Councillor's statement on Labour exit

A Pennsylvania ward councillor, Zoë Hughes, has announced their resignation from the Labour Party, citing disagreements over the party’s acceptance of the Cass Review’s recommendations regarding transgender healthcare. The councillor, a long-standing advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and an educator with 25 years of experience, will continue to represent the ward as an Independent for the remainder of their tenure.

In a statement, the councillor reassured constituents: “I will work even harder to support [the residents of Pennsylvania], a task that will now be much easier for me.”

Expressing disillusionment with the national Labour Party, the councillor criticised the adoption of the Cass Review as party policy. The review, commissioned by the Conservative government, has faced widespread criticism from medical professionals, human rights organisations, and academic institutions over its methodology and conclusions.

The councillor took particular issue with Labour’s support for restricting access to puberty blockers for transgender youth while such treatments remain available to cisgender teenagers with precocious puberty.

“As a queer person, I have often felt alone and marginalised within society. However, I historically have felt that at least the Labour Party had my back – especially during Sir Ben Bradshaw’s many years as MP for Exeter,” they said.

The councillor highlighted their concerns about the impact of this policy shift on trans youth, warning of increasing rates of self-harm and suicide among an already vulnerable group. “To deny them life-affirming and, in many cases, lifesaving puberty blockers is a policy I refuse to stand by and accept. This is not a Labour Party of which I wish to be a part.”

In their statement, the councillor reaffirmed their commitment to representing Pennsylvania residents and advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. “Trans people have always existed. Trans children have always existed. They have been in classrooms and in our communities for the whole 25 years that I have been an educator, and they have sat in front of me in my therapy office desperately trying to be seen by the world for who they really are,” they said.

The councillor’s resignation marks a significant moment in Exeter’s local politics, reflecting broader tensions within the Labour Party over its position on transgender rights.

The Exeter Constituency Labour Party (CLP) was established shortly after the First World War and celebrated its first electoral victory in 1929 with the election of a City Councillor in Exwick. Today, Labour controls Exeter City Council, holding 25 of the 39 council seats and 7 of the 9 County Council seats in the city. The party managed Exeter City Council from 1995 to 2004, after which no single party held overall control. Labour regained control in 2012 and has maintained it since.

No official response has yet been issued by the Labour Party or Exeter City Council.