- health provision and outcomes for trans people are not good enough. 3 As well as rejecting the self-ID advocated by groups inc Stonewall, she's also telling them they should change their focus

4 This is a remarkable turnaround from 2018, when self-ID was looking like the default outcome, thanks to politicians not looking at the detail and outsourcing judgement to lobby groups. 5 This turnaround is largely down to grassroots women's groups, and Mumsnet users.

6 Books should be written about those women's groups, which illustrate that ground-level political organisation still matters and still works in the 21st Century. 7 The Labour reponse today will be fascinating (has this been timed for Starmer speech day?) - Tories will be ....

...largely united in support of Truss decision. Labour is seriously split, between trans-rights advocates (inc Nandy and Rayner) who wanted self-ID and feminists who didn't (I could name them but won't). Starmer just wants not to talk about the issue, especially on speech day.

PS I have criticised some BBC reporting on this issue in the past, but this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-53154286 is a really good, solid and clear explainer on a complex issue.