Labour's language and policies on gender issues could result in women being “eradicated” from certain situations, Victoria Atkins has warned.
The Health Secretary said Keir Starmer and his party lack clarity over gender policy and have to be reminded that “women matter”.
Ms Atkins also said Labor plans to ban conversion therapy would risk stopping parents, teachers and therapists from “comforting and counselling” children and adults “in gender distress”.
In its manifesto published earlier this month, Labor promised a “full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices”, branding conversion therapy “abuse”.
But Ms Atkins said while conversion therapy in the context of sexuality “is dreadful and must be stopped”, there must be “thoughtful conversation” on whether any further legislation is needed.
She warned that care must be taken not to criminalise “those who are doing their best to support people with gender distress”.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, she said: “This is ripe territory for the law of unintended consequences, which is something you'd think the Labor leader would understand, but clearly does not.”
A ban on conversion therapy, which aims to suppress or change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, was first promised in 2018, by former Conservative prime minister Theresa May.
It was later downgraded to not include transgender people by Boris Johnson but the Conservative Government under Rishi Sunak said in January 2023 that it would ban conversion therapy for “everyone”, including transgender people.
The Conservative manifesto said while it deems conversion therapy to be “abhorrent”, legislation around such practices “is a very complex issue, with existing criminal law already offering robust protections”.
The Tory party said it is “right that we take more time before reaching a final judgment on additional legislation in this area”.
In a speech, the Health Secretary referred to a maternity ward she had visited where “no-one used the words mother, mum to be or women” because of guidance from a transgender adviser.
Instead, we women were called “service users,” she said.
“Half the population have been eradicated from this maternity unit to meet the views of a single transgender adviser. That is simply wrong.”
Asked if Labour's language and ideology would result in women being eradicated in certain situations, Ms Atkins said: “I think the language they have used historically……says it all.
“It is for the public to make up their mind. We need clarity in the law, clarity of approaches which the Conservatives have and I'm afraid there is not that clarity of approach with the Labor party.”