A political row over how to refer to those who are transgender and pregnant overshadowed a debate on Warwick District Council's support of people in temporary accommodation.

A motion – a statement of intent that informs future policy decisions or actions – was brought forward by Cllr Kate Dickson on Wednesday (December 3) to ensure the quality of any temporary accommodation utilised by the district in carrying out its homelessness duties.

It also advocates improving links between health and education agencies when people, particularly families, are placed into temporary accommodation.

The matter took up more than 40 minutes in total, including discussion around whether the district council risked duplicating the responsibilities of other bodies such as Warwickshire County Council, but the biggest and most controversial sticking point surrounded just two words – pregnant people. 

Cllr Peter Phillips warned he was going to "slightly cause some disharmony" in making "a political point which applies to all of us".

"All of us have spent our lives fighting Reform this past two-and-a-half years and we have in this motion two words that are God's gift to Reform – pregnant people," he said.

"It is the Martine Croxall rolled eyeball. If it was just pregnant women that would avoid the debate (from) Reform (saying) this council has gone woke or whatever."

Cllr Adrian Barton supported the stance, admitting "I didn't like that line either", but it pulled the pin on 25 minutes of to and fro, including an adjournment of more than 10 minutes to settle on alternative wording that still left a handful of councillors dissatisfied.

Cllr Sam Jones noted that 'pregnant people' may refer to girls who had been raped before Conservative group leader Cllr Andrew Day sought "to find a middle ground" by changing 'pregnant people' to 'pregnant females'.

Cllr Dickson, who in introducing the motion referred to her experiences as a midwife, replied: "I'm sorry, I couldn't agree with an amendment that changed the wording of that. 

"I am looking after pregnant people, people identify as different genders so I am afraid I can't."

Portfolio holder for housing Cllr Jess Melrose, backer of the initial motion, agreed, arguing that it had to be "an inclusive motion that captures anyone who potentially can be pregnant".

Cllr Dan Browne, chair of Warwickshire Pride, offered his support.

"If people think it is woke, perhaps they should look at what the word woke means – I am happily woke and will stay woke," he said. 

"It is not just cisgender women (female from birth) who can become pregnant, there are transgender men who have the ability to become pregnant so I think it is vital that we take an inclusive approach and include pregnant people."

The compromise came when Cllr Jan Matecki suggested changing 'pregnant people' to 'those who are pregnant' but the debate continued.

Cllr Becky Davidson said that the amendments on various issues should have come forward prior to the meeting to avoid what became widespread confusion over what councillors were being expected to decide on.

"I also do not support a change in the wording from 'pregnant people', I completely support what Councillor Browne said," she added.

"To change that sets a weird precedent that we don't support people who are transgender."

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Alan Boad and Cllr Day made the case to adjourn and settle the wording in writing – Cllr Matecki's terminology 'those who are pregnant' was "reluctantly" accepted by Cllr Dickson. 

Cllr Melrose said: "How the debate has gone saddens me.

"We came with the intention (of helping) people in temporary accommodation, vulnerable people, children, and I will say pregnant people because that is the correct terminology.

"I am worried about the outcome this debate will have outside when it is sent out to the media and (with) people watching this online. I think we should consider the language we choose.

"I will present the motion as laid out because the content of it is still inclusive but I appreciate that people will now abstain from voting when they would otherwise have chosen to accept and vote for it because the wording has been amended. I will leave it there." 

Six councillors – Cllr Phillips, Cllr Jones, Cllr Davidson, Cllr Browne, Cllr Kyn Aizlewood and Cllr Martin Luckhurst – chose not to vote either way but the rest supported it. 

Cllr Phillips's reference was to BBC news presenter Martine Croxall who read the phrase 'pregnant people' from an autocue while on air but then paused, rolled her eyes and said "women". She was later found to have broken the corporation's impartiality rules in expressing a personal view.