Labour MP says Cass report must not be ‘spun’ by anti-trans figures

Labour MP Nadia Whittome has said the Cass report must not be “spun” by opponents of trans healthcare. 

After a four-year wait, the review into England’s youth gender services was published on Wednesday morning (10 April). The report makes upwards of 32 recommendations, including a decentralised approach to healthcare in the form of regional gender hubs across England, and calls for services to “match the standards of other NHS care”.

Concerns have already been raised that the Cass report‘s recommendation for a “follow-through service” for 17-25 year olds to the gap between youth and adult care could further restrict access to healthcare such as hormones for adults over 18.

Taking to X/Twitter, Whittome, who has previously called on Labour to tackle transphobia within its ranks, said her “thoughts are with the trans community” following the Cass report’s publication. 

In the post, the 27-year-old MP for Nottingham East declared that young trans people, who already face “huge barriers to healthcare, including years-long waiting lists”, should not see their health and wellbeing become a “front in a toxic culture war”. 

“While some recommendations may positively impact the care young trans people receive, I know that others will cause significant concern”, Whittome continued. “I’m also aware of concerns raised about aspects of the review’s methodology and therefore the basis upon which recommendations have been made.

The politician added: “In the coming days, I’ll be speaking to experts, relevant organisations, and trans people themselves to better understand the report and its implications.

“Its findings must not be spun by those ideologically opposed to trans healthcare.”

The UK government has been repeatedly criticised for its handling of trans issues in recent years: In 2023, prime minister Rishi Sunak was secretly filmed mocking trans people in footage shared exclusively with PinkNews.

Even the Home Office itself admitted in October 2023 that a sharp rise in hate crimes against trans people may have been fuelled by anti-trans comments by politicians. 

Last year, Whittome called on the Tory government to do more to protect LGBTQ+ people in honour of Pride month. 

She told PinkNews: “The Tory government is hell-bent on using trans people as pawns within a culture war, so we have to get them out.

“I will be doing everything I can to ensure that our manifesto in the next General Election is one that would make a real difference to LGBTQ+ people in the UK.”