Council sorry for cancelling talk over trans views

Julie Bindel said the council's actions were "deeply unethical, immoral and unjust"

A city council has apologised to an author after cancelling a talk due to what it said were her views on transgender rights.

In June, Julie Bindel was due to give a talk, organised by the Nottingham Women for Change group, at Aspley Library.

The event was cancelled by Nottingham City Council who said her views "fly in the face" of its position on transgender rights.

In a statement, the council now said the move was "unlawful".

Ms Bindel said she would sue the council after she held the talk outside the library, one of three earmarked for closure, on 25 June following the cancellation.

Nottingham Women for Change, which describes itself as a "women only activism, education and empowerment" group, said the event had been booked to "discuss feminism and domestic violence due to pressure from men's rights activists".

The day before the event was due to be held, the council informed the group it could not go ahead.

It has now said the decision was unlawful and has agreed to make a payment to the author, Nottingham Women for Change and to ticket holders in respect of their "reasonable losses" due to the cancellation of the event.

The event was held outside the library, following the council's decision

Ms Bindel said the move was "deeply unethical, immoral and unjust".

"These cases take time and effort," the author said.

"They're stressful and time consuming so it's really important that those that can make a stand do make a stand.

"We will not be deterred by a prejudicial and backwards-thinking city council and I really hope that the good people of Nottingham think that this is something that should not have been done in their name."

Ms Bindel said she planned to return to Nottingham for a bigger event "once the dust has settled".

A spokesperson for the council said: "Nottingham City Council has agreed that, if Nottingham Women for Change seeks to make a booking at any Nottingham City Council venue by way of a fully completed booking form, the council will make a fresh decision in response to such request upon a lawful basis."

The council has not said which of Ms Bindel's views had prompted the decision to cancel the talk.