Keir Starmer further hardened his position on gender rights rights today as he said trans women with penises would not be allowed to enter female-only spaces.

The Labour leader was responding to criticism from JK Rowling over where those with gender recognition certificates who retain their male anatomy would be able to gain access.

In an article for The Times last week, the Harry Potter author claimed that she will 'struggle to support' Labour at next week's election over the party's support of women-only spaces. 

Speaking to the same paper, Sir Keir was asked about a question she posed on X/Twitter, in which she asked: 'Do biological males with gender recognition certificates have the right to enter women-only spaces?'

He replied: 'No. They don't have that right. They shouldn't. That's why I've always said biological women's spaces need to be protected.' 

Asked whether he would meet Ms Rowling, he added: 'I've indicated a willingness ... hopefully we can get that organised.'

But it is the latest remark by the Labour leader to threaten to put him on a collision course with his own MPs after the election.

Last week shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson argued that female facilities were the right place for people with gender recognition certificates.

GRCs currently require doctors to sign off and two years' evidence of living in a different gender - although Labour proposals could see that downgraded to a two-year 'cooling off' period.

However, there is no requirement for people to have had reassignment surgery, or be planning to do so. 

Speaking on Times Radio, Ms Phillipson insisted that single-sex provision was important for women's 'dignity and safety'.

But she stressed that there needed to be 'provision for trans people'. 

It was the second time she and Sir Keir had appeared to disagree. He also said children should not be taught gender ideology at school, in an apparent slapdown.

Labour's leader said teachers did need guidance on sex and relationships education but that lessons should be age-appropriate.

His comments appeared to contradict those made by Ms Phillipson the day before, when she failed to back the Government's proposed ban on children being taught about gender identity.

Almost half of the party's 2019 voters said they are in favour of the Conservatives' plan to protect single-sex services, a poll revealed yesterday.

Some 48 per cent said they agreed with Rishi Sunak's plan to amend the Equality Act, making it clear that sex means biological sex rather than gender identity.

By contrast only one in three supporters of Sir Keir Starmer's party (35 per cent) back its plan to make it easier for transgender people to change sex legally.

Four in ten (40 per cent) of the party's voters oppose the policy to simplify the process of obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

The survey of 2,146 adults in Britain by PeoplePolling comes just a day after a different poll found two-thirds of Labour voters (65 per cent) agreed with the statement 'a woman cannot have a penis' while only 13 per cent disagreed.

In last week’s head-to-head TV debate, Sir Keir said it was ‘very important that we protect women’s spaces’ but insisted ‘this is already set out’ in the Equality Act. It prompted Ms Rowling to claim he believes ‘men can also be women’.

Sir Keir was then accused by a radio caller of speaking ‘absolute twaddle’ and ‘not listening’ to women who do not want to share spaces with men.

And in a TV interview he would not say if he thought a transgender woman should use the ladies’ or gentlemen’s toilets, saying only: ‘I do want to ensure that whatever the facility, it is a safe and secure place for women.’