The European human rights watchdog has sparked a dispute with the Government after raising concerns about the treatment of transgender people and the policing of pro-Palestinian protests in the United Kingdom. Michael O'Flaherty, Europe's human rights commissioner, sent letters to parliamentary committee chairs and the Home Secretary, urging that recent legal and policy changes be aligned with the European Convention on Human Rights. He warned that new guidance and laws must avoid leaving transgender people in a vulnerable 'intermediate zone' and called for clarity to prevent widespread exclusion from public spaces.

O'Flaherty also expressed concern that recent measures to police protests, particularly those related to Gaza, could restrict the right to peaceful assembly. He questioned whether new legislation, including bans on face coverings at protests, meets human rights standards. The Government has pushed back, with officials stating their disagreement with the watchdog's assessment and defending current protections for transgender people and protest rights. The Home Secretary is expected to respond to the watchdog's letters in full.