The UK Labour party has banned straight white men from attending its 2018 conference in a bizarre move designed to “promote equality.”
Those attending the Young Labour conference this March must self-identify as either: black, Asian and minority ethnic (Bame), a woman, disabled, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT).
The Times reports: A Conservative MP has referred the event to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.
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Labour said that there was no point in straight white men attending because the conference’s aim was to elect equalities representatives. The issue comes weeks after the commission said that Labour was guilty of “unlawful discrimination” for offering Bame members discounted tickets to its East Midlands regional conference.
James Cleverly, the Conservative Party’s new deputy chairman, accused Labour of “yet another example of discrimination”. He said: “Their lazy assumption that straight white men can’t fight for equality is shocking. It is essential that political parties represent each and every person irrespective of race, sexuality or age.”
Andrew Bridgen, the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, who referred Labour to the equalities watchdog, said: “Labour are a divisive party who want to divide people into victim groups. The Labour Party are no longer about equality or fighting against discrimination, they have been entirely taken over by identity politics and specific groups of activists.”
A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “There is nothing new about spaces for people with protected characteristics meeting to discuss the inequalities and obstacles they face. The purpose of this conference is to ensure that members from disadvantaged groups are able to elect representatives to Young Labour’s national committee.”
