We stand with Kiri: Labour and women’s voices

Labour Women’s Declaration stands in solidarity with Kiri Tunks

Thank you Labour Women’s Declaration for your solidarity with our co-founder, Kiri Tunks, who was ‘un-invited’ from speaking on challenging sexism by a UK Labour ward. Thank you for publishing Kiri’s open letter to the ward.

This letter was published on Friday 19th February with the hastag #IStandWithKiri.

Kiri wrote the open letter to the ward chair, asking for it to be circulated to all members of the ward. She also sent it to

• the local MP
• representatives on the regional executive
• senior figures within the parliamentary Labour Party

Kiri is a relentless campaigner for working people and is committed to fighting for equality for all. She has a long record of challenging discrimination, injustice, unequal structures and oppressive cultures within workplaces, the union movement and beyond.

Kiri spoke at the Expel Me rally organised in March 2020 suppport of Woman’s Place UK & LGB Alliance after both groups came under attack during the Labour Party leadership campaign.

You can watch her speech here.

You can read the transcript of her speech here.

The basis on which she has been disinvited is entirely false. The labour movement needs to take a good look at itself and think about what it wants to be.

The left should be the champion of freedom of speech, intellectual inquiry, association and discussion. It is a serious misstep for the left to cede this ground to the right. Thank you to Labour Women’s Declaration and all who have shown solidarity to her and other women whose voices are being shut down.

Thank you to everyone who has spoken in support of Kiri and of all women whose voices are being shut down.

We stand with Kiri